Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar
Context:
Made by Cows Creamery in Charlottetown. Inspired by the traditional English farmstead cheddars. This cheese-making style originated in England's Somerset county. In the 1930s, there were more than 500 farms in Britain making farmstead cheddar. COWS founder Scott Linkletter was motivated to make Avonlea Cheddar while travelling in northern Scotland. He happened across a cheese he liked, made friends with the cheesemaker, and used the recipe as his starting point for Avonlea Cheddar.
Appearance of rind:Mouldy cloth covering. Rind beneath is a mottled, brownish-grey natural rind.
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Appearance of paste:Light yellow colour, greyish near the rind. Dense, dry, cracked/crumbly looking.
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Nose:Unwashed potatoes, dirt, hints of barn.
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Primary taste:Savoury.
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Flavour:Complex. Different layers of flavour evolve on the tongue – unwashed potatoes, mashed potatoes, and hay give way to a sweet, tangy finish.
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Texture:Firm, but smooth on the palette; slightly gritty.
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Pairing opportunities:
Pair with a medium-dry hard cider, English ale, or barrel-aged Chardonnay. Serve with whole grain bread, caramelized onion jam. Also a great addition to mac ‘n cheese and fondue, or served melted on toast (Welsh Rarebit).
Other comments:
Winner of several awards. I’ve had this cheese on a few occasions – with mixed results. I’ve had samples that have been quite tasty (potatoes, sweet, tangy) and one that would have been better left uneaten (dried out and quite barny). That said, it’s worth giving this cheese the benefit of the doubt. When it’s good, it’s great.