# Difference between "extra sharp" and "New York sharp"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2017, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608 "2017-02-24T02:38:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/21 "2017-02-25T02:14:53Z")
I eat a lot of Cabot cheddar and I find that while I like the flavor more the sharper it gets, the texture gets more crumbly as it gets sharper. Which I buy depends on how I’m … er… cutting the cheese. I’ll get more mild if I’m shredding, sharper if I’m slicing. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/22 "2017-02-25T02:29:41Z")
Cabot does fine work. I eat New York and Vermont cheddar interchangeably, as I consider myself as much a New Englander by temperament as a New Yorker. I’m also a staunch locavore, so I enjoy Wisconsin cheeses when in Chicago, and Tillamook when on the west coast. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/23 "2017-02-25T03:49:02Z")
Yeah, New York is describing where the cheese is made and not its sharpness as you can get New York sharp and New York extra sharp. And probably New York mild, although I’ve never seen it. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/24 "2017-02-25T14:51:17Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Yeah, this. New York cheese should be made in the state of New York, using milk from New York State mammals. > [@QuickSilver](#): > > I’m going to need you to be more specific with the word, “mammals”. > [@Czarcasm](#): > > It’s a “New York” thing-it’s best you don’t ask. > [@D\_Odds](#): > > I don’t believe I’ve ever seen sheep or goat milk cheddar. I’m not sure if I’ve even seen bison (buffalo) cheddar. But I’m fairly sure that cheddar could be produced from all 3 (well, maybe not goat, as I’ve never seen any cheese made from goats’ milk other than the eponymous ‘goat cheese’). But I’m fairly certain **UI** was referring to cow’s milk cheddar, and New York State has dairy farms and a thriving dairy industry. I woke up in the middle of the night with the nagging feeling that I was whooshed by **Ukulele Ike** and his ‘mammals’ comment. Was this a _Meet the Fokkers_ reference? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/25 "2017-02-25T17:48:06Z")
Nah…I just didn’t feel like typing out “cows and sheep and goats.” Also, I wanted to get you to thinking about marmosets and tarsiers. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/26 "2017-02-25T17:58:07Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > You can generally make any style cheese from goat milk, but it always retains that barnyard funkiness that the milk has. We often get goat milk cheddar and my daughter’s favourite cheese, a goat milk brie. According to America’s Test Kitchen, the farmer can reduce the funkiness of the goat’s milk by keeping the males well away from the females. My mother used to drink goat’s milk as a child and apparently liked it, but as she is, alas, no longer with us, I can’t ask her about this. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/27 "2017-02-25T18:39:46Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Yeah, New York is describing where the cheese is made and not its sharpness… This prompted me to read the labels again and you’re right. :smack: It says “Made in New York.” The other one says “Wisconsin Extra Sharp Cheddar” (the company is based in Wisconsin). > [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > …there should be a statement on the package saying how long each one was aged. More age equals sharper cheese. :smack::smack: And there is. The New York one says “aged 8 months” and the Wisconsin one says “aged 9 months.” I’m embarrassed I didn’t read the labels more closely at first. Thanks to all who replied. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/28 "2017-02-25T21:17:19Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Nah…I just didn’t feel like typing out “cows and sheep and goats.” > > Also, I wanted to get you to thinking about marmosets and tarsiers. What do you have against bison? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/29 "2017-02-25T21:24:52Z")
_Psssst…“buffalo mozzarella” does not actually come from buffalos._ [http://nwbisonassociation.com/bison-questions.html](http://nwbisonassociation.com/bison-questions.html) ---
**Author:** ![harmonicamoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@harmonicamoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmonicamoon)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/30 "2017-02-25T21:41:50Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > According to America’s Test Kitchen, the farmer can reduce the funkiness of the goat’s milk by keeping the males well away from the females. My mother used to drink goat’s milk as a child and apparently liked it, but as she is, alas, no longer with us, I can’t ask her about this. Exactly. We had Nubian goats. They give excellent milk. The males were castrated and eaten. So as not to contaminate the milk. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/31 "2017-02-25T23:03:14Z")
> [@harmonicamoon](#): > > Exactly. We had Nubian goats. They give excellent milk. > > The males were castrated and eaten. So as not to contaminate the milk. Dang, that’s is some pretty hardcore overkill. “Don’t fuck with my milk, you rectangle-eyed mofo! I will cut off your balls and worse.” ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/32 "2017-02-26T00:26:20Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > _Psssst…“buffalo mozzarella” does not actually come from buffalos._ > > [http://nwbisonassociation.com/bison-questions.html](http://nwbisonassociation.com/bison-questions.html) I learn something new every day. Bad part is that my head already has reached its quota, so I’ve lost something. Hope it’s not my anniversary or my kids’ names. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/33 "2017-02-26T02:38:02Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > When you try to bite into it, it shouts: _I’m walkin’ here!!_ Let’s go to the quarry and throw stuff down there! Good one! ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/34 "2017-02-26T02:48:54Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > I learn something new every day. Bad part is that my head already has reached its quota, so I’ve lost something. Hope it’s not my anniversary or my kids’ names. It’s like Sherlock Holmes said, the brain is like a lumber room, and you have to decide what to keep and what to cast out. I’ve decided to keep being able to recite “The Walrus and the Carpenter,” “The Circus Animals’ Desertion,” and the opening page of “The Waste Land,” and not remember ANYONE’S cell phone number. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/35 "2017-02-26T03:01:20Z")
Tillamook eater here. To dispel ignorance here, I went to the store tonight. Actually, it was because I was out of cheese. Bought Tillamook Extra Sharp White Cheddar–aged three years. They also had Tillamook sharp Cheddar, aged 9 months. And Tillamook medium sharp-aged over two months. The three year stuff was great, not soft, very sharp and kinda flaky. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/36 "2017-02-26T03:10:38Z")
Tillamook is good schtuff. But isn’t Holmes County Amish (Ohio) cheddar still readily available in the Cleveland/Akron area? I remember buying that at the West Side Market, along with the Holmes County Swiss, and a paper cup of real buttermilk from the can. For a dime. And a big old salt shaker alongside so you could season your buttermilk. To this day I garnish my buttermilk with salt. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/37 "2017-02-26T05:17:44Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > _Psssst…“buffalo mozzarella” does not actually come from buffalos._ > > [http://nwbisonassociation.com/bison-questions.html](http://nwbisonassociation.com/bison-questions.html) Of course it does. Water buffaloes are buffaloes. Bison are not buffaloes. Water buffalo milk is used to make buffalo mozzarella. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608/38 "2017-02-26T06:20:14Z")
Kraft’s Cracker Barrel assortment of square block cheeses the size of a basic saltine cracker comes in the usual varieties of Mild, Medium, Sharp, Extra-Sharp and the somewhat slightly stronger New York Reserve. It is definitely, um, sharper. But when I was younger, they didn’t call it New York Reserve. It was labeled _Coon Cheese_ :eek: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-extra-sharp-and-new-york-sharp/780608.md?page=1)