I usually try to review cheeses virginally - that is, ones that Iāve never had before. In this case, this is a cheddar Iāve had many times before. But I couldnāt leave it off the blog, what with its obvious appeal to leather and rubber fetishists.
As far as cheddars go, Graftonās 2-year aged isnāt going to shock you. Itās mild, light on the salt, with a slightly sweet and grassy flavour. Itās got a nice texture. Itās dense, more moist than I expected, and smooth.
So what is the deal with the gummi suit on this cheese anyway? Well, cheese has obviously been around a lot longer than fridges. Fresh cheeses like mozzarella are too moist to last very long outside of a cold place (bacteria and fungi do so love damp places), though I donāt think anyone was too mad about eating that stuff quickly. But cheeses that have been aged (and dried) more have some more preservation options, which is where cheese wax comes in. The wax is a physical barrier, stopping fungal spores from landing, and also blocks moisture and air, making the cheese a pretty unfriendly place to grow. Even drier cheeses can be bandaged in cheesecloth and then slathered in lard to preserve them while allowing some ventilation.
I gotta admit: hot wax isnāt really my thing. But cheesecloth bondage and greaseā¦ it has potential.
