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National Cheddar Day

Food · February 13

A day for cheddar, the firm cow's milk cheese that ranges from mild and creamy to sharp and crumbly, and shows up in everything from sandwiches to soups.

National Cheddar Day falls on Saturday, February 13, 2027. That is 109 days away.

Cheddar is a firm cheese made from cow's milk, and it is probably the cheese most Americans reach for without thinking. It takes its name from the village of Cheddar in England, but it has long been made all over the world, including in many American dairy states.

What sets cheddar apart is a step called cheddaring. Cheesemakers cut the curd into slabs, then stack and turn them so more whey drains out. The result is a dense, smooth cheese. Age does the rest. A young cheddar is mild and soft. Given more time, it turns sharper, drier and more crumbly, sometimes with little crunchy crystals that people who love old cheddar go looking for.

Color is another story. Some cheddar is pale cream, and some is deep orange. The orange usually comes from annatto, a natural coloring made from the seeds of a tropical tree. It changes the look more than the taste, so a white and an orange cheddar of the same age can be close cousins.

Most people meet cheddar melted. It goes into grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, burgers and broccoli soup. It is just as good on its own, cut into chunks next to apple slices and crackers. A side by side tasting of a mild, a medium and an extra sharp shows how much a cheese can change while it sits.

Let cheddar sit out a little before eating it plain. Cold dulls its flavor, and a short rest at room temperature brings it back.

Ways to celebrate

• Taste a mild, a sharp and an extra sharp cheddar side by side.
• Make a grilled cheese with a well aged cheddar.
• Pair cheddar slices with crisp apples and crackers.
• Look for a cheddar from a local or regional dairy.
• Compare a white and an orange cheddar of similar age.

Dates

All national days on February 13

Also on February 13

• Galentine's Day
• National Tortellini Day
• Get a Different Name Day

Categories: Food days