Photographed by Nina Gallant | Styled by Chantal Lambeth
Origin: Cabot, Vermont
Milk: Pasteurized cow’s milk
+ SQIRL Strawberry Lemon Verbena Jam
This cheddar is the result of a collaboration between two Vermont cheesemakers: the large-scale Cabot Cooperative Creamery and the much smaller Cellars at Jasper Hill. Aged between 9 and 14 months, this cheese boasts flavors of rich salty caramel with vegetal notes. For a sweet-savory matchup, try a wedge with a smear of strawberry-lemon-verbena jam.
2. BARBER’S 1833 VINTAGE RESERVE CHEDDAR
Origin: Somerset, England
Milk: Pasteurized cow’s milk
+ Bantam Buzzwig Cider
The Barber family has been farming in the heart of rural Somerset since the early 1800s. The family’s flagship cheese is a creamy-crumbly sharp number that boasts a fine balance of umami and sweet milky flavors, with hints of butterscotch and toffee. Pair it with a cold glass of cider like a true Anglophile.
Origin: Lincolnshire, England
Milk: Raw cow’s milk
+ fresh figs
This natural-rind cheddar is matured between 12 and 24 months and has a golden, buttery hue with hints of straw and cellar, especially near the rind. Match this cheese with fresh figs to create a deeply earthy bite.
4. ROGUE CREAMERY CHOCOLATE STOUT CHEDDAR
Origin: Central Point, Oregon
Milk: Pasteurized cow’s milk
+ Raaka Pink Sea Salt Chocolate
Milder than the other cheddars featured here, this subtle version is borne of a collaboration between Rogue Creamery and Rogue Ales. It’s savory and tangy, with classic cheddar notes augmented by delicate hints of chocolate and coffee from the stout. Try it with a piece of sea salt chocolate to amp up the contrasting flavors even further.