Estimated Reading Time: 8 min

A Devon cheese with a sense of place

Quicke's makes its clothbound cheddar at Home Farm in Newton St. Cyres, Devon, in southwest England. This is green-pasture country, with a mild, wet climate quite unlike Pagosa Springs' snowy winters and dry summer afternoons.

That landscape matters. Grass feeds the cows, milk becomes curd, and the farm's aging rooms help shape the finished cheese. This connection between place and flavor is often called terroir. You need not taste a particular patch of Devon soil to appreciate it.

The region also has a protected cheese name: West Country Farmhouse Cheddar. Its Protected Designation of Origin, or PDO, ties production to Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset, with rules covering milk, traditional methods and at least nine months of aging. Not every young cheddar made in the region qualifies. Quicke's three-month Buttery selection, for instance, is younger than that minimum.

And the name? Say KWIKS, one syllable, rhyming with “bricks.”

The milk: Grass first, cheese in mind

The classic Quicke's cheddar range uses pasteurized cow's milk from the farm's own herd. These are crossbred dairy cows, selected for health, grazing ability and milk suited to cheesemaking, rather than simply the largest possible milk yield.

The herd draws on breeds including Scandinavian Red, New Zealand dairy cattle, Montbéliarde, Jersey and Brown Swiss. Together, those genetics support the farm's pasture-based approach. The cows can spend up to 10 months of the year grazing, depending on conditions.

Why should you care about a cow's menu? Milk's fat and protein help determine how curd forms and how cheese feels in your mouth. Grass also supplies beta carotene, a pigment that contributes to cow's milk cheese's natural yellow color.

Quicke's makes a separate Goats' Milk Clothbound Cheese, too. Its milk comes from partner farms in southwest England, not a goat herd at Home Farm. Expect a different cheese, not merely the same cheddar wearing a goat label.

Ingredients and dietary details

The essentials are milk, starter cultures, salt and rennet. Rennet is the ingredient that helps milk set into curd.

• Classic cow's milk cheddar: Made with animal rennet, with lard traditionally used on the cloth binding. It is not suitable for vegetarians, and the pork fat matters for people avoiding pork.
• Goat's milk clothbound cheese: Uses non-animal rennet. Check the current label or ask the seller to confirm the binding treatment and vegetarian suitability.
• Allergens: Both contain milk. Goat's milk cheese is not a safe substitute for someone with a cow's milk allergy.

For any dietary restriction, the package label is a better guide than a general description of the brand.

How cloth, cultures and handwork build flavor

Quicke's is a hard, aged, farmhouse cheddar with a clothbound natural rind. Those terms describe different parts of its identity: its texture, its maturation, its farm-based production and its outer covering.

The cheddar part comes from cheddaring. Cheesemakers stack and turn slabs of warm curd, helping drain whey and develop the curd's structure. The curd is then milled into pieces, salted, placed in molds and pressed.

The wheels are wrapped in cloth, traditionally dressed with lard, before aging. This binding protects the cheese while allowing gradual moisture loss and the development of a living rind. It is packaging with a job to do, not a rustic costume.

Pasteurized does not mean plain

Quicke's uses pasteurized milk. Pasteurization reduces harmful microbes before cheesemaking; it does not make the finished cheese sterile or prevent later contamination.

Starter cultures then get fermentation going. These useful bacteria turn milk sugar into lactic acid and contribute to flavor development. Quicke's uses traditional mixed cultures with roots in West Country dairying. During aging, enzymes break down proteins and fats into smaller compounds that affect aroma, texture and taste.

That protein breakdown is called proteolysis. The practical translation: A young, milky cheese gradually becomes more savory, complex and crumbly.

Choose your age, not just your level of “sharp”

Age is a useful buying guide, but it is not a score. Older is different, not automatically better. A younger wedge may be exactly right for lunch; a vintage piece may deserve your full attention after dinner.

| Selection | Typical aging | What to expect | | --- | --- | --- | | Buttery Clothbound Cheddar | About 3 months | Mild milk and cream flavors, with a more supple texture | | Goats' Milk Clothbound Cheese | About 6 months | Almond-like sweetness, a bright tang and a distinct goat's milk character | | Oak Smoked Cheddar | Made from matured cheddar | Savory cheddar with oak smoke, spice and woodsy notes | | Mature Clothbound Cheddar | Roughly 12-18 months | Toasted nuts, broth-like savoriness and a lively finish | | Extra Mature Clothbound Cheddar | Roughly 18-21 months | Deeper savory flavors and a firmer, more crumbly bite | | Vintage Clothbound Cheddar | About 24 months | Concentrated umami, caramel-like notes and a long finish |

Ages can vary by product and market, so read the label on the wedge you are buying. The Oak Smoked version is cold-smoked over oak chips from the estate's woodland. It brings smoke to an already matured cheese rather than using smoke as a substitute for aging.

One wedge, several textures

Clothbound cheddar loses water as it matures. That makes it different from cheddar aged in moisture-retaining film, though neither method alone guarantees quality.

The clothbound wheel does not dry evenly. Its center stays relatively moist; the outer portion becomes drier and more concentrated. Meanwhile, enzyme activity changes the protein structure. Together, these processes create a cheese that can feel firm under the knife but rich and yielding as you chew.

You might notice three distinct zones:

• The heart: Often buttery and relatively supple, with a bright, tangy flavor.
• The middle: Frequently rounder and nuttier, with hints of sweet cream or toasted hazelnut.
• Just beneath the rind: Usually denser and earthier, sometimes suggesting mushrooms, potato skins or horseradish.

