Photo courtesy of Neals Yard Dairy
by Sam Schonberg, Minneapolis Monger
In a nation whose cheesemaking is dominated by the word “tradition,” it is rare for something new to break through. Seven years ago, the Trethowan brothers did just that.
In the English county of Somerset, cheddar reigns. The town of Cheddar itself is rather small, but its namesake can be found across the area. There is even a specific style of cheddar that is name protected by the British government, called “West County Farmhouse Cheddar” style. These cheeses must be made in this small region of England, and they must be made using traditional production and aging techniques, all of which must occur on the farm itself. Today, there are less than a dozen creators whose cheddars fall in this category. Some of the Trethowan’s most prominent cheddar-making neighbors, the Montgomery, Westcombe, and Keen families, have all been making cheddar since the late 19th or early 20th centuries on their ancestral farms. That two brothers, Welsh ones at that, inserted themselves into this hive of tradition and began making a cheddar that rivals the others, is a small miracle.
Pitchfork cheddar was immediately a hit. Like all other West County Farmhouse Cheddars, it’s bandaged in cloth and aged in a cave to mature. The wheels weigh around 50 pounds, and provide rich aromas of turned earth and broth upon opening. The texture is delicate, for a clothbound cheddar. There are no sharp corners or tyrosine crystals to be found. It simply sinks into your teeth, like fudge on a hot day. The flavor is immediately bright, brighter than most clothbounds. The earthiness is still there, but it is supplemented by big buttercream notes. The savoriness of a spring onion is present, as well as the occasional hint of vanilla.
I would encourage all to enjoy this with a crisp cider, or a more delicate pale ale. My favorite food pairings are apple slices, rye crackers, or maybe even a drop of maple syrup.