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Cheddar is a place in Somerset, by the way. And, technically, only cheeses made in Somerset, Devon, Dorset, and Cornwall can call themselves West Country Farmhouse Cheddar.

Me? I’m a Velveeta gal, myself.

Ugh, does it have any hair in it?

Philistines!

personally, when I get the hankering for some good solid cheese, I go on a raiding expedition to Whole Foods market (interestingly enough, the same one that Michelle Malkin now uses). They have a GREAT cheese counter.

I just wish I could afford a full wheel of Parmigan, but those things are EXPENSIVE!!!!!

Cheddar eh? I didn’t think there was much call for cheddar around those parts.

*will not yank on the low-hanging fruit*

*Michelle Obama skeers me*

Cheddar…yummmmmm. My favorite cheese, at least when not aged in a wookey hole cave. That just sounds so wrong.

Tillamook…not aged in a cave, but I need to go downstairs and cute me a slice or two. And eat it right in front of y’all, I’m just that rude.

Thanks to Stoaty & Enas for my first 2 LOLs of 2010. Happy New Year, all! 😀

Is Osama hanging out with cheese in a Wookey Hole cave? Might explain his lack of communication with the developed world. At least he’s eating well.

As I have said before, I am tres fond of my frommage, but. Aged in a Wookey hole? Now that’s some strange cheese. o_O

All giggling aside, Britain does have the real thing: real cheese made the way its supposed to be, cheddar made in the caves the original was created in.

Cave-aged Cheddar. I am drooling. Real Cheddar should be so pungent it makes your gums bleed. Last time I was in the UK, my parents had bought some cave-aged Cheddar that was something stupid like £12.00/lb. God it was good. I have to make do with the laughable travesty that Americans call ‘sharp’ Cheddar (somewhat akin to candlewax, but without the subtle blend of flavours.)

Um…okay, cheese from a wookie hole? Whose’ hole we be speaking of? And cheese? Errrrr….
That could possibly put one off on cheese.
I could keep going, but, uh….
Puleese don’t associate the lovely cheddar with you know who!

GRRRRRRRRRRRRONNNK

Humpf – no cavers here, obviously.

Wookey Hole is easily the most famous British cave, however tacky commercialism may have made it. Mammoth Cave is run by the Park Service and is about as untacky as a commercialized cave can get. Of course, even on the extended actual spelunking tour, you only see a tiny fraction of it. The Mammoth-Flint Ridge cave system is by far the longest in the world. Over 225 mapped miles, last time I heard.

BTW, I’d kill for a source of really good, crumbly cheddar. On a decent cracker with a glass of good port, it simply cannot be beat.

My big brother was once the secretary of the Tennessee Spelunking Society. When I was a wee slip, he took me into a few “off the map” limestone caves in Middle Tennessee. Brrrrr.

But, you’re right. Never been to Mammoth Cave. Just remember the signs from along the highway. Couldn’t you get married there? Or am I confusing it with another?

I lived in the shadow of Rock City for a few years. Now there is some pharmaceutical-grade tack.

I went to Mammoth Cave when I was 14.

Do not do the math.

Isn’t J. Sainsbury like a beeg grocery chain there?

A very beeg grocery chain indeed. We were there earlier today, buying eel stomachs or sheep nipples or some shit.

Downmarket from that is Tesco’s, upmarket is Waitrose. And come to think of it, we were in all three today.

Oh, and Carlsbad Caverns blew my tiny mind when I was six or seven.

For ‘eel stomachs and sheep nipples’ read ‘bread and milk’.

I wouldn’t dream of buying eel stomachs from a supermarket.

Dammit! Did we forget the sheep nipples?

Personally, I am more familiar with the Cave of the Winds in Colorado Springs, and with the Blue Hole in Santa Rosa NM. Of course, the blue hole is water filled, but it’s HUGE. Cousteau dived it in the 70’s, and I think he had to quit at about 280 ft. He and his dive crew said that the deep third chamber was getting absolutely enormous. In fact, during the entire dive, he said it just kept getting bigger…..

BTW, made a cheese raid on Whole Foods today. absconded with some nice Parm-regiano, a couple of nice Blues, and some New Zealand cheddar for my dad. VERY tasty, they had some out for sampling.

Also, the DIrty Jobs Sheep Castration episode is on…. 😉

Wookey Hole is easily the most famous British cave…

Okay, that’s kind of like saying the Nahr Az Zab is easily the most famous Kurdish waterfowl preserve.

