Frederic Melton
The US government has been stockpiling cheese for decades, with 1.4 billion pounds of cheese stored in converted mines and warehouses in Missouri. This cheese, known as government cheese, was provided to welfare beneficiaries, food banks, and other beneficiaries. While it is not known if Wisconsin cheddar is among the cheeses in these stockpiles, it is a popular variety of cheese in the US, known for its distinctive orange colour. This colour is achieved using the Annatto seed, which gives Wisconsin cheddar its pumpkin orange hue.
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What You'll Learn
- Wisconsin cheddar is orange due to the additive annatto, a natural food colouring
- Annatto is derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, native to Central and South America
- The colour of cheese can depend on a cow's diet, but this does not account for orange cheese
- Marketing is a key reason for the orange colour, with Wisconsin cheesemakers differentiating their product
- Wisconsin has no law stating cheddar must be orange, but it is a long-standing tradition
Wisconsin cheddar is orange due to the additive annatto, a natural food colouring
Wisconsin is known for its orange-coloured cheddar cheese, but this is not the natural colour of cheese. While there is no law that says Wisconsin cheddar has to be orange, much of it is. The colour comes from the additive annatto, a natural food colouring derived from the flavourless annatto seed.
Sid Cook, the fourth-generation owner of Carr Valley Cheese in LaValle, Wisconsin, believes that the state's cheddars were tinted orange as far back as the late 1800s. As the top producer of Colby and cheddar cheese, Wisconsin likely uses more annatto than any other state in the country.
There are a few theories as to why Wisconsin cheesemakers started adding annatto to their cheddar. One theory suggests that it was a marketing strategy to differentiate their cheese from the white cheddars produced in Vermont and New York and to capture a portion of the market. Another theory holds that the colour was added to indicate a sharper flavour, as cheese with a deeper orange hue is often perceived as having a stronger flavour.
Wisconsin cheesemakers produce a variety of cheddar, including fluorescent orange 640-pound blocks that are sold to storage houses and cut into shrink-wrapped 8-oz bars for grocery stores. Some artisans, like Willi Lehner at Bleu Mont Dairy in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, craft cheddar in smaller 12-pound wheels, which are then bandaged and larded before being aged in an underground cave.
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Annatto is derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, native to Central and South America
Although cheese is naturally white, off-white, or a golden yellow, Wisconsin cheddar is famous for its orange colour. There is no law requiring Wisconsin cheddar to be orange, but most of it is. The colour comes from the flavourless Annatto seed, which is derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, native to Central and South America.
Sid Cook, the fourth-generation owner of Carr Valley Cheese in LaValle, Wisconsin, believes that the state's cheddars have been tinted orange since the late 1800s. Wisconsin is the top producer of Colby and cheddar cheese, so it likely uses more annatto than any other state in the country.
There are several theories as to why Wisconsin cheddar is orange. One theory suggests that it is a marketing strategy to differentiate Wisconsin cheddar from those produced in Vermont and New York, which are usually white. By making their cheese stand out, Wisconsin cheesemakers were able to capture a portion of the market.
Another theory suggests that the use of Annatto seed in Wisconsin cheddar is a centuries-old tradition. However, no one is sure when and where this tradition originated. Some earlier and less common methods of dyeing cheddar include using carrot juice, marigolds, and cochineal, which comes from bugs.
Despite the unknown origin of the tradition, Wisconsin continues to produce large quantities of orange cheddar. The cheese is crafted in blocks, barrels, and wheels, and then cut, wrapped, and stamped before being sold to American consumers. Some cheesemakers in Wisconsin, such as Hook's Cheese in Mineral Point, produce both orange and white cheddar, ageing them in below-ground cold rooms for up to 20 years.
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The colour of cheese can depend on a cow's diet, but this does not account for orange cheese
While the colour of cheese can depend on a cow's diet, this does not account for orange cheese, which is not a natural colour. Wisconsin is known for its orange-coloured cheddar cheese, and no law dictates that Wisconsin cheddar must be orange, but much of it is.
The orange colour comes from the flavourless Annatto seed, which gives Wisconsin cheddar its pumpkin orange hue. Sid Cook, the fourth-generation owner of Carr Valley Cheese in LaValle, Wisconsin, believes that the state's cheddars were tinted orange as far back as the late 1800s. Wisconsin likely uses more Annatto than any other state in the country, as it is the top producer of Colby and cheddar cheese.
