In defence of cheddar cheese

Yellow and orange colouring in cheeses are usually turmeric and/or annatto. They are harmless, but, in my view, unnecessary.

I'm partial to a bit of Danish Blue. I get it around Christmastime by way of a change and for something different than the usual cheeses.

Doesn't the blue happen naturally (mould!) Not for me though. Eurgh.

I've never seen orange cheddar. I thought only Red Leicester and Double Gloucester were red or orange. It never occurred to me that people would be put off by the colour. If it is an issue for the French, why do they eat blue cheese?

No - they would never doctor their precious Wensleydale! Hawes Creamery folk would have a fit.

I don't find the carotene explanation very convincing. That would mean that all cheeses would vary in colour according to the season surely? But I've never seen coloured Wensleydale, for instance. Or coloured cheese in France..

Well, it is very good for cooking. But it's excellent in sarnies as well. Specially with a bit of pickle.

Scottish Cheddar is orange. Felt a bit weird seeing it grated over a jacket potato in a cafe. However, they do sell the usual white stuff in the supermarkets. The orange colour is natural colouring although I don’t know why they want it to be orange. I love cheese but not eating at the moment as I have to get my cholesterol down ☹️

I'm overthinking this now.

I remember when on holiday in France we were at the cheese counter in the local supermarket and my ex got chatting to a couple of French ladies about wanting to buy some Cheddar.
"Chedaaar!" They said "it's for cooking only"

Do you get white Leicester?

So, they must add annato to red leicester as well. Doesn't annato come from beetroots, so it's harmless.

There seems to a range of shades of orange cheddar. I like the milder kind and associate the stronger flavoured ones with the darker colour.

Yes - I seem to remember seeing it when we've been on holiday up North. Never see it down here in the South.

I don't know how our farmers keep it the same colour all year round. But they seem to.

I'd never seen orange cheddar until I moved north of Watford. All the Cheddar I'd ever eaten/bought/seen in Essex (*loads of it*) was natural coloured. I was utterly amazed to be offered white or coloured cheddar in Yorkshire... Is it something to to with cultural differences?

Do we get orange cheddar in this country? Isn't it more an American thing? I've never seen any.

From googling, the cows get less carotene from hay which they are fed in winter, than they get from the grass in Summer.

OP, carotene is not only from carrots.

None of the really good, strong Cheddar I buy (including West Country) is orange-coloured. Why do the producers think it necessary to add colouring, I wonder? That is assuming that the colour doesn't come from something local that the cows eat.

Talking of foreigners liking it or not, though, my dd's big wedding do was in France. One food item (provided by us) was a cheese 'cake' consisting of rounds of different cheeses, the bottom layer being a large round West Country Cheddar.

On the morning after the big day, I found one of the caterers who'd come to clear, trying some of the leftover bottom layer. She said it was 'tres bon' and asked me what sort of cheese it was!

I’ve never seen orange Cheddar either, it’s pale and very mature for me too. It’s my favourite.

Keep it for yourself sure it can be frozen. Personally I won't touch the coloured cheddar either,always the white one for me, and has to be very mature.

I am a cheesaholic
Any cheese
Any time
I don't think cheddar is dyed at all
Its orange because of the ingredients
Enjoy

How strange - I don't think I've ever seen orange Cheddar! My favourite hard cheese is Yarg, which is made by a friend of mine. She was awarded an MBE recently for 'services to cheese'.

That made me smile Maw
?

I've never understood why Cheddar had to be coloured orange, a completely unneccssary addition which does nothing at all to the taste.

I'd just eat that one yourself and ask your lovely butcher to get some undyed Cheddar next time.

I wouldn't worry about your family and friends trying it - I'd keep it all to myself!!