Why Buy Flavored Cheddar

When most people think of the different flavors of cheddar cheese, they stick to the basics, such as mild, sharp, and extra sharp. In reality, however, there are plenty of flavored variations of cheddar from those that have flavor infused through natural smoking to those that are made with spices. Many of the flavored cheeses you will find are actually cheddar and that is because this particular cheese combines beautifully with many different spices.

Common Flavors

Probably the most common flavor of cheddar cheese (other than mild, sharp, or extra sharp) is horseradish. Even if it doesn’t say it in an obvious location, most horseradish cheese is made from cheddar with some flavoring added in. Jalapeno cheddar is also very popular as is naturally smoked cheddar, such as one with a smoked maple flavor. If you venture into the realm of cheddar cheese curds, you will find even more flavors, such as bacon and horseradish, dill, garlic, ranch, and buffalo wing.

Convenience

Probably the biggest reason people choose to buy flavored cheddar is for the convenience factor. If you are cooking with cheddar, you won’t have to add as many extra ingredients to the dish in order to get a lot of different flavors. Even if you are simply snacking on cheese and crackers, you will get more flavor without having to sprinkle herbs, spices, or vegetables on top.

Try Something New

Another great reason to buy flavored cheddar cheese is that it gives you the chance to try something new. Most people haven’t necessarily had flavored cheddar before and maybe haven’t even eaten cheddar with some of the popular flavor combinations, such as combining cheddar and horseradish in a dish. Opting for a flavored cheddar lets you easily try your favorite cheese with new flavors without having to put in the extra effort or worrying about whether your combination will taste good. Best of all, if you buy your cheese from a specialty store, they will be able to tell you what goes well with it to take out the guesswork of pairings. Any online cheese retailer, for example, will tell you that jalapeno cheddar goes great with watermelon, plums, and mangos.

From Quality Retailer

If you start looking for flavored cheddar, you will notice that it is mostly sold by specialty cheese shops or online retailers. Even if that means it is a bit more expensive, this is great news. That is because cheese from these retailers will be fresher (or aged the amount it says) and of a high quality. You will even get superb customer service from these stores, including the online ones.