Bushra Griffith
Vermont cheddar cheese is a variety of cheddar cheese produced in the state of Vermont. Cheddar cheese is a relatively hard, off-white or orange natural cheese that originates from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England. Vermont is known for its cheese, with the state's cheesemaking history spanning nearly two centuries. Vermont cheddar cheese is made using the purest ingredients and is available in several varieties, including sharp, smoked, and aged mellow. The Vermont Cheddar Project, a group of cheese producers, aims to preserve the state's working landscapes and showcase the range of flavours that cheddar can capture.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Texture | Crumbly |
| Aroma | Nutty |
| Flavour | Savoury, tangy, slightly sweet |
| Type of Milk | Unpasteurized |
| Colour | Off-white |
| Place of Origin | Vermont |
| Producers | Jasper Hill Farm, The Vermont Country Store, Grafton Village Cheese Co., Shelburne Farms, Cabot Creamery |
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What You'll Learn
History
Vermonters are proud of their cheddar cheese, and for good reason. Vermont cheese has been a part of the state's history for nearly two centuries, with the oldest cheesemaker continuing to produce some of the finest Vermont cheese.
Vermont cheesemaking predates the factory era of American cheese, according to author and international cheesemonger Gordon Edgar. The first factory cheddar was made in 1851, marking a shift from farm to mechanized production. Over the next 20 to 30 years, cheddar became an industrialized cheese.
Vermont's three creameries produce cheddar cheeses: Cabot Creamery, which makes the 16-month-old "Private Stock Cheddar"; the Grafton Village Cheese Company, which makes the Maple Smoked Cheddar; and Shelburne Farms, which makes the 2-year-old extra sharp raw milk cheddar.
The Vermont Cheddar Project is a group of producers who make cheese with a mission. Each producer has their own way of building and preserving working landscapes across Vermont, and capturing a taste of the place.
The state's cheese is said to be notably different from that of other cheddars, with a more "sharp, bitey and bitter" flavour, and stronger sulphur tones. This is due to the minerals in the water and soil that sustain the grass eaten by cows in the region.
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Ingredients
Vermont cheddar cheese is handmade in small batches using the purest ingredients. While the exact recipe may vary depending on the producer, the primary ingredient in any cheddar cheese is milk.
Cheddar cheese is a natural cheese that is relatively hard and off-white (or orange if colourings such as annatto are added). It originates from the English village of Cheddar in Somerset, South West England. The village of Cheddar contains a number of caves that provided the ideal humidity and steady temperature for maturing the cheese.
In the United States, Vermont is one of the centres of cheddar cheese production, along with Wisconsin, California, Idaho, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Oklahoma. Vermont's three creameries that produce cheddar cheeses are Cabot Creamery, the Grafton Village Cheese Company, and Shelburne Farms.
The Vermont Cheddar Project is a collection of cheese producers who make cheese with a mission to preserve the working landscapes across Vermont and capture the taste of the place. The Cabot Clothbound Cheddar from the Vermont Cheddar Project has a crumbly texture and nutty aroma, with a deeply savoury and slightly tangy flavour, and a caramel sweetness to the finish. The Grafton Village Cheese Co.'s Maple Smoked Cheddar is an unpasteurized milk cheddar that has been cold-smoked over a blend of hardwood chips. The Shelburne Farms cheddar is an extra sharp raw milk cheese that has been aged for a minimum of 2 years, with the classic Vermont cheddar cheese profile of acid-forward sharpness, some minerality, and sweetness on the back end.
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Texture and taste
Vermont cheddar cheese is known for its sharp, rich flavour and smooth, buttery finish. The cheese is made with pure ingredients and can be sharp, smoked, or aged mellow. It is produced in small batches, and its flavour can range from deeply savory and slightly tangy to sweet and nutty. The texture of Vermont cheddar can be crumbly, and the cheese is often sold in blocks or bricks.
The Shelburne Farms variety, for example, is an extra sharp raw milk cheese aged for a minimum of 2 years. It has an acid-forward sharpness with some minerality and a sweet finish. On the other hand, the Grafton Village Cheese Co. variety is an unpasteurized milk cheddar that has been cold-smoked over a blend of hardwood chips. It has a subtle smoked flavour with a smooth, buttery finish.
The Vermont Cheddar Project, a group of producers who make cheese while preserving the working landscapes of Vermont, offers a collection of cheddar cheeses that capture the range of flavours that the state has to offer. The collection includes the Cabot Clothbound Blue Label, a natural-rind, bandaged cheddar with a crumbly texture and nutty aroma. The flavour is described as deeply savoury with a slight tang and a caramel sweetness.
Vermont cheddar cheese is versatile and can be used in various dishes, from breakfast omelets to mac and cheese. It can also be paired with crackers, charcuterie, and wine for a delicious snack. The cheese has been a part of the state's history for nearly two centuries, with the oldest cheesemaker still producing some of the finest Vermont cheese.
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How it's made
Vermont cheddar cheese is handmade in small batches using the purest ingredients. The cheese is produced by a group of producers, known as the Vermont Cheddar Project, who aim to preserve the working landscapes across Vermont and capture the taste of the place in their cheese.
The process of making cheddar cheese involves several steps. First, milk is heated, and a bacterial culture is added to it to turn milk sugars into lactic acid. Then, rennet is added to the mixture to cause it to curdle and separate into curds and whey. The curds are then cut, stirred, and heated again before being placed in a mould and pressed to remove excess moisture. The cheese is then salted and aged, with some varieties being aged for a minimum of 2 years.
For example, the Shelburne Farms variety of Vermont cheddar is aged for a minimum of 2 years and has an acid-forward sharpness, some minerality, and a sweet finish. On the other hand, the Grafton Village Cheese Co. variety is cold-smoked over a blend of hardwood chips and has a subtle smoked flavour with a smooth, buttery finish.
Vermont cheddar cheese is known for its sharp, rich flavour and is often described as having a classic Vermont cheddar cheese profile. It is a versatile cheese that can be enjoyed on its own or used in cooking, such as in breakfast omelets or mac and cheese.
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Where to buy it
You can buy Vermont cheddar cheese online from The Vermont Country Store, which offers a selection of fresh and aged cheeses in varieties such as sharp, white, smoked, extra sharp, and mellow. The Vermont Cheese Trail™ can also be used to find makers with farm stands or stores open to the public.
Grafton Village Cheese, one of Vermont's legacy cheesemakers, offers a retail store with a large variety of cheese from Vermont and around the world, along with wine, gourmet products, and gifts.
Shelburne Farms sells Vermont cheddar cheese made with raw milk from their herd of Brown Swiss cows, with prices ranging from $11 to $89.
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Frequently asked questions
Vermont cheddar cheese is a natural cheese that is relatively hard and off-white. It is made with the purest ingredients and is produced by a group of producers who aim to preserve the working landscapes across Vermont.
Vermont cheese has been a part of the state's history for nearly two centuries. The oldest cheesemaker in the state continues to produce some of its finest cheese. Vermont's three creameries produce cheddar cheeses – Cabot Creamery, which produces the 16-month-old "Private Stock Cheddar"; the Grafton Village Cheese Company; and Shelburne Farms.
The Vermont Cheddar Project is a collection of cheese producers who aim to preserve the working landscapes across Vermont and capture the taste of the state. The collection offers a tour of Vermont through the lens of an iconic style, showcasing the range of flavors that a cheddar can capture.
