See Cheddar. Eat Cheddar. I even had a go at Cheddaring Cheddar during a recent trip to The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company in the heart of Somerset’s Cheddar Gorge.
Provenance is a big deal to me. Same goes for cheese. I want my Parmigiano-Reggiano to come from Parma, my Gruyere to come from Gruyeres, my Comte to come from … You get the point. So it kinda does my head to think there are so many Cheddar cheeses on the market that aren’t actually made in Cheddar.
An invitation to visit Cheddar Gorge as a guest of The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company helped me understand why a cheese can be called “Cheddar” without being from Cheddar and also equally appreciate the unique conditions that make Cheddar Gorge an ideal setting for producing exceptional cheeses.
The Only Cheddar Made in Cheddar
Based in Somerset’s Cheddar Gorge, The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company is the only producer actually making Cheddar in Cheddar. Katherine and John Spencer own the company and, between them, share a combined 80 years of experience in the dairy industry. Giving up the corporate food world some years ago and taking a cue from how the area’s original settlers used to do things, they make their award-winning cheeses by hand using raw unpasteurised milk from cows grazing on the nearby grasses and even age some of their cheeses in the natural caves of the gorge. The result is some of the tasty cheese I’ve sampled from England.
Cheddar is a Verb
Cheddar is not just a type of cheese. It’s also a type of cheesemaking. Cheddaring is the process that gives a cheese the right texture and flavour to be a called a Cheddar. The process involves cutting, turning and stacking blocks of curd, allowing the blocks to drain and then doing it all over again until the blocks are dry and solid enough for ageing. I gave this a try during my visit to the gorge. It’s pretty basic stuff but rather strenuous. I definitely worked up an appetite for a subsequent tasting of TCGCC’s range.
Gorging on Cheddar in Cheddar Gorge
TCGCC’s three main products are Cave Matured Cheddar, Vintage Cheddar, and Oak Smoked Cheddar. With its robust and lasting flavour, the Cave Matured was my favourite. I loved how the Spencers adhered to age-old tradition of ageing the cheese in a local cave to get the earthy, funky flavour. Beyond the three main products, TCGCC produces a variety of other Cheddars, including a blue Cheddar that I thought was out of this world.
If you’re hankering a delicious day out, head over to this West Country beauty spot and don’t leave without a browse round The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company’s working dairy and visitor centre.
Can’t make it to the gorge? You’re missing out on some wonderful fresh air and outdoorsy fun, but that doesn’t mean you how to miss out on the yummy cheeses from there. The company’s cheeses are available for purchase online, at Whole Foods Market in London and at independent retailers across the UK.
The Cheddar Gorge Cheese Company is located at The Cliffs, Cheddar, Somerset BS27 3QA. Find out more at cheddaronline.co.uk.
