Cheshire cheese
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cheshire | |
|---|---|
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| Country of origin | England |
| Region, town | Cheshire |
| Source of milk | Cows |
| Pasteurised | Frequently |
| Texture | hard crumbly |
| Aging time | 4-8 weeks depending on variety |
| Certification | No |
Cheshire (pronounced /ˈtʃɛʃɚ/) cheese is a dense and crumbly cheese produced in the English county of Cheshire, and four neighbouring counties, two in Wales (Denbighshire and Flintshire) and two in England (Shropshire and Staffordshire).
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[edit] History
Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest recorded cheeses in British history and is referred to in the Domesday Book. This is no surprise given that even today the county is one of the main dairy regions of England, and has a long history of salt production.
Cheshire was the most popular cheese on the market in the late eighteenth 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.
Until the late 19th century, the different varieties of Cheshire Cheeses were aged to a sufficient level of hardness to withstand the rigours of transport (by horse and cart, and later by boat) to London for trading purposes. Younger, fresher, crumbly cheese that required shorter storage – similar to the Cheshire cheese of today - began to develop in popularity towards the end of the 19th century particularly in the industrial areas in the North and the Midlands. It was a cheaper cheese to make as it required less storage.
Sales of Cheshire peaked at around 40,000 tonnes in 1960, subsequently declining as the range of cheeses available in the UK grew considerably. Cheshire Cheese remains the UK’s largest selling crumbly cheese, with sales of around 6,500 tonnes per year.
The county remains an important centre for cheese, with some excellent cheesemongers, and, in the Nantwich International Cheese Show, it has the most important cheese event in the UK.
[edit] Form
Cheshire is a dense, semi-hard cheese that is defined by its moist, crumbly texture and mild, salty taste. Industrial versions tend to be drier and less crumbly, more like a mild Cheddar, as this makes them easier to process than the traditional texture.
It comes in three varieties: red, white and blue. The original plain white version accounts for the majority of production. "Red" Cheshire, coloured with annatto to a shade of deep orange, was developed in the hills of North Wales and sold to travellers on the road to Holyhead. This trade was so successful that the travellers came to believe that all Cheshire cheese was orange, and producers in its home county were obliged to dye their cheese in order to match the expectations of the market!
Blue Cheshire has blue veins like Stilton or Shropshire blue, but is less creamy than Stilton and is not dyed orange like Shropshire Blue. It has a long history but production ceased in the late 1980's. Recently it has been revived by the Bourne family of Malpas.[1]
Cheshire cheese is considered by some to be a variety of Cheddar cheese, although Cheshire cheese is not aged as long as most cheddars and has a very different texture. Others regard the 'Cheshire family' as a distinct group, which includes other crumbly cheeses from the North of England such as Wensleydale and Lancashire cheese.
[edit] See also
- Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese - a historic pub in London, located in an alley off Fleet Street. The name has been mimicked by other similar businesses.
[edit] Notes and References
- ^ H.S. Bourne - revivers of Blue Cheshire
