Bushra Griffith
One of the oldest cheeses made in Britain, Cheshire cheese is defined by its moist, crumbly texture and mild, salty taste. It is produced in the English county of Cheshire and four neighbouring counties. The cheese is typically aged for about eight weeks, but some varieties are aged from three to nine months, giving them a rich, full-bodied, fresh flavour. Cheshire cheese can be delightfully simple or incredibly complex, depending on its age, but it is delicious at any age.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Dense, semi-hard, crumbly, smooth, creamy, dry |
| Flavour | Full-bodied, fresh, rich, buttery, mild, salty, tangy, milky |
| Colour | Pale orange, deep orange, white, blue |
| Taste | Not overpowering, slightly crumbly, dry mouth |
| Type of milk | Cow's milk |
| Age | 3-9 months, 6 months to a year, 8 weeks |
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What You'll Learn
The unique flavour and texture of Cheshire cheese
Cheshire cheese can be delightfully simple or incredibly complex, depending on its age. It is typically aged for around eight weeks, but some are aged from three to nine months, which gives them a rich, full-bodied, fresh flavour. Farmhouse Cheshire, the rarest variety, is aged from six months up to a year. The texture is semi-hard, moist, and crumbly, with a dry mouthfeel. The cheese has a buttery, mild, and slightly salty taste with a milky aftertaste. It is also described as having a "distinctive Cheshire tang".
Cheshire cheese is always made from raw (unpasteurised) cow's milk, and true Farmhouse Cheshire must be made from milk produced by Friesian cattle in the Cheshire area. The colour, size, shape, and ageing of the cheese are not regulated, but it is usually formed into 14-inch-high, 7-8-inch-diameter cloth-wrapped drums weighing about 15 lbs.
Cheshire cheese comes in three varieties: red, white, and blue. The original plain white variety is the most common, but blue Cheshire has been gaining popularity. To create the blue veins, cheesemakers add edible blue mould to the milk or curd, and the cheese is aged for about five weeks.
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How Cheshire cheese differs from Cheddar
Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest recorded named cheeses in British history, thought to predate Roman times. It is a dense, semi-hard, crumbly cheese with a salty, buttery, and mild taste. It is made from cow's milk and is usually formed into cloth-wrapped drums. The cheese is typically aged for six months to a year, though younger versions are also available.
Cheddar cheese, on the other hand, is a firm and supple cheese with a characteristic snap when broken. While Cheshire is moist and crumbly, Cheddar is drier and less crumbly, making it easier to process. Cheddar has a rich, oily texture and a stronger flavour than Cheshire.
In terms of colour, Cheshire cheese is typically a pale orange or deep orange shade due to the use of annatto, a natural dye. Cheddar cheese can also be coloured with annatto, but this is not as common.
Cheshire cheese has a rich history and was the most popular type of cheese in the late 18th century. It was even stocked on Royal Navy ships in 1758. Today, authentic Farmhouse Cheshire is difficult to find, as only a few dairies in Britain produce it.
Cheddar cheese, on the other hand, has become a standard variety of cheese that can be found in most parts of the world. It has undergone industrialisation and standardisation, resulting in a more consistent product.
Overall, Cheshire and Cheddar cheeses differ in terms of texture, flavour, colour, and availability. Cheshire is a crumbly, mild, and salty cheese with a rich history, while Cheddar is firmer, drier, and has a stronger flavour.
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The history of Cheshire cheese
Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest recorded named cheeses in British history. It is thought to predate Roman times, and when England became a province of Rome, the city of Cheshire was widely known for its fine cheeses. The Romans even built a wall around the town to protect their precious cheese.
Cheshire cheese first came to fame in the Elizabethan times with The Old Cheshire Cheese Inn, where it was served with radishes, watercress or celery. It was a favourite of Samuel Johnson, who presided at the Fleet Street Inn. It was also a favourite of William the Conqueror, and in the 16th century, historian John Speed declared that Cheshire was the best cheese in all of Europe.
