the most famous and widespread hard cheese in the world, takes its name from the village of Cheddar, by Cheddar Gorge in the English county of Somerset. However, the name has now come to indicate a technique of cheese-making rather than a place of origin, for Cheddar cheese is now made not only in other parts of the British Isles but also in other continents.
‘Cheddaring’, which is just one step in the many which lead to the final product, refers to the cutting of the curd into slabs which are piled upon each other to produce a smooth mass; it is not a term which would be used by any but cheese-makers.
Cheddar cheese is made from whole cow's milk and, in its traditional form, matured for a considerable time—a year to eighteen months if it is to be savoured at its best. To produce such cheeses obviously requires a considerable investment of time and effort, all the more so since the Cheddar normally is and always has been a big cheese. Cheddars used to be called corporation cheeses in Somerset, because they were made by all the dairies of a parish putting their milk together. The results were impressive. One of the most weighty contributions to Queen Victoria's wedding celebrations was a Cheddar cheese over 9′ (2.7 m) in diameter and registering 1,250 lb (567 kg) on the scales. Two villages had combined to make the monster.
However, small quantities of milk left over from making the big Cheddars were used to make small ones, in the form of a little round loaf called a truckle; and it is still possible in the west of England to buy farmhouse truckles which have an excellent flavour, full and ‘nutty’ as a Cheddar should be, and with the firm but creamy texture and the pale glow which are the marks of real quality.
Such cheeses, made by small producers in limited quantities, have qualities far surpassing mass-produced versions. Nonetheless, many of the latter represent excellent value for those who seek an unpretentious cheese which goes well with bread and ale, keeps well, and melts satisfactorily when heated.
Alan Davidson was a distinguished author and publisher, and one of the world's best-known writers on fish and fish cookery. In 1975 he retired early from the diplomatic service—after serving in, among other places, Washington, Egypt, Tunisia, and Laos, where he was British Ambassador—to pursue a fruitful second career as a food historian and food writer extraordinaire. Among his popular books are Seafood of South-East Asia, North Atlantic Seafood, and Mediterranean Seafood. In 2003, shortly before his death, he was awarded the Erasmus Prize for his contribution to European culture.
