HOW OLD IS YOUR CHEESE?
REALLY OLD. It varies in age from 12 to 15 years.
REALLY OLD. It varies in age from 12 to 15 years.
More than a decade of aging gives our cheese that delicious razor sharpness.
Our supply of uniquely old cheese is limited, so be sure to get it while you can.
HECK YES! Why would we joke about something so tremendous?
At room temperature. When the cheese is too cold the flavor is muted and that’s not fun to eat. By allowing the cheese to come to room temperature, you’re essentially allowing the flavors to come out and join the party.
Until it’s gone. Like a fine wine, cheese gets better with age. There is no expiration date on this sharp-as-sh*t, amazing cheese. But if you want to move cheddar fast, grab your largest carving knife and divvy up the block for your family, friends, and neighbors. Sharing is caring.
Relax! Mold gets a bad rap for no reason at all. While you don’t want to indulge in it, you also don’t need to scrap a perfectly good block because of a little fuzz. If your cheese has some mold (which may happen, it’s been hanging out for nearly two decades), cut out the moldy spot and throw it away.
Grab paring knife and scrape it down the side of the cheese where the mold is located. If there are any pockmarks of mold, take the paring knife and gently pick them out, so the mold doesn’t penetrate into the cheese any further.
First, wrap in wax or cheese paper, then in plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Make sure it can breathe a little —remember, it is a beautiful living thing.
You can do anything you want. But do we recommend it? Not necessarily. Freezing the cheese will change the texture to be more crumbly and mealy.
That’s called looking sharp! However, if you want to get technical, it’s called calcium lactate crystals. A harmless addition to a wise old cheese. During cheesemaking, bacteria turn milk sugar (lactose), into lactic acid. Then lactic acid combines with the calcium that naturally occurs in milk to give you...wait for it...calcium lactate! Calcium lactate can form crystals, and when clustered densely enough, they are visible and look like a white crust.
It’s called maturity. Proteins in the cheese release moisture as they age, which allows the cheese to reach the next stage of maturity. Ever play Pokémon? This is like when useless Magikarp evolves into badass Gyarados. We recommend you simply wipe off any excessive moisture, wrap the cheese in fresh plastic wrap, and store it in the refrigerator. Congratulations, you’re the proud owner of a fully mature, totally badass cheddar.
Not yet. We're sticking stateside for the time being.