Cheshire cheese was the most popular type of cheese on the market in the late 18th century. In 1758, the Royal Navy ordered that ships be stocked with Cheshire and Gloucester cheeses. By 1823, Cheshire cheese production was estimated at 10,000 tonnes per year, and in 1870, it was estimated at 12,000 tonnes per year. Sales peaked at around 40,000 tonnes in 1960, but declined as the range of cheeses available in the UK grew.
Cheshire cheese is traditionally made from cow's milk, although the county of Cheshire was originally famous for its sheep's milk cheeses. The cheese is dense and crumbly, with a pale orange colour, as it is dyed with annatto. It has a slightly salty, buttery and mild flavour, and a dry, crumbly texture.
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How Cheshire cheese is made
Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest cheeses made in Britain, with a history that may predate Roman times. It is said that the Romans built a wall around the town of Chester to protect their precious supply of the cheese. The cheese was also a favourite of William the Conqueror, and in the 18th century, it was the most popular type of cheese on the market. The Royal Navy ordered ships to be stocked with Cheshire and Gloucester cheeses in 1758, and by 1823, Cheshire cheese production was estimated at 10,000 tonnes per year.
Cheshire cheese is made from raw, unpasteurized cow's milk, specifically from milk produced by Friesian cattle in the Cheshire area. The cheese is formed into cloth-wrapped drums that are 14 inches high with a diameter of 7-8 inches, weighing about 15 lbs. The drums are then aged for 6 months up to a year. The cheese has a distinct, slightly salty, buttery, and quintessentially "cheesy" flavour. The soil in the Cheshire basin area contains an underlying layer of bedrock salt, which contributes to this unique flavour.
Cheshire cheese is a dense, semi-hard, and crumbly cheese with a dry texture. It comes in three varieties: red, white, and blue. The original plain white version accounts for most of the production, while the red variety is coloured with annatto to a deep orange shade. The blue variety, on the other hand, has blue veins like Stilton or Shropshire Blue but is less creamy.
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The different varieties of Cheshire cheese
Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest recorded named cheeses in British history, dating back to at least the 16th century. It is produced in the English county of Cheshire and four neighbouring counties: Denbighshire and Flintshire in Wales, and Shropshire and Staffordshire in England.
Cheshire cheese typically comes in a cylindrical or block shape and is often encased in a natural rind or wax coating, which helps preserve its freshness and flavour during the ageing process. The interior paste is a pale ivory or cream colour, though coloured Cheshire varieties have a vibrant orange hue from the addition of natural annatto.
Cheshire cheese comes in three main varieties: red, white, and blue. The original plain white version accounts for most of the production. Red Cheshire, coloured with annatto, was developed in the hills of North Wales and sold to travellers on the road to Holyhead. The blue variety is called Cheshire-Stilton.
Younger hard cheeses tend to be crumblier in texture with a fresh, lactic and lemony flavour. More mature varieties develop salt crystals, making them crunchier and more savoury. Cheshire cheese can be aged for just 2–4 months or up to 6 months, resulting in a softer, more delicate texture or a firmer, drier texture, respectively.
Farmhouse Cheshire cheese is traditionally made from raw (unpasteurised) cow's milk, although today most Cheshire cheese is made using pasteurised cow's milk in large factories.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheshire cheese is a mild, salty cheese with a slightly crumbly texture. It has a rich, creamy taste and a distinctive tang.
Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest recorded named cheeses in British history. It is thought to predate Roman times and was mentioned in the late 16th century by Thomas Muffet. It was the most popular type of cheese in the late 18th century and was stocked on ships in the Royal Navy.
Cheshire cheese is dense and semi-hard, with a moist, crumbly texture. It is drier than cheddar but has a similar crumbly texture.
Cheshire cheese can be served in a variety of ways, including on its own, with crackers or bread, or as an ingredient in recipes. Some people prefer it straight from the refrigerator, while others believe it is best at room temperature.
