If you’re wondering what is different about white and orange Cheddar cheese, the answer is quite simple.
Shopping for cheese can be a pretty intimidating experience once you venture beyond the familiar grocery store brands.
And that’s not just when it comes to obscureFrench cheeses.
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Even good old Cheddar comes in all sorts of colors and price points.
What’s The Difference Between Orange And White Cheddar?
Fortunately, theDairy Farmers of Wisconsinhave provided us with the answers on the question of color.
Orange Cheddar has had color added, while white Cheddar has not.
So why do cheese producers dye Cheddar that familiar bright orange hue instead of leaving it white?
And does the dye affect the flavor?
Read on to find out.
Why Is Cheddar Dyed Orange?
“In the olden days of cheesemaking, milk varied greatly with the seasons.
Depending on their diet, pasture-fed cows can produce milk with a tinge of orange beta-carotene.
“This variability drove early cheese lover shopping preferences for Cheddars with a certain appearance.
Now you’re probably wondering, what is annatto and does it make Cheddar in yourmac and cheesetaste different?
Does Orange Cheddar Taste Different Than White?
Also, there’s less seasonal variation in the color of milk nowadays due to modern dairy practices.
So, when selecting Cheddar cheese, don’t expect color to tell you a lot about the flavor.
What Affects The Flavor Of Cheddar?
In modern times, it turns out that age is a big determining factor in what Cheddar tastes like.
Young Cheddar is usually mild, creamy, slightly buttery, and easy to melt.
Aged Cheddar, on the other hand, is dry, crumbly, nutty, and sharp.
Wisconsin also developed an original kind of Cheddarblue Cheddarwhich is inoculated with the same fungus asblue cheese.
Not surprisingly, this blue-veined Cheddar is “more robust” than other Cheddars.
After all, some like it sharp and tangy, and others melt over a creamy, mild Cheddar.
2018 Mar.Factors Influencing the Flavour of Bovine Milk and Cheese from Grass Based versus Non-Grass Based Milk Production Systems.
