Leicester

What is Leicester Cheese?

Red Leicester comes from Leicestershire in England, where farms made it with the milk left over after all the Stilton they wanted had been made. Early batches took their colour from carrot or beetroot juice. Annatto extract replaced those in the 18th century.

The name shifted as well. The cheese was called Leicestershire Cheese until White Leicester appeared, made to a national wartime recipe under 1940s rationing, and the older version became Red Leicester to keep the two apart.

Production runs through six steps: acidification, coagulation, cutting, cheddaring, pressing and aging. A full wheel takes roughly 3 to 14 months. Industrial makers age the cheese in vacuum packing. Smaller farmhouse dairies still wrap it in cloth, which develops better flavour. Almost all of it is made in the United Kingdom.

The rind is reddish-orange under a powdery mould. Traditional wheels are fairly firm and dry with a friable texture and a mellow, slightly sweet flavour that grows stronger with age. Blocks pressed in larger creameries turn out moister and creamier, with a sweet aftertaste. Both carry a slight nuttiness.

A 30 gram serving holds about 120 calories (501 kJ), 7 to 8 grams of protein and 10 grams of fat, 6 to 7 grams of it saturated. Fresh cheese runs 33 to 34% fat, and the minimum fat in dry matter is generally listed at 48%.