> Features

Ingredient focus – cheddar

Ingredient focus – cheddar

by Sally Abé 25 November 2015

The country’s most popular cheese is also one of the oldest. Whether it’s melted on toast, used in baking or just served on the cheeseboard, we can’t get enough of cheddar’s strong, savoury flavour and creamy, crumbly texture.

More from this series:

Cheddar has some serious history behind it. The cheese has been produced in the UK since the 12th century and was aged in caves in Somerset; at that time the best cheese was said to come from Cheddar Gorge, hence the name (the Cheddar Gorge Cheese Co are still in production today). There used to be hundreds of cheddar producers in Britain, but during the second world war when milk was rationed, only one cheese (‘government cheddar’) was allowed to be made, so many producers fell by the wayside. Artisan cheddar making has been fighting its way back in the last twenty years, with producers popping up all over the UK; West Country Farmhouse Cheddar is now an official PDO-protected food made in Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Cornwall. Cheddar sales account for over half of all cheese sales in the UK, with the average person eating three and a half kilos of it every year.

Flavour profile

The exact flavour of cheddar differs from truckle to truckle; everything from the cows’ diets to their location can affect the final taste. However, there are certain qualities to look for that will always be present in a good cheddar. The cheese should be creamy, with a perfect balance of sweet and savoury flavours and an overall tanginess that lingers on the palate. Cheddar also has an unmistakable nuttiness, similar to buttery hazelnuts.

If the cheese has been matured properly it will crumble without being too dry and melt in the mouth. The more mature the cheese, the more acidic and salty it will become as it loses moisture. Cloth bound farmhouse varieties tend to be stronger in flavour, especially when unpasteurized, as bacteria that are killed in the process of pasteurisation enhance the final taste.

Cheddar scones with pickled celery and grilled figs
by Nathan Outlaw
Eccles cake with cheddar cheese ice cream
by Marcus Wareing

Food matches

During the maturation process the flavours of Cheddar develop and become more pronounced. Cheese that has been aged for long periods of time, such as Davidstow’s three year old cheddar, are best served simply with a cracker and a large glass of red wine or cider for a more traditional Cornish accompaniment.

Cheddar’s best friend is bread, a simple yet perfect match. Try Pete Biggs’ Bacon cheddar and onion flatbread for a tasty snack or Nathan Outlaw’s Watercress soup with cheddar toasties. Cheddar also lends itself to pastry; think ham and cheese croissants for breakfast or give Victoria Glass’s Cheddar and leek tarts a go for a simple lunchtime treat. Galton Blackiston’s divine Cheddar beignets with sesame dressing would go down a storm as a canapé at a dinner party.

Cheddar also works well alongside fruits. We’ve all tried grapes on the cheeseboard but why not try slices of apple and pear? Have a go at Cheddar scones with grilled figs, and don’t forget the pickles and chutneys that compliment the creaminess of cheddar so well.

Did you know?

It takes ten litres of milk to produce a kilogram of cheddar.

The Davidstow creamery produces 1000 tonnes of cheese per week.

A wheel of cheddar weighing over 70 stone was given to Queen Victoria as a wedding present.

Comments ()

Ingredient focus – cheddar

 

Please enter text

Comments must be less than characters

Change your username in user settings to something more personal.

 

(Editing)

>

This comment was edited

Please enter text

Comments must be less than characters

Reply | | Edit | Delete Report

This comment has been deleted

Report this comment

Please state your report in the space below

Please enter text

Reports must be less than 750 characters

loading

>

Please enter text

Comments must be less than characters

(Editing)

>

This comment was edited

Please enter text

Comments must be less than characters

Reply | | Edit | Delete Report

This comment has been deleted

Report this comment

Please state your report in the space below

Please enter text

Reports must be less than 750 characters

loading

>

Please enter text

Comments must be less than characters

Be the first to leave a comment on this page...
...   ...
 

Please enter text

Comments must be less than characters

Change your username in user settings to something more personal.

 

You may also like

Ingredient focus – cheddar
Ingredient focus
Cheddar
Recipe Collection
How to match drinks with cheddar
by Nancy Anne Harbord
Vive la différence!
by Nancy Anne Harbord
What it's like to taste 700 cheeses a day
by Nancy Anne Harbord
First grade: the story of cheddar
by Great British Chefs
A perfect Cornish ploughman’s lunch
by Nancy Anne Harbord
West Country Farmhouse Cheddar: a crash course
by Great British Chefs
Cheese
Recipe Collection
Ingredient focus – Jerusalem artichoke
by Sally Abé
Ingredient focus – quince
by Sally Abé
Ingredient focus – wild garlic
by Sally Abé
Ingredient focus – white asparagus
by Sally Abé
Scotland’s finest: the best cheeses for Burns Night
by Great British Chefs
Cold-smoked cheese
by Karen Burns-Booth
Ingredient focus – raspberry
by Sally Abé
Ingredient focus – strawberry
by Sally Abé
How to create a vegetarian cheeseboard
by Tom Shingler
Cheese twists
by Victoria Glass
Tricolore penne and cauliflower cheese with hazelnuts
by Karen Burns-Booth
How to make the perfect picnic
by Nancy Anne Harbord
Cheese oatcakes
by Nathan Outlaw
Fondue with Cornish cheddar and root vegetables
by Nathan Outlaw
Cheddar cheese and chive mayonnaise
by Nathan Outlaw
Cheese scones
by Daniel Clifford
British summer
Recipe Collection
Classic British
Recipe Collection
British dessert
Recipe Collection
Le Gruyère Reserve AOP cheeseboard with buckwheat oatcakes
by Nancy Anne Harbord
Cornish rarebit
by Nathan Outlaw
Guinness rarebit soldiers
by Dominic Chapman
Farmhouse Lancashire cheese, spiced pear and kale pithivier
by James Mackenzie
Picnic on a plate
by Frances Atkins
Fort on food: cheese
by Matthew Fort
Quiz: Can you guess the cheese?
by Great British Chefs
Sesame and cheddar croquettes with a tomato and chilli jam
by James Sommerin
Cheese soufflés with apple, walnut and pomegranate salad
by Shaun Rankin
Easy cheesy tomato rarebits
by Adam Gray
Cheesy penguin breads
by Andy Waters
Welsh rarebit
by Andrew MacKenzie
Leek and salsify gratin
by Pollyanna Coupland
Pork, apple and cider stew with cheddar dumplings
by Victoria Glass
Cauliflower, potato, fennel and chilli cheese croquettes
by Deena Kakaya
Roast cauliflower with smoked cheddar sauce, pickled leeks, nuts and seeds
by Pollyanna Coupland
Cheese
Recipe Collection
Frika – Slovenian cheese and potato hash
by Ana Roš
How to grate cheese
How to make cheese straws
Comté country
by Felicity Spector

NAVIGATE

© Great British Chefs 2019