チェダーチーズのふるさと Cheddar, birthplace of cheddar cheese

チェダーチーズのふるさと、チェダーを訪れました。今や全世界に広まったチェダーチーズは工場などで大量生産され、チェダーチーズの定義はよく分りませんが、ここ発祥地ではもちろん伝統的な味を守っています。かつてはチェダー峡谷の切り立った崖にある洞窟でチーズを保存、熟成させていたということです。

ショップで「洞窟保存」と書かれたチーズを発見。試食させてもらい、あまりの美味しさに、スーパーで買う１０倍の値段のするチェダーチーズを買いました。今までこんなにおいしいチェダーチーズは食べたことがありません。
峡谷では絶景が楽しめるので、チョコレートの代わりに絶品チーズを買ってハイキングを楽しむのが私のオススメです。夫はチョコも絶対必要と主張すると思いますが。

We visited Cheddar, the birthplace of cheddar cheese. Now that cheddar cheese production has spread all over the world and has become a mass market product, its definition is uncertain. However traditional cheddar cheese is still produced at Cheddar, whose nearby gorge has caves which once provided the perfect environment for storing and maturing the cheese. We found cave aged cheddar cheese at the oldest shop in the gorge. We tasted it and couldn't help buying it even though it cost 10 times as much as one which we can get at a supermarket. We hadn't had such delicious cheddar cheese ever before.

We enjoyed spectacular views at the gorge as well. I recommend hiking in and around the gorge with the superb eponymous cheese instead of chocolate. Although my husband would say chocolate is essential.