There are two prevailing theories as to why Wisconsin cheddar is orange. The first is that Wisconsin cheesemakers wanted to differentiate their product from the white cheddars of New York, using the orange colour as a marketing tool to capture a portion of the market. The second theory is that the colour comes from the type of milk used. However, this does not account for the fact that cheese is naturally white, off-white, or golden yellow.
Some Wisconsin cheesemakers, such as those at Hook's Cheese in Mineral Point, craft both orange and white Cheddar, ageing it in below-ground cold rooms for up to 20 years. Others, like Willi Lehner at Bleu Mont Dairy in Blue Mounds, bandage and lard each 12-pound wheel of Cheddar before ageing it in an underground cave.
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Marketing is a key reason for the orange colour, with Wisconsin cheesemakers differentiating their product
While cheese is naturally white, off-white, or golden yellow, Wisconsin cheddar is famous for its orange colour. There is no law requiring Wisconsin cheddar to be orange, but most of it is. The colour comes from the flavourless Annatto seed, which gives the cheese its distinctive pumpkin orange hue.
The tradition of colouring cheddar orange in Wisconsin may date back to the late 1800s. Sid Cook, the fourth-generation owner of Carr Valley Cheese, believes that the state's cheddars were tinted orange as early as this period. Today, Wisconsin cheesemakers produce a variety of cheddar, from 12-pound wheels to 640-pound blocks, but much of it is still coloured orange.
Some Wisconsin cheesemakers, such as those at Hook's Cheese in Mineral Point, produce both orange and white cheddar. However, the orange variety remains a popular choice for consumers. The bright orange colour has become synonymous with Wisconsin cheddar and is a unique feature that helps Wisconsin cheesemakers stand out in the market.
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Wisconsin has no law stating cheddar must be orange, but it is a long-standing tradition
Wisconsin is renowned for its orange-hued cheddar cheese, but this is not due to any legal requirement. Rather, it is a long-standing tradition with roots stretching back to the late 1800s.
The orange colour is derived from the flavourless Annatto seed, which lends a distinctive pumpkin orange tint to the cheese. While the exact origins of this practice are shrouded in mystery, two prevailing theories suggest that marketing and product differentiation played pivotal roles in establishing this tradition.
One theory posits that Wisconsin cheesemakers sought to set their cheddar apart from those produced in New York. By employing the Annatto seed, they successfully crafted a unique identity for their cheese, carving out a distinct niche in the market. This strategic move ensured that Wisconsin cheddar stood out on grocery store shelves, capturing the attention of consumers and ultimately, a substantial portion of the market share.
Another theory suggests that the orange colour served as a visual indicator of quality and freshness. In the days before standardised food labelling, consumers relied on sensory cues to assess the freshness of their food. The vibrant orange hue of Wisconsin cheddar may have signalled to consumers that the cheese was new, ripe, and ready for consumption. This visual appeal not only extended the perceived shelf life of the cheese but also likely influenced purchasing decisions, as consumers gravitated towards the most visually appealing options.
Today, Wisconsin cheesemakers continue to uphold this time-honoured tradition, producing a diverse array of cheddar varieties. From mass-produced fluorescent orange blocks destined for grocery stores to artisanal creations aged in underground caves, Wisconsin cheddar is celebrated for its variety, quality, and, of course, its iconic orange colour.
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Frequently asked questions
Wisconsin cheddar is orange because it is dyed with annatto, a natural product that comes from the seeds of the achiote tree, which is native to South and Central America. Annatto is a flavourless, fat-soluble plant pigment.
No, cheese is not naturally orange. Cheese is made from milk, which is white. The natural colour of cheese can vary from white to deep yellow depending on the diet of the cow, but it will never be orange.
There is no law that dictates that Wisconsin cheddar must be orange. However, it is believed that Wisconsin cheesemakers used annatto to differentiate their product from the white cheddars of Vermont and New York.
Some orange Wisconsin cheddars include Eagle Cave Reserve by Meister Cheese and Cave-Aged Bandage-Wrapped Cheddar by Bleu Mont Dairy.
