Is Cheddar the Original Cheese?

When we think about cheese, isn’t it cheddar that springs to mind? Ploughman’s, sandwiches, cheese on toast, snacking…. it’s cheddar, isn’t it?

Shop our British Cheese Hampers for cheddar lovers!

Cheddar’s part of our culture, firmly embedded in our roots.

So is this British cheese THE ORIGINAL?

Surely it was the first in our rich history of cheese-making?

Not quite.

But first, a bit of fun:

• Cheddar is the most popular cheese in the UK.
• It’s the 2nd most popular in the US, after mozzarella.
• Originally, the cheese had to be crafted within 30 miles of Wells Cathedral, Somerset, for it to be called cheddar. This no longer applies and it’s made and enjoyed worldwide.
• A giant wheel of cheddar, weighing over 1000lb, was presented to Queen Victoria as a wedding gift in 1840.
• Scott of the Antarctic took with him, in 1901, nearly 1600kg of cheddar from Cheddar.

The history of cheese making in Britain is a little complicated but there’s archaeological evidence of the processing of dairy foods in Britain as far back as 3800 BC!

Then we have the Romans who were great cheese makers, having introduced large scale sheep farming to the British Isles. Influenced by mediterranean styles, they made simple unripened cheese that was hard and salty, making it easy to transport and cut into pieces for their soldiers’ daily rations.

Monasteries were also busy places for cheesemaking in the medieval era, the monks using techniques they’d learned from the Romans. They made cheeses of different flavours and sizes which were a good source of income for the monasteries.

Come the 12th century, the area around the village of Cheddar in Somerset was a bustling dairy centre with lots of surplus milk. Cheesemakers there discovered that by pressing the fresh curd and squeezing out moisture, cheese lasted longer. They perfected it and the first authentic cheddar was born!

However, there’s also a local legend that cheddar was discovered by accident after a milkmaid left a pail of milk in the Cheddar Gorge caves and came back to find a tasty mixture….

Cheddar hasn’t always been the most popular cheese in the UK. Cheshire was the top cheese until the 19th century!  Cheesemakers worked on the quality and consistency of cheddar, making it more durable so it could be transported easily and it then became the UK’s favourite.

Labour shortages and economic hardship in early 20th century Britain meant that cheese production slowed and we imported the majority of cheeses. Due to rationing during WW2 (and for nearly 10 years after) most milk in Britain was used for making ‘Government Cheddar’, almost wiping out all other cheese production.

Fortunately, since then things have improved, and the UK is enjoying British cheeses once again!

With its Somerset origins, cheddar’s a much-loved versatile cheese. Slice it, grate it or cook it, there are many different types, colours and ages to enjoy, appealing to different tastes. It gets stronger as it ages, ‘vintage’ being the strongest.

Did you know we now produce over 700 types of cheeses in the UK? It’s an important export for us.

Here at the British Hamper Company, we celebrate British cheeses, including cheddar!  Selected from Britain’s finest artisan producers, you’ll find a stilton from family-run Cropwell Bishop Creamery, a creamy and tangy cheddar from Godminster, Somerset and two delicious cheeses from our very own Lincolnshire. All paired with fine wine and tasty British nibbles.

British cheese hampers make perfect gifts, especially at Christmas!

Carefully packed, beautifully presented and delivered with your own message. Shop our British Cheese Hampers.