Cheddar is the British cheese named after the village of Cheddar in Somerset.
Cheddar cheese originated in the English West Country, with the village of Cheddar giving the cheese its name. The cheese is made from cow’s milk and is typically firm, smooth, and pale yellow to orange, although colour and flavour vary with production methods and maturation.
Traditional cheddar production includes a distinctive process called cheddaring. After curds form, they are cut, heated, drained, and stacked or turned so that whey is expelled and the curd develops its characteristic texture.
Today cheddar is produced in many countries, so not every cheese labelled cheddar comes from Somerset. West Country Farmhouse Cheddar is a protected regional style, while “cheddar” more generally describes a widely produced cheese family.