# 10 year old Cheddar **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2016, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413 "2016-09-09T04:19:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/1 "2016-09-09T04:19:30Z")
Was driving home from a visit to Memphis and needed gas and lunch, and found [Grandpa’s Cheese Barn](http://grandpascheesebarn.com/) and decided to stop. I mean, who can resist something like that. 😛 Pricey, but I gave it a taste there - had that wonderful scattered crystal of tyrosine accenting the cheese that I absolutely love. Bought a pound and a smidge [couldn’t see making the nice lady cut off a thin chunk just to make it an even pound] Got home and treated myself to paper thin slices layered onto wedges of Granny Smith apple. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/2 "2016-09-09T04:23:10Z")
YUM! I have been craving some lovely aged cheddar. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/3 "2016-09-09T04:26:46Z")
My husband is always nagging me to find cheddar “with flavor crystals.” So far, in eight years together, I haven’t found any that’s good enough. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/4 "2016-09-09T05:06:08Z")
Trader Joes has got this English Coastal Cheddar, aged at least 15 months. it’s the best you can get round these parts. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/5 "2016-09-09T05:44:36Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > had that wonderful scattered crystal of tyrosine accenting the cheese that I absolutely love. Calcium lactate. That’s the Cheddar cheese crystal, tyrosine’s more characteristic of Romano or aged Gruyere or that ilk. You get both kinds in a nice Parm. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/6 "2016-09-09T05:56:54Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > Trader Joes has got this English Coastal Cheddar, aged at least 15 months. it’s the best you can get round these parts. Sorry to hear that. I’m about an hour drive from [Mars Cheese Castle](http://www.marscheese.com/index.html). Though some of those cheeses can be pricey I must say they have plenty of creamy yet crunchy cheddar available. The 10 year Sharp Cheddar is amazing. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/7 "2016-09-09T14:02:50Z")
We get Tillamook cheddar here, says “aged over 15 months”. The stuff in the black wrapper - I think it’s Special Reserve Extra Sharp - definitely has crystals in it. I’ve had a couple of people who weren’t used to the crystals caught out by finding them in there. So nothing close to 10 years (!), but it’s got the crystals. I really like the Australian Old Croc cheddar, but I don’t find it around any more. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/8 "2016-09-09T15:24:21Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Was driving home from a visit to Memphis and needed gas and lunch, and found [Grandpa’s Cheese Barn](http://grandpascheesebarn.com/) and decided to stop. I mean, who can resist something like that. Welcome to Ohio! Did you drive a couple of stores down to Fin, Feather, and Fur? Ohio’s best gun store. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/9 "2016-09-09T16:03:01Z")
Nice. I took a plunge on my last trip to Wisconsin and bought a chunk of 15yo cheddar. I think it was about a half pound and ran about $23. That was some good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/10 "2016-09-09T16:09:53Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Sorry to hear that. I’m about an hour drive from [Mars Cheese Castle](http://www.marscheese.com/index.html). Also just north of the border in Kenosha is Tenuta’s deli. In addition to a great muffaletta, they have a good variety of cheese. It’s been a while but I think they had an 18 year cheddar. I couldn’t justify the price of that but did get a chunk of a nice 12year. > **[Tenuta's Deli | A Kenosha Tradition Since 1950](https://www.tenutasdeli.com/)** > > Tenuta's Deli has been a Kenosha tradition since 1950. Offering curated Italian groceries, fresh cut deli meats and cheeses, and a huge selection of beer, wine and spirits, we guarantee you won't be disappointed. Visit us today! ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/11 "2016-09-09T16:25:28Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > Welcome to Ohio! Did you drive a couple of stores down to Fin, Feather, and Fur? Ohio’s best gun store. > > Dennis Not this trip, but I have hit there before and probably will on another trip 🙂 I was in a bit of a hurry, I got tanked in Nashville by my SUV’s alternator kissing off. I don’t mind visiting a city when it is planned but getting stuck in a hotel with nothing much to do isn’t particularly fun. I had more fun in Memphis comparing BBQ =) [the [commissary](http://www.commissarybbq.com/) won IMHO] ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/12 "2016-09-09T17:39:59Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > Sorry to hear that. I’m about an hour drive from [Mars Cheese Castle](http://www.marscheese.com/index.html). Though some of those cheeses can be pricey I must say they have plenty of creamy yet crunchy cheddar available. The 10 year Sharp Cheddar is amazing. I admit I haven’t looked too hard. It’s hard to imagine 10 years being 8 times better than 15 months. I’ll check it out. