Cloth-Bound Cheddar

Cheddar takes its name from a gorge and village in Somerset, where the cheese was first linked to as far back as the 16th century. There are many different shapes, sizes, colours and ages of cheddar, using different milks, made all over the world. However, the traditional cheese is made in round truckles using cows’ milk, which are bandaged in muslin to protect them as they mature.

Following the hard cheese process, the curds are cut, stirred and scalded to temperatures around 38-42°C to remove moisture. The whey is drained, and the piles of curd are cut into blocks which are turned and stacked (cheddared) to promote drainage as they acidify. Once the target acidity is reached, the curds are milled and salted before moulding and pressing. The muslin is traditionally applied using lard. Natural moulds grow on the cloth during maturation and contribute to the development of the rind.