Cheddar

It’s just a theory, but there seems to be a correlation between a particular style’s popularity and the number of bad versions of it that will surface in the global marketplace.

The most beloved varieties invite industrial production so bland yet ubiquitous that they eventually cause many people to forget what was special in the first place.

If you can’t remember what’s lovable about Cheddar, it’s time to serve up the farmhouse style. Warm and familiar, it is dense, and firm but not crumbly. It develops a pronounced saltiness as it ages.

The initial taste should be fairly mellow on your tongue, followed by piquancy as it develops in your mouth. It comes in various degrees of sharpness, but traditional, well-aged (four years or more) Cheddar should be extra sharp.

Cheddar naturally is a yellowish-white, but many producers add a harmless substance called annatto to color it.