Older pieces may fracture into flakes and crags rather than neat sandwich slices. Small crunchy crystals can also appear. In aged cheddar, these may be amino acid crystals or calcium lactate deposits. They are not necessarily grains of salt, and they are not, by themselves, evidence of spoilage.

Taste it in three bites

A little structure makes tasting more revealing without turning your kitchen into an exam room.

1. Cut only what you plan to serve. Let that portion lose its refrigerator chill for about 30 minutes. Keep the rest cold.
2. Try the center first. Take a small bite without crackers or chutney. Notice sweetness, acidity and how the texture changes as you chew.
3. Move toward the rind. Compare the middle with the cheese just beneath the outside. Remove any cloth, and trim the rind if you find it too earthy or tough.
4. Add one accompaniment. Try an apple slice, then a sip of your drink. A good pairing should leave both tasting appealing.

For a Pagosa Springs shopping stop, ask the cheesemonger at Murray's Cheese inside City Market whether Quicke's is currently available and which age is on the counter. Stock changes. Asking for the age is more useful than asking only whether it is “strong.”

Wine: Match richness with freshness

Cabernet sauvignon is a dependable starting point for mature cheddar. Dark fruit works well with the cheese's savory depth, while cheese can soften the impression of the wine's tannins, those compounds that make your mouth feel dry.

Chardonnay with some oak influence echoes the buttery and toasted notes of older wedges. Choose one with enough acidity to keep the pairing from feeling heavy.

Syrah, also called shiraz, offers pepper and dark fruit that can suit the earthier cheese near the rind. Champagne or English sparkling wine brings a fresher contrast, with acidity, bubbles and often a toasty character.

Pro Pairing Tip

Taste the cheese before pouring the most powerful bottle you own. A milder wedge can disappear beside a heavily oaked or very tannic wine. The goal is conversation, not a shouting match.

Beer and cider: An easy fit after a mountain day

An English pale ale or bitter would be my first beer choice. Its biscuit-like malt and restrained, earthy hops make room for the cheddar's nutty flavors.

An India pale ale, or IPA, offers a bolder contrast through hop bitterness and citrus or pine aromas. Try a modest pour first; very bitter beer can overwhelm a younger cheese.

Porter and stout suit mature and vintage wedges, especially when roasted malt brings chocolate or coffee notes alongside the cheese's savory richness.

Cider deserves its own invitation. A dry apple cider is a classic West Country companion, bringing acidity and orchard fruit rather than more richness. Alcohol-free options include unsweetened sparkling apple drinks or sparkling water alongside fresh apple slices.

Food pairings that leave room for the cheese

Start with crisp apples, ripe pears and plain bread or crackers. A tart apple supplies juicy crunch; a pear gives a softer, sweeter contrast. Sourdough and rye crackers provide a sturdy base without demanding much attention.

Chutney works well, especially apple, plum or tomato versions with a clear sweet-and-sour balance. Use a dab, not a blanket.

Prosciutto, bresaola and salami can make a fuller board, though aged cheddar and cured meat together are salty. Add fresh fruit and go easy on heavily seasoned crackers.

For a simple supper after a cold afternoon outside, serve a baked potato with crumbled Mature cheddar and a green salad. Vintage is lovely eaten on its own, but it is not too precious for the table. Just taste before adding extra salt.

Good rind, bad storage: Know the difference

A professionally matured clothbound wheel can have a mottled, mold-covered exterior. That expected rind is not the same thing as new mold spreading across a cut wedge in your refrigerator. Nor can you identify a mold's safety from color alone.

Dry crystals and a firm, earthy rind can be normal. Unexpected slime, a putrid or strongly rancid smell, or unusual discoloration are reasons to stop and seek advice or discard the cheese. An odd pink patch may be a quality defect rather than proof of a particular hazard, but it is not something to diagnose at home.

USDA guidance allows small mold spots on an otherwise sound, solid piece of hard cheese to be removed by cutting at least 1 inch around and below the spot, keeping the knife out of the mold. That advice does not apply to shredded, sliced or crumbled cheese. If the wedge is too small to trim properly, discard it.

Store your cheese in the refrigerator at 40 F or below, wrapped in cheese paper or parchment and protected in a container. In Pagosa's dry air, leaving a cut wedge uncovered is a quick route to a leathery edge. For picnics or drives, pack it in an insulated cooler with ice packs.

Terroir Tales: An old farm, a modern cheese dairy

The Quicke family's connection to the Devon estate dates to 1540. The present cheese dairy is much newer: John and Prue Quicke established it in 1973, and Mary Quicke took over the business in 1987.

The farm's large aging store is known as the “Cathedral of Cheese.” Its importance goes beyond an impressive name. The conditions and microbes in an aging room help shape a wheel over many months.

Mary Quicke has explored that influence by exchanging cheeses for maturation with Somerset cheesemaker Jamie Montgomery. Wheels made in one dairy and aged in another developed differently, illustrating how much the cellar can contribute.

You can explore the same idea on a smaller scale. Buy a modest wedge, taste from center to edge and compare two ages when you can. No grand board required. A knife, an apple and a little attention will do.

Sources and Further Reading

• West Country Farmhouse Cheddar Cheese, UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.
• FAQs, Quicke's.
• Rind, Mary Quicke, Quicke's.
• A Quicke History, Quicke's.
• Molds on Food: Are They Dangerous?, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.