Posted on Thu, Nov. 13, 2008
Cheese of the Month
After years of vacations in Vermont, I thought I knew good cheddar. But the emergence of traditional farmhouse versions from England (where cheddar, after all, was born) has changed my perception of the genre. The American and British renditions are so unalike, they're practically different cheeses.
You'll know what I mean when you taste Mrs. Quicke's, a traditional-style Brit from Devon. Whereas most Americans become creamy and sharp as they age, the British versions become intensely earthy. The flavor is mushroomy and nutty, with a texture at once crumbly, creamy, and sparking with flavor. Amid the complex finish, though, a distinctive tang rises up as a pleasant reminder: This cheese may have an accent, but it's still a cousin to the cheddar I thought I knew.
- Craig LaBan
Quicke's Cheddar, $12.99 a pound at Whole Foods Markets.
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