If you are reading this blog in US, then today's cheese has made a longer-than-usual trip to make it to your plate. If you are reading this blog from somewhere other than the US (or the UK), then you probably don't care much for cheddar anyhow. Still Ford Farm Coastal Cheddar is an absolute pleasure for anyone who loves a good cheddar, and it shall not be the last of its kind that I review. Cheddar may not have the sophisticated reputation nor the delicate charm of its friends on mainland Europe, but at its best it is truly stunning.
Origin: Dorset, England
Milk: Cow, pasteurized
Rennet: Vegetarian
Affinage: Up to 15 months, at least a year
Notes: Bad news to my American cheddar-loving friends (I don't know how many times I've asked what kind of cheese someone likes and have heard "well, cheddar's good" in response. What do you like to drink? "well, water's good." Sorry, this is way too long for a parenthetical statement), but we didn't invent Cheddar. That one goes to the proud folks of Her Majesty's 130,000 square kilometers. Don't sweat it, though, we'll always have the moon landing. And Bob Dylan.
Thoughts: Call me a romantic, but I swear you can taste the ocean in this cheese. This is no weak tidal-pool-at-Six-Flags, however, this is the true fury of God's great Atlantic bullying its way into the Channel and pounding on the chalk cliffs. From the very beginning a crazy, full, creamy flavor takes you by storm, the kind of sharp cheddar that is complex and bold instead of just one-dimensionally sharp. A lot of folks will come in to the store asking for our "sharpest cheddar," and while that is one way to go about it, I would suggest it is not how you will find the best cheddar. This cheddar has a dark and earthy intensity to it, balanced with equally strong nutty and savory (and yes "sharp") notes. The texture is relatively dry, but this is by no means a bad thing. It still has the creaminess necessary to carry the flavor and the long aging process means it has developed the small pockets of crystalized calcium that give aged cheeses that heavenly crunch. It is not my favorite cheddar, but it is certainly a contender and something worth searching out in the USA. Coastal Cheddar and a hearty beer (or root beer, but only a hearty one) is one of the most satisfying comfort pre-or-post meal combinations I know. Caution The popularity of cheddar in the English-speaking world means that there are a near-infinite number of poor examples for every worthy one. Here's what you should know: Cheddar is originally a white cheese, that yellow stuff is not necessarily any better nor any worse, it just has food coloring added to it. A lot of processed cheeses will masquerade as cheddar, have nothing to do with them! Cheddaring, the process that creates cheddar cheeses, can be used to make good and bad cheeses, either educate yourself and buy a variety or ask the stout yeoman behind the counter for help.
Milk: Cow, pasteurized
Rennet: Vegetarian
Affinage: Up to 15 months, at least a year
Notes: Bad news to my American cheddar-loving friends (I don't know how many times I've asked what kind of cheese someone likes and have heard "well, cheddar's good" in response. What do you like to drink? "well, water's good." Sorry, this is way too long for a parenthetical statement), but we didn't invent Cheddar. That one goes to the proud folks of Her Majesty's 130,000 square kilometers. Don't sweat it, though, we'll always have the moon landing. And Bob Dylan.
Thoughts: Call me a romantic, but I swear you can taste the ocean in this cheese. This is no weak tidal-pool-at-Six-Flags, however, this is the true fury of God's great Atlantic bullying its way into the Channel and pounding on the chalk cliffs. From the very beginning a crazy, full, creamy flavor takes you by storm, the kind of sharp cheddar that is complex and bold instead of just one-dimensionally sharp. A lot of folks will come in to the store asking for our "sharpest cheddar," and while that is one way to go about it, I would suggest it is not how you will find the best cheddar. This cheddar has a dark and earthy intensity to it, balanced with equally strong nutty and savory (and yes "sharp") notes. The texture is relatively dry, but this is by no means a bad thing. It still has the creaminess necessary to carry the flavor and the long aging process means it has developed the small pockets of crystalized calcium that give aged cheeses that heavenly crunch. It is not my favorite cheddar, but it is certainly a contender and something worth searching out in the USA. Coastal Cheddar and a hearty beer (or root beer, but only a hearty one) is one of the most satisfying comfort pre-or-post meal combinations I know. Caution The popularity of cheddar in the English-speaking world means that there are a near-infinite number of poor examples for every worthy one. Here's what you should know: Cheddar is originally a white cheese, that yellow stuff is not necessarily any better nor any worse, it just has food coloring added to it. A lot of processed cheeses will masquerade as cheddar, have nothing to do with them! Cheddaring, the process that creates cheddar cheeses, can be used to make good and bad cheeses, either educate yourself and buy a variety or ask the stout yeoman behind the counter for help.
I'm writing this comment almost 10 years after the review, but I am happy to opine that Ford Farm's Coastal is still an excellent "rugged" cheddar, in the best English style. It seems to be more available on the U.S. western coast (including Alaska, where I live) than elsewhere in the country.
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