Cheddar

Today in the world there are more than 2000 types of cheese. Each of them is unique and reflects the culture, traditions, tastes of their country. France, for example, is famous for creamy fragrant brie, Switzerland – for nutty flavor, Italy – for sweet parmesan, and Britain – for delicious cheddar.

General characteristics

Cheddar is a hard cheese of British origin with yellow or off-white flesh, which for several centuries remains the most popular variety in the United Kingdom. It is said that almost 51% of the total income of the country from the sale of cheese products is the revenue for cheddar. Like most elite cheeses, it received its name from the village, where, according to one of the versions, it was coined.

In the old days, to protect cheddar from drying out, the finished cheese heads were treated with black paraffin. Hence another name for the product – black cheese. By the way, cheddar in black “packaging” can sometimes be seen today. Nowadays, the farmer’s version of a delicacy, like several centuries ago, is wrapped in a fabric that protects the product from dirt, but at the same time does not prevent it from “breathing”. The industrial version is treated with a thin layer of wax.

The product, cooked according to the classic recipe, has a rich taste with a nutty finish. This hard crumbly cheese slowly melts in your mouth. Calcium crystals are clearly visible in the pulp of a product aged more than 6 months. Additive-free cheddar usually has a pale yellow color. But some manufacturers, wanting to make their goods brighter, add natural dye obtained from annatto (fondant tree) or paprika oil to the cheese mass. This produces a variety known as red cheddar.

Cheddar history and geography

Culinary history researchers are not sure when the first cheddar came. But the fact that this type of cheese already existed in 1170 is an undeniable fact. Moreover, that year, as the historical records show, the British sold almost 5 tons of this cheese.

But there is another version. According to her, cheddar has French roots. Some have suggested that the recipe of the product came to the British from the province of Cantal. And maybe the French would have claimed their rights to this cheese, if not for one fact that influenced the subsequent popularity of cheddar. The fact is that in the XIX century, a certain Joseph Harding, who lived in the county of Somerset, improved the technology of production of this cheese, determined the optimum temperature for its production, and developed special equipment for cheese making. It was then that the cheddar, so to speak, of the modern type appeared, and Joseph Harding has since been called the father of this type of cheese.

And one more interesting fact. During the Second World War in Britain at the state level, it was decided to give all stocks of milk for the manufacture of cheddar, which was included in the menu of the army. However, this practice led to an almost complete decline in the production of other types of cheese.

Despite the fact that gourmets around the world associate this product with England, cheddar production is successfully engaged in Ireland, the United States, Canada, Iceland, Belgium, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia and even in South Africa. Although it should be said that cheddar made in different regions has some gastronomic differences. Today in the world there are many varieties of this product: low-fat and very fat, with an aging of several years and young, sharp and with a delicate flavor. But only a product made in the British counties 4 (Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Cornwall) has the right to be called West Country Farmhouse Cheddar. It is his gourmets who consider it authentic, although even this product does not possess a certificate of protection for the geographical production of PDO.

The most famous varieties of cheddar from Somerset:

• Quickes (received the Cheese of the Year award in 2009);
• Keen’s (known for very rich aroma);
• Montgomery’s (recognizable by apple aftertaste);
• Gorge Cheese (made from unpasteurized milk only).

Production technology

Thanks to cheddar cheese, a new term has emerged in the cheese industry – cheddaring. This word is called the pickling stage of the heated curd mass, which is then ground into cubes. Through this process, the product acquires its own special consistency, high density and the desired acidity.

In industrial production, finished cheddar circles are kept in special storage facilities, where the optimum temperature for cheese is artificially maintained. Farmhouse Cheddar, like the world-famous blue cheese Roquefort, often matures naturally in caves with suitable microclimates.

Cheddar is of several kinds, but the gourmet’s favorite is vintage, or extra-aged, cheese that ripens more than 18 months. In addition to the vintage version, cheddar is of these types:

• mild (soft);
• medium (medium);
• strong (saturated);
• tasty (tasty);
• sharp;
• extra sharp;
• mature;
• old (aged).

On cheddar ripening is required from 3 months. The longer it takes to withstand a product, the sharper its taste and the tighter its consistency. As a rule, the maturation of the cheddar head is sent in a special fabric bandage.

British cheese can be prepared at home. True, this process is very troublesome and lengthy. Homemade cheddar recipe consists of whole cow or goat milk, mesophilic yeast, rennet, calcium chloride and sea salt. From 8 liters of milk, you get a little less than 2 kg of cheese.

