    
Cheddar Cheese
 Cheddar Cheese
© Denzil Green
Methods of making Cheddar will vary by cheesemaker, but here in broad strokes is the general process. A bacterial starter culture is added to heated milk. The starter is allowed to percolate for about an hour, then rennet is added to curdle the cheese. When curds have formed, the liquid whey is drained off, then the curds are cut, stacked and heated to encourage more whey to drain out. The curd is then turned over, cut into slabs, let stand overnight with a weight on them, then let stand to finish draining, about 4 days.
The cheese is then aged to develop varying degrees of bite.
The "cheddaring process" is the part where the curd is cut, turned and stacked.
There are many varieties of Cheddar. The name "Cheddar" is not a protected EU designation name: "Protection of the name 'Cheddar' is not sought" (EU COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 1107/96.) One variety, though, has an EU protected designation as of 1996 (West Country farmhouse Cheddar cheese - PDO), and it is possible overtime that other regional varieties may apply as well.
Equivalents
1/4 pound Cheddar Cheese = 4 oz = 115g = 1 cup grated
1 1/3 cups cubed Cheddar Cheese = 1/2 pound = 225g
1/3 cup cubed Cheddar Cheese = 2 oz = 60g
Storage
Spots of mould will inevitably appear once the cheese is opened from its vacuum packs. Just scrape them off.
Cheddar freezes well. After freezing it may be a bit too crumbly for eating, but it is still great for cooking with.
When large blocks of cheddar come on sale, consider buying 3 or 4 of them. Grate them all with a food mill or food processor, pack the grated cheese loosely in freezer bags, and freeze. This gives you instant grated cheese to speed up evening meal preparation, or to dress up dishes when you feel at the last minute that some grated cheese on top or stirred in would be just the ticket. If you had to go to the bother all the time of grating cheese on the spot, you might not have the inclination or time to go to the extra work and clean-up: but because it's ready to go and in your "store cupboard", frozen grated Cheddar is able to jazz up your dishes whenever you feel like it.
History
/cheddarcheese/$file/cheddar_cheese_old.jpg "Uncoloured cheddar cheese") White Cheddar
- © Denzil Green
Cheddar is a British cheese, which the Brits took with them when they settled countries such as the US, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. But so ingrained is the cheese now in those countries it is understandable that many grow up thinking Cheddar to be a Canadian or Australian cheese, and are surprised to discover that the Brits make it, too!
Literature & Lore
"No-one seriously suggests trying to restrict all cheddar cheese to the Cheddar region. It is made all over the world, including Australia and New Zealand, which export huge amounts of it to us." -- Parish, Neil. (Chairman of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee.) Perfect compromise on Channel Island's designation bid. Plymouth, England: Western Morning News. 20 August 2008.
Also called:  Fromage cheddar (French)
Other entries for Cheddar Cheese
Canadian Cheddar Cheese, Cheddar Cheese, Daylesford Cheddar Cheese, Dunlop Cheddar, Farmhouse Cheese, Fountains Gold Cheese, Government Cheddar Cheese, Lincolnshire Poacher Cheese, Old Cheddar, Porter Cheddar, Red Dragon Cheese, Tillamook Cheese, White Cheddar, Yeoman Cheese
Other entries for Firm Cheeses
Battelmatt Cheese, Beaufort Cheese, Bergkäse, Bitto Cheese, Brick Cheese, Emmenthal Cheese, Etorki Cheese, Gloucester Cheese, Gouda Cheese, Halloumi Cheese, Havarti Cheese, Hoop Cheese, Isle of Mull Cheese, Kambera Cheese, Lamb Chopper Cheese, Longhorn Cheese, Muenster Cheese, Murcia al Vino Cheese, Pinconning Cheese, Provolone Cheese, Raclette Cheese, Red Leicester Cheese, Royal Windsor Red, Salers Cheese, Sussex Yeoman Cheese, Tomme d'Abondance, Washed-Rind Cheeses, Windsor Red Cheese
Other entries for Cheese
Affinage, American Cheeses, Casu Marzu, Cheese Rinds, Creamery, Double/Triple-Cream Cheese, Extra-Hard Cheeses, Goat's Milk Cheeses, Mexican Cheeses, Pate (of a Cheese), Processed Cheese, Queso Fundido, Rennet, Semi-Firm Cheeses, Sheep's Milk Cheeses, Skim-Milk Cheeses, Smear-Ripened Cheeses, Soft Cheeses, Surface-Ripened Cheeses, Sweet Curd Cheeses, The Crumblies, Truckle, Washed-Curd Cheeses, Yak Cheese, Yeel Cheese
Other entries for Dairy
Butterfat, Butter, Milk, Nondairy Topping
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