Patrick Oconnell
Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest recorded named cheeses in British history. It is made using pasteurized cow's milk and vegetarian rennet and is ripened for 2-3 months. The cheese is produced in the English counties of Cheshire and the neighbouring counties of Denbighshire, Flintshire, Shropshire, and Staffordshire. It is a dense, crumbly cheese with a mild, salty taste. The cheese comes in three varieties: red, white, and blue. The red variety is coloured with annatto to a deep orange shade.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Moist, crumbly, dry |
| Taste | Mild, salty, tangy |
| Colour | Yellow-orange, deep orange, pale orange |
| Milk | Cow's milk |
| Rennet | Vegetarian |
| Manufacture | Open vats, manual curd handling |
| Aging | 2-3 months |
| Type | Semi-hard |
| History | Mentioned in the Domesday Book (1086) |
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What You'll Learn
Cheshire cheese is made with cow's milk and vegetarian rennet
Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest recorded named cheeses in British history, dating back to at least the first millennium. It is also the UK's largest-selling crumbly cheese, with sales of around 6,000 tonnes per year.
The process of making Cheshire cheese involves using open vats and manual curd handling. The curds sit at warm temperatures for a day to drain and develop the final acid before being salted and pressed. This slow acid development is what sets Cheshire cheese apart from Cheddar.
Cheshire cheese comes in three varieties: red, white, and blue. The red variety, developed in the hills of North Wales, was originally sold to travellers on the road to Holyhead. This trade was so successful that producers in the home county of Cheshire started dyeing their cheese orange to match the expectations of the market.
Cheshire cheese is often ripened for 2-3 months and is traditionally wrapped in cloth to protect it during maturation. It pairs well with wines such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Alsatian Riesling, or Sauvignon Blanc.
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It is ripened for 2-3 months
Cheshire cheese is a dense and crumbly cheese produced in the English county of Cheshire and four neighbouring counties: Denbighshire and Flintshire in Wales, and Shropshire and Staffordshire in England. It is made using vegetarian rennet and pasteurized cow's milk and is ripened for 2-3 months.
The process of ripening cheese is known as affinage in Europe. It involves protecting the cheese while enzymes break down the curd to form complex flavours that only develop over time. In the UK, this is usually done by wrapping the cheese in cloth, and Cheshire cheese is no exception. Each cheesemaker will have their own technique, which is often passed down through generations.
The length of time for which a Cheshire cheese is ripened will depend on the milk quality and the final moisture level in the cheese, which determines its ageing potential. The final moisture level in the cheese is influenced by the time of year the milk is produced.
Cheshire cheese is typically ripened for a shorter period of time compared to other cheeses, resulting in a milder flavour and a crumbly texture. This makes it ideal for those who prefer a less intense cheese.
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It is defined by its moist, crumbly texture and salty taste
Cheshire cheese is defined by its moist, crumbly texture and mild, salty taste. It is a dense and semi-hard cheese, produced in the English county of Cheshire and four neighbouring counties: Denbighshire and Flintshire in Wales, and Shropshire and Staffordshire in England.
Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest recorded named cheeses in British history, mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. It is made using vegetarian rennet and pasteurised cow's milk and is ripened for 2-3 months. The cheese is produced using traditional methods of manufacture, including open vats and manual curd handling.
The moist, crumbly texture of Cheshire cheese is achieved through the use of different levels of moisture for different ageing times. The final moisture content in the cheese determines its ageing potential, with higher moisture levels resulting in a shorter ageing time. The cheese is also characterised by its orange colour, which was originally added to distinguish the cheese sold in the hills of North Wales from that made in the traditional Cheshire region.
The salty taste of Cheshire cheese is due in part to the underlying layer of bedrock salt in the soil of the Cheshire basin area. This salt contributes to the distinctive, slightly tangy flavour of the cheese. The cheese is also known for its mild, milky, and buttery flavour, with a slight quintessentially cheesy taste.
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It is dyed with annatto to give it an orange colour
Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest recorded named cheeses in British history. It is a dense, semi-hard, crumbly cheese produced in the English county of Cheshire and four neighbouring counties: Denbighshire and Flintshire in Wales, and Shropshire and Staffordshire in England.
Cheshire cheese is coloured with annatto, a natural orange dye derived from the seeds of the achiote tree. The addition of annatto gives Cheshire cheese its distinctive pale to deep orange colour. This colouring is added to distinguish the cheese from those made in the traditional Cheshire region. The orange colour became associated with Cheshire cheese due to the successful trade of Red Cheshire in the hills of North Wales. Travellers who purchased Red Cheshire came to believe that all Cheshire cheese was naturally orange, and producers in the home county of Cheshire began dyeing their cheese to match this expectation.
Red Cheshire is a variety of Cheshire cheese that is traditionally coloured with annatto to a deep orange shade. It was originally developed and sold to travellers in North Wales, who then spread the belief that all Cheshire cheese was orange. Today, most Cheshire cheese is lightly coloured with annatto to follow the traditional expectation that Cheshire cheese should be red.
Cheshire cheese has a long and interesting history, dating back to Roman times. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was the most popular type of cheese on the market in the late 18th century. Cheshire cheese was also favoured by the Royal Navy, who ordered ships to be stocked with Cheshire cheese in 1758. Sales of Cheshire cheese peaked at around 40,000 tonnes in 1960, but have since declined with the increasing variety of cheeses available in the UK. Despite this, Cheshire cheese remains the UK's largest-selling crumbly cheese, with annual sales of around 6,000 tonnes.
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It is produced in the English county of Cheshire and four neighbouring counties
Cheshire cheese is produced in the English county of Cheshire and four neighbouring counties: Denbighshire and Flintshire in Wales, and Shropshire and Staffordshire in England. It is one of the oldest named cheeses in British history, dating back to at least the 16th century and potentially as far back as Roman times.
The traditional region for making Cheshire cheese extends into Lancashire, and it is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. The cheese was so renowned that many other regions began to copy it, and over time, it became 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 the 19th century, Cheshire cheese production was estimated at 10,000-12,000 tonnes per year.
The cheese is made using traditional methods of manufacture, including open vats and manual curd handling. It is produced with pasteurized cow's milk and vegetarian rennet, and ripened for 2-3 months. The final moisture in the cheese determines its aging potential, with three levels of moisture for different aging periods. Cheshire cheese is characterised by its moist, crumbly texture and mild, salty taste.
The colour of Cheshire cheese is also notable, ranging from a deep orange to a pale orange shade. The orange colour was originally added to Red Cheshire, developed in the hills of North Wales, to distinguish it from the traditional Cheshire region. However, the trade was so successful that travellers and producers came to associate all Cheshire cheese with the orange hue.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheshire cheese is made using pasteurized cow's milk and vegetarian rennet.
Cheshire cheese is known for its moist, crumbly texture and mild, salty taste.
Cheshire cheese is the oldest-known cheese from England, dating back to Roman times. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and was the most popular type of cheese in the late 18th century.
Cheshire cheese comes in three varieties: red, white, and blue. Red Cheshire, developed in the hills of North Wales, is coloured with annatto to a deep orange shade. Blue Cheshire has blue veins like Stilton but is less creamy.
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