The benefits and harms of cheddar

People who regularly consume small portions of cheddar have almost no insomnia, depression, or chronic fatigue. And all because the special chemical composition of British cheese has a beneficial effect on the work of the central and peripheral nervous system. Vitamins and minerals contained in the product, stimulate the work of brain cells, and also contribute to the development of the body’s hormone responsible for good mood. And I must say, on this useful properties of the product are just beginning.

Cheddar contains vitamins A, D, E, K, an almost complete set of B vitamins. The mineral panel consists of potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, sodium. It is not surprising that a product with such a rich chemical composition has many useful properties.

Although cheddar is a fat (32 g / 100 g) and high-calorie (392 kcal / 100 g) product, in small portions it is useful for maintaining a healthy weight. Again, the secret lies in the characteristics of the chemical composition. It contains substances, including essential amino acids, which normalize metabolism.

Due to its high protein concentration (23 g / 100 g), British cheese is useful for quickly restoring the body’s strength and energy reserves. Reasonable portions of the delicacy are useful for growing children, as well as people who are fond of sports. By the way, milk protein, which is part of cheese products, has a very high biological value.

British cheese is a very good source of calcium and vitamin D, which makes it extremely useful for growing organisms, people suffering from diseases of the musculoskeletal system, after fractures, with or for the prevention of diseases of the teeth.

Incredibly useful cheese and for persons with heart disease. The presence of magnesium and potassium in the cheese is a good reason to introduce small portions of cheddar into the diet of the cores. These minerals will support the work of the heart muscle, as well as improve the condition of the vessels.

The list of cheddar benefits looks something like this:

• reduces the risk of osteoporosis;
• prevents heart disease;
• normalizes blood pressure;
• speeds up the accumulation of muscle mass;
• promotes the formation of red blood cells;
• has antioxidant properties;
• improves vision;
• promotes bone mineralization;
• supports the work of the nervous system;
• improves kidney function;
• strengthens the immune system.

However, not all organisms can sense the beneficial properties of cheddar. In particular, do not forget that this cheese variety contains a lot of salt, and in the diet of people with sick kidneys or during an exacerbation of heart disease, it should be a minimum. Also, the British delicacy, especially in large portions, is not the best choice for people with colitis or gastritis. Patients with diabetes need to know that cheddar is a fairly high-calorie product, so you should enter it into your diet with extreme caution.

How to choose and store

The first thing to remember: cheddar pulp is dense and without holes. A real “British” leaves a pleasant nutty aftertaste, often with a sour taste. A soapy taste or sticky texture is clear evidence of a fake. The head of this cheese always has the shape of a cylinder and an oily or waxy crust.

A cut piece of cheddar should be stored in an airtight container (this will prevent it from drying out and absorbing foreign odors) at a temperature of 0 to 8 degrees. It is better to keep the product in a plastic or glass container. If a slice of cheese is wrapped in foil or cling film, then the wrapper should be changed every 2-3 days. To protect the cut cheese from absorbing excess moisture, you can put a spoonful of sugar near it.

How to properly serve and use

Cheddar, cooked according to the classic recipe, has a pleasant smell and spicy taste. This is one of those cheeses that can be frozen without sacrificing gastronomic characteristics or consistency. The only advice is that 24 hours before eating cheese should be put in the fridge.

This is a universal product. Slices of cheese are perfect for making sandwiches, cheddar cubes will enliven the taste of many salads. The grated product melts excellently, therefore it is an excellent choice for sauces, soups, casseroles or pastries, and also goes well with Italian spaghetti.

The fragrant British delicacy is excellent in company with good wine. Dry white wines, such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shen Blanc, are accepted for the young cheddar, as well as for the medium-aged product, and for the mature one – Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Amarone, Shiraz. And in Britain, guests will be offered to taste the taste of cheddar in combination with mustard or bananas and drink all this with cider or weak wine.

Interesting Cheddar Facts

Even an ordinary head of cheddar can hardly be called small, as it weighs in the range of 25-35 kilos. But history knows cases when cheese makers created gigantic portions of the delicacy. For example, in Ontario in the 30th century, with a difference of almost 3175 years, two giant cheddars were prepared at once. The first head of cheese weighed 10 kg, and the second – all 1964 tons. But the largest head of cheddar today is a cheese introduced in 16 at the World’s Fair in New York. He weighed almost 16 tons. For the manufacture of this giant, milk was collected from XNUMX thousand cows.

Cheese making is both an art and a science. It’s not enough to know which ingredients should be mixed to make a delicious cheese. And it was proved in the XIX century by Joseph Harding, with whose light hand a new life began at the cheddar. Today it is one of the most popular products on all continents. Gourmets around the world admire his amazing taste, while nutritionists never tire of reminding of the incredible benefits of hard cheeses.

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