Oh thank god I wasn’t dreaming he actually did that to the sheep!!! I have to admit they didn’t seem to mind all that much. Looking forward to some yummy cheeses, will be in Scotland, London and Paris in June!!

Oh, and Carlsbad Caverns blew my tiny mind when I was six or seven.

Oh, that place is amazing! I had seen the bumper stickers growing up and figured it was overrated, but holy crap, what a place!

(PS, remember the “South of the Border” bumper stickers?)

After getting hisself banned at LGF, Patterico is soliciting LGF ban-hammer stories. If anybody’s got ’em.

We’d come up and see you, Mrs C, but London is a pit (seriously — dangerous in spots. Watch yourself).

I remember South of the Border! Are there still Stuckeys?

Huh. I guess there are.

I’m heading to South of the Border on Wednesday! I need a few more 99 cent back scratchers, fireworks and snow globes. I love South of the Border more than the destination of Disney World.

The best of the American cheddars was made by the Bandon Creamery (bought out 10 years ago by the Tillamook Creamery), but sadly out of business again. (Remote location, not much brand recognition even amongst the Pacific Northwesterners).

The older sharp cheddars were real gum bleeders, to borrow a phrase from David above, and Bandon was distinct in that it melted much more evenly than even Tillamook, and never broke down in cooking. Terrific flavor and mouth feel.

While there are plenty of caves near the Bandon/Langlois area, I don’t remember that the cheeses were aged there: though they might have been. Langlois at one time produced a rather well thought of blue cheese.

Cheddar making in the Pacific Northwest came along with a Scotsman, of all things, via British Columbia back in the late 1700s (IIRC~can’t find an online reference).

There is still a Bandon brand produced by Tillamook, not exactly sure what its provenance is, but a good cheese. Tillamook is famous for its appointment as a purveyor to Her Maj, which was a staple of their adverts for years.

Can’t think why I have an urge for a toasted cheese sammich…

Or a Pecan Log Roll

I wonder if A&W still exists?

Yep. Looks like A&W is still with us, too.

Oh we’ve been to London tons, we’re taking our oldest on this vacation and he’s yet to see the changing of the guard. We might actually change our plans, spend more time in Scotland and then head straight to Paris. If they’re gonna make me take that damn chunnel I would rather just get it the hell over with. And I’m not particularly interested in dropping any pounds in London at the moment with regards to their politics and Iran and muzims n’stuff.

We’re catching a cruise after Paris and I think we’ll be somewhat in your neck of the woods for a day or so afterwards. We’re heading up to Canterbury after we get off our ship. Any chance for a cuppa?

Canterbury is a long trek for us, but I’ll shoot you an email and see where and when you’re going to be around. I assume the email associated with your name is for real?

An A and W co-branded with a Long John Silver Seafood Shoppe would befuddle any true Englishman. But it seems to work in Harper’s Ferry WV. Fish and chips with a creamy root beer is a good meal.

>> A very beeg grocery chain indeed

Atsa what I thoughted. I remember Tesco too. Way back in the mists of antiquity, my company thought it’d be a pretty good idea to try to break into the grocery wholesale binness there and bought up a distributor in Uppingham.

Not really such a good idear.

dfb, the A&W franchises are licensed by YUM Brands, the largest Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and LJS franchise outfit there be.

Co-branding abounds. Perhaps you’ve heard this spiffy tune?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQ8ViYIeH04

Well, Food TV ust did their White House Garden Iron Chef battle. And I must say, Jane Seymour and Nigella Lawson as two of the judges was probably the best part of the show.

Jane was looking ravishing in spite of her age, and Nigella was absolutely bodacious…. 😉

Don’t know who the third judge babe was (American chick), but I would love to get her in front of my camera as well..

Yep. Looks like A&W is still with us, too.

Mais naturlich, stoatie-chan. A&W root beer is a food group, ranking just above pepperoni pizza and just below grilled cheese with bacon ‘n’ tomato sammidges.

Yeah Tillimook and Bandon make great cheeses – there was a type called “longhorn” that was available rarely around here, I think its midwest America mostly but I can’t find it any longer. For my mom, cheese rips me up inside like battery acid, sadly.

And yeah. A&W frosty cold in a glass mug. That’s what food tastes like in heaven.

I like a good cheddar, but I have fallen in love with Stilton.
Maybe because I am 1/2 Britt and 1/2 Scott. But am stuck in America. Thank God.