I'd rather eat Muenster.
yes, the sharper the cheese the longer the cheese is aged
cheddar jack or a rich kind
Yes, it is a mild cheese like Muenster, unaged cheddar, etc.
A good cheddar substitute for recipes needing a strong cheese flavor is aged Gouda or aged Swiss cheese. These cheeses have a similar sharpness and depth of flavor that can work well in place of cheddar.
The main difference between medium cheddar and sharp cheddar cheese is the aging process. Sharp cheddar is aged longer than medium cheddar, which gives it a stronger and more intense flavor. Medium cheddar has a milder taste compared to sharp cheddar.
It tastes much like normal cheddar however it is much richer in flavour. Quite a dilicous cheese in small doses but if you eat too much of it you may find it is too strong. I much prefer it to normal cheddar but that is my personal opinion. Try it yourself! -Oleg
A minimum of 3 months is needed but can be up to 30 months. The longer it is aged the "sharper" it becomes.
Milk products (milk and cream) can be turned into soft cheeses (like cottage and cream cheese) almost immediately. Chemically aged cheddar cheese can take as little as 2 weeks to manufacture and is probably at the local store within 3 weeks. Naturally aged cheddar can take 1 or more years to aquire it's full flavor.
You can purchase Aged Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese online at Wisconsin Cheese Mart. They have several different Wisconsin Cheeses to choose from. Nordic Creamery also sells Wisconsin Cheese online.
Cabot makes many of their own signature delicious cheeses such as their Classic Cheddar, Specialty Aged Cheddar, Flavored Cheddar, Light Cheddar, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Muenster, Pepper Jack, American, and Swiss.
My brother works in the food industry and his theory is that the gritty texture of mature cheddar is due to lactose crystals...anyone know different?
All cheese will nould if left out of fridge.