How Is Cheddar Cheese Made?

  • Post category:Blog

Cheddar cheese has been made since the 12th century and is quite famous.

It originated in the town of Cheddar in Somerset England. Cheddar is a firm, dense cheese with a tangy, acidic flavor, aged anywhere from a few months to several years.
Cheddar is not only a cheese name, but it is a process for making cheese.

The cheese maker cultures the vat of milk and then adds the rennet, so the milk becomes jello like. The curd is cut, and the whey is drained from the vat leaving curds in the bottom of the vat. The curds sit on the bottom of the vat and stick together to form a mat of curds.
Next, they cut that mat into rectangular slabs, and begin stacking the slabs on top of each other. This handling of the curd allows it to expel more moisture, resulting in a drier cheese, and gives the curd time to fully acidify (through the magic of fermentation!), resulting in that “sharp” flavor we love so much.

Next, these slabs are milled (either by hand or machine) which breaks them back down into small chunks of curd. The curds are placed in a mold or hoop and pressure is introduced to form them into the desired form.

After that it’s a matter of waiting, several months or several years, until the cheddar has reached the desired taste profile.

We would like to introduce some of our most noteworthy Farm Fromage cheddars by another standard: Crumbly vs. Creamy, and Sweet vs. Savory. Look at which of your favorites fall into each category:

How Is Cheddar Cheese Made? 1
Cloth Bound Cheddar From Farm Fromage

Sweet Cheddar
When we talk about sweet cheddars, we generally mean those with notes of caramel, butterscotch, and bright tropical fruits, or a mild essence without a lot of bite. 
Examples:
Farm Fromage Cloth Bound Cheddar and Farm Fromage Paradise.

How Is Cheddar Cheese Made? 2
Misty Creek Goat Cheddar From Farm Fromage

Savory Cheddar
Cheddars on the other end of the spectrum tend to lean towards flavors of pepper, grass, broth, or even roast beef, with a richer, mouthwatering essence and occasional prickly bite. 
Examples:
Misty Creek Goat Cheddar

How Is Cheddar Cheese Made? 3
Smoked Cheddar From Farm Fromage

Creamy Cheddar
Younger cheddars retain much more moisture than aged varieties, so these are usually the ones that have a supple, creamy consistency with more elasticity and less crumble. 
Examples: Farm Fromage Cheddar, Garlic and Chive, and Farm Fromage Smoked Cheddar

How Is Cheddar Cheese Made? 4
Special Reserve From Farm Fromage

Crumbly Cheddar
Because they lose moisture as they age, older cheddars have a firmer, crumbly, and sometimes crunchy paste that is usually bolder in flavor than some young varieties. 
Examples: Farm Fromage Special Reserve

To learn about our other cheeses. Visit www.farmfromage.com