Let’s talk cheddar.
It’s the backbone of a good burger. The soul of grilled cheese. It turns macaroni into macaroni. We buy it at the deli counter without thinking twice, drawn in by the salt, the sharp bite, the creamy finish.
But here’s the problem: there are so many blocks on the shelf. Which one do you actually pick?
I hate standing in the grocery aisle guessing.
So I went straight to the people who eat this stuff for a living.
I asked three chefs what they keep in their fridge.
You want to know what they said?
Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar.
Every single one.
The Evidence
Stacey Mei Yan Fong is a chef, author of 50 Pies, 55 States, and self-proclaimed “East Coast truther.” Her verdict didn’t leave much room for argument. Cabot.
It’s “what cheddar cheese eating dreams are Made of,” she said. Creamy, right. Exactly the kind of thing you want draped over a Tater Tot Hot Dish Pie (which, by the way, exists, and it’s inspired by North Dakota).
Then there’s Ashia Auborg. She works in Lisbon now, but her loyalty to the cheese remains borderless. “Cabot’s Extra Sharp balances being sharp and creamy really nice,” she notes. It melts well. It grates fresh. It doesn’t fight you when you cook with it.
Is this a surprise? Not really.
My local deli guy in Brooklyn is named Mohammand. When I asked him his pick, he didn’t hesitate. He sliced a bit of Cabot Extra Sharp.
“It’s perfect,” he said. “For sandwiches.”
If Mohammand says it’s perfect, I’m not arguing.
Get It
The consensus is loud. Clear. Unanimous.
It’s not about obscure farmstead wheels or tiny-batch micro-cheeses. It’s about what works, every time, in every meal.
The unanimous recommendation: a block of Cabot Extra Sharp.
You can find it at Amazon.
$3.49 for 8oz.
A steal for a cheese that doesn’t disappoint.
Do you like Cabot?
Or are you holding out for something more pretentious?
Tell me.
Maybe I should ask Mohammand about gouda next. 🧀
