Cheese Features - Vermont Cheddar vs. Oregon Cheddar

This week we are featuring two Cheddar producers.

Cabot from Vermont vs. Tillamook from Oregon

Come in for a taste and pick a favorite.  
We will see which one sells better and post the results next week!

White Cheddar vs. Yellow Cheddar - What is the difference?
The only difference in color is the result of a coloring additive. Typically the color comes from a plant extract of the achiote tree called annatto.  Does not mean one is sharper than the other.   It is totally up to the producer.  As you might notice the practice did not catch on in Vermont, you do not see many yellow vermont cheddars.

Why did they start coloring cheese?  It started back in England.  Cheese that had a higher fat content would be darker in color.   Cheesemakers found out that they could skim the cream of their milk and sell the cream it at a premium before making their cheese.  This resulted in a cheese with less fat content and less color.  So some started adding coloring to their cheese to make up for the loss of color and to make their cheese stand out at the cheese markets.  So the story goes.....  

Cabot Private Stock Cheddar
"Cabot is proud to offer its fine Private Stock Cheddar in Specialty Waxed bricks to suit the needs of any kitchen. Aged for a minimum of 16 months, this lactose-free cheddar has a tart kick behind a smooth, creamy texture. Great for adding a hint of complexity to traditional recipes or for serving up solo as the star of the show." - Cabot

Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar
Cultured Milk, Salt, Enzymes

Enzymes Turns milk into cheese curds and separates the whey, 

Annatto derived from achiote seeds, it gives our cheddar its yellow color
Aged with time, not shortcuts.
The year was 1909 when a small, farmer-owned co-op on the Oregon coast discovered the key to making the perfect, award-winning cheddar. The secret lived in a simple recipe, a traditional method, and time to let the sharp cheddar flavors develop naturally. Today, we’re still attached to our time-honored process and it’ll never get old.