Cheddar: A Journey to the Heart of America's Most Iconic Cheese

by Gordon Edgar

One of the oldest, most ubiquitous, and beloved cheeses in the world, the history of cheddar is a fascinating one. Over the years it has been transformed, from a painstakingly handmade wheel to a rindless, mass-produced block, to a liquefied and emulsified plastic mass untouched by human hands. The Henry Fordism of cheddar production in many ways anticipated the advent of industrial agriculture.  They don’t call it “American Cheese” for nothing. Cheddar is one man’s picaresque journey to find out what a familiar food can tell us about ourselves. Cheddar may be appreciated in almost all American homes, but the advocates of the traditional wheel versus the processed slice often have very different ideas about food. Since cheddar―with its diversity of manufacturing processes and tastes―is such a large umbrella, it is the perfect food through which to discuss many big food issues that face our society. More than that, though, cheddar actually holds a key to understanding not only issues surrounding food politics, but also some of the ways we think of our cultural identity. Cheddar, and its offshoots, has something to tell us about this the way people rally to certain cheddars but not others; the way they extol or denounce the way others eat it; the role of the commodification of a once-artisan cheese and the effect that has on rural communities.  The fact that cheddar is so common that it is often taken for granted means that examining it can lead us to the discovery of usually unspoken truths. Author Gordon Edgar ( A Life on the Wedge ) is well equipped to take readers on a tour through the world of cheddar. For more than fifteen years he has worked as an iconoclastic cheesemonger in San Francisco, but his sharp talent for observation and social critique were honed long before then, in the world of ’zines, punk rock, and progressive politics. His fresh perspectives on such a seemingly common topic are as thought provoking as they are entertaining.

Genres: Food, Nonfiction, History, Microhistory, Culinary, Cuisine, Food History

207 pages, Hardcover

First published October 21, 2015

About the author

Gordon Edgar loves cheese and worker-owned co-ops, and has been combining both of these infatuations as a cheesemonger at Rainbow Grocery Cooperative in San Francisco since 1994. Edgar has been a judge at cheese competitions, a board member for the California Artisan Cheese Guild, and, since 2002, has blogged at www.gordonzola.net. His book Cheesemonger was published in 2010 and Cheddar was published in 2015, both by Chelsea Green. Those train books are by another Gordon Edgar.

Reviews

[Laurie Neighbors · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much I married the author.

Just kidding, I married him a long time ago. But I still love the book.

[Dinah · Rating 5 out of 5]

A much more intricate story than the one I thought I knew.
Funny, informational, and gently but firmly reminding the reader of the complexity of food policy, capitalism, economic class, and culture. Highly recommended.

[Tami · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great little 'micro-history' of Cheddar cheese in America. Gordon Edgar is a cheesemonger of some renown and loves his cheddar! He does a great job of tracing the history of cheddar cheese in the US looking at California (some cheese makers/lovers might frown at me listing California first), Wisconsin, Vermont and New York and the beginnings of cheese making through industrialization and how that changed cheese production. 3.5 stars

[Michael Sulyi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice book. Learned a lot about the cheese industry and Cheddar. If you love cheese you'll enjoy this book.

[Beth Cato · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read many books on cheese, and this is a great addition to my library. As the title says, the focus is on cheddar, and there is a lot to say about it in terms of history, culture, and politics. Edgar's voice is personable and engaging. He makes a true journey of his quest to understand cheddar, and every chapter has interesting facts and revelations.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yum!

[Arminzerella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gordon Edgar is a cheesemonger and buyer who works for San Francisco’s Rainbow Grocery Cooperative. Cheddar is his investigation into the roots/history of American cheddar making, which has gone from small farm/family operations, to large corporate dairy factories, and back to smaller artisan endeavors. He touches on some of the important figures and businesses of the past and present and describes some of the stand-out cheeses/cheddars that he has encountered in his research. We all wish we could do such research. I would have liked (in an appendix, maybe) a list of all the cheeses discussed – the better to go out and find them myself. Cheddar/cheese enthusiasts will enjoy reading about the origins of this popular cheese. I got a little jolt of excitement every time he mentioned a cheese/name with which I was familiar. Those of us who weren’t born cheese snobs will appreciate Edgar’s modest upbringing; he was raised on processed cheese food slices.

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a bit of a cheesy read ...

[Spiros · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gordon Zola strikes again. A nice, succinct history of the Single Most Popular Cheese in the World (as per Monty Python's "Cheese Shop Sketch"), and its unwitting role in the nightmare that is mass produced, anodyne processed cheese (aka, "American Cheese"). And it's role in helping to bring back artisanal, small dairy cheeses. Reading this has made me crave actual cheddar cheese, for the first time in decades.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I enjoyed this quick read! I thought it was pretty cool to learn about cheddar from a variety of places across the U.S. I especially liked the chapter about Wisconsin cheddar. Now I feel inspired to try new cheeses from smaller producers as opposed to the giant cheese factories.

[Ian]

Cheese monger Gordon Edgar takes us on a journey across the country exploring the origins and history of America’s (second) favorite cheese.

Read the rest at All The Things I Eat:
https://allthethingsieat.com/cheddar-...

[Abby Stopka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book. Definitely enjoyed this and learned lots about cheddar even though I'm from Wisconsin.

[J.B.P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Medium Acidity With Caramel Sweetness And Savory Notes Of Chicken Broth And Toasted Nut”

[Elina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute and informative, but doesn't quite hit the tagline as promised.

[Liz Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't feel like I learned as much as I wanted to, but it was still interesting look into cheddar history. Some of the chapters felt a little disorganized.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

From cheddar history to cheddar making I was really drawn in...and hungry :)

[Sarah Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first heard about this book when the author, Gordon, was being interviewed on Splendid Table. His enthusiasm about cheddar was really evident. I was excited when I walked into my local library (in Northern Wisconsin) and there it was front and center. Gordon writes this book in an entertaining manner. I now know more about cheddar than I ever thought I would. I recommend this book to foodies, Wisconsinites, and cheese lovers everywhere.

[Kate McCarthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good read. It's about Cheddar told in first person by my favorite local cheese mongers. While that mostly gains points from me as a fan of Gordon and his storytelling, there were a couple tangents here and there that both codify the folky narrative while pulling it into op-ed county. Definitely recommend for cheese eaters.

[Donna Luu · Rating 3 out of 5]

The cover of this book led me to believe it would be a light-hearted story about cheese, so it was a bit disappointing. It is a SERIOUS book about cheese with a few nice anecdotes and a bit of road-tripping.

[Marc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked it, but seemed to be written to fill up required pages. Somewhat repetitive, but still interesting history and liked the guy's style.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything one would ever want to know about American Cheddar cheese written in a light but informative style!

[Marcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much about the history (the good, the bad and the ugly) of this iconic cheese. AS usual, Gordon delivers.