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/13 "2016-09-09T20:29:32Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Also just north of the border in Kenosha is Tenuta’s deli. In addition to a great muffaletta, they have a good variety of cheese. It’s been a while but I think they had an 18 year cheddar. I couldn’t justify the price of that but did get a chunk of a nice 12year. > > [www.tenutasdeli.com/](http://www.tenutasdeli.com/) The sharpest cheese that I’ve ever eaten is the “extra extra sharp” provolone from the heart of those giant 300lb provolones at Tenuta’s. I have a pound of it in the fridge right now that I’ve been slowly shaving pieces of since my wife’s trip down there last weekend. It smells royally funky and burns the tongue, but it’s _so good!_ ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/14 "2016-09-09T20:33:33Z")
> [@drad\_dog](#): > > I admit I haven’t looked too hard. It’s hard to imagine 10 years being 8 times better than 15 months. I’ll check it out. 15 months is nothing for a cheddar. 5 years is where it starts to get that fabulous crumbly texture. My preference is the 7-9 year range, there is still a slight touch of creaminess at that stage. Not that I will turn down cheddar that is over 10 years, it is fantastic, but just not worth the premium to me. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/15 "2016-09-09T20:41:20Z")
> [@August\_West](#): > > The sharpest cheese that I’ve ever eaten is the “extra extra sharp” provolone from the heart of those giant 300lb provolones at Tenuta’s. Funny, I tried some of that. I think they might have been sampling it during one of my visits. I’m ashamed to say that it kicked my ass. I thought I liked strong cheese but that was just too much funk. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/16 "2016-09-12T02:16:12Z")
Yummmm. A friend once got some very aged white Cheddar from Trader Joe’s - supposedly 7 years old. It had those flavory crystals in it. Fantastic. I went there a week or so later to try to find it again and they didn’t have any. I’ve since bought 5+ year cheddar from Wegman’s, and it has crystals, but they’re just odd crunchy bits that just mess up the texture, no burst of flavor. Not nearly as good. The stuff from Trader Joe’s also tasted just a bit like Parmesan (though it wasn’t). So are those crystals more likely to have been tyrosine than calcium lactate? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/17 "2016-09-12T02:42:02Z")
Note: This post adds nothing of substance to this thread. It’s just amusing. > [@MrDibble](#): > > Calcium lactate. That’s the Cheddar cheese crystal, tyrosine’s more characteristic of Romano or aged Gruyere or that ilk. You get both kinds in a nice Parm. I was curious what a “cheese crystal” looked like, so I did a Google Image search for calcium lactate. While that didn’t actually answer the question, it brought up a number of pictures of what I can only describe as butt plugs: > **[Luoyang Longmen Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd.-Lactic,Acid](http://en.longmen-pharma.com)** > > Luoyang Longmen Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd. Luoyang Longmen Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd was used to be Yanshi Lactate Limited Company [http://www.sanqun123.com/product\_index.php?pid=24882&$products=Calcium%20Lactate](http://www.sanqun123.com/product_index.php?pid=24882&$products=Calcium%20Lactate) I assume it’s just a traditional beaker shape in Chinese glassmaking tradition. But I have to admit, it makes me wonder whether the Chinese aren’t getting freaky with their cheese crystals. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/18 "2016-09-12T02:46:39Z")
Shopping the other day at the “cheese” section I spied some Kraft aged cheddar. I looked at the package. Reading aloud I said “18 months? This shit is barely legal!” A lady nearby gave me a very dirty look. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/19 "2016-09-12T03:14:42Z")
Try [Renard’s Cheese.](https://renardscheese.com/) It’s about as Wisconsin as you can get, and they ship. They carry [1,2,3,4,7 and **10** year old cheddar.](https://renardscheese.com/products/cheese.html?p=11) ETA: Renard’s 10yo is $13.49/lb, compared to Mars $30/lb. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413/20 "2016-09-12T04:28:05Z")
Mmm. Cheddar. I just bought a sampling of goat’s milk cheddar while at Eataly with a friend tonight. Haven’t tried it yet. Not sure how old it is, either. I’m too full from dinner/drinks/dessert to try it now but will report back if anyone’s interested. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/10-year-old-cheddar/765413.md?page=2)