Cheshire cheese is one of the oldest recorded cheeses in England [1] and at one time was the most popular English cheese on the market.[2] In fact, both William the Conqueror [3] and Queen Elizabeth I [4] proclaimed it their favorite cheese and in the 1800s it became a staple in the diet of English navy.[5] Some varieties of Cheshire cheese have annatto added to them to give them a redder, more cheddar-like appearance. The wedge that I bought was a red Cheshire.
It definitely had a stinkier flavor than its cousin, cheddar cheese, and was as crumbly as an extra sharp cheddar. It reminded me of the non-molded parts of the Shropshire Blue cheese [6] that I tried a little while back. That's not surprising to me since some view Shropshire Blue as a blending of Cheshire and Blue Stilton. Given the similarity to Shropshire Blue, I'd be tempted to buy this cheese again and try it on a hamburger. Note: This cheese has a rind which should be removed before eating.
Notes:
[1] See http://www.cheese.com/Description.asp?Name=cheshire. There is some indication that the Romans introduced cheese making to the town of Chestershire (see http://www.britishcheese.com/cheshire/history of cheshire cheese-14).
[2] See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire cheese#History.
[3] See http://www.cheesemonthclub.com/pastnewsletters/vol10no2.htm.
[4] See http://www.joseph-heler.co.uk/regional_products/varieties.php.
[5] See http://www.hms.org.uk/nelsonsnavycheese.htm.
[6] You can read my review of that cheese here.
My recommendation: I don't particularly care for cheddar on burgers, but I really relish a good layer of feta on them.
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