Balderson’s Secret for Success

Especially Balderson Cheddar cheese.

His different lines of Balderson Cheddar, a brand that has won more Cheddar cheese making awards than any other factory in Canada, are aged anywhere from three months to an awe-inspiring six years.

“It really is an interesting process,” Mike Sobol says. “Two things happen when cheese ages: a loss of moisture, which changes the texture and makes the cheese more crumbly, and an increase in its saltiness and acidity, which give you the sharper flavour. The milky, creamy flavour comes from the bacterial culture and each additional year of aging gives it a more complex, sharper taste or what most people would call its sharpness or bite.”

With exports throughout North America, Balderson is far from a small, artisanal operation. Because of the very nature of cheese, the craft of making it has remained a hands-on process requiring experience, an educated palate, even intuition.

“Every vat is slightly different and there is a limited amount of production so it isn’t mass-produced in any sense,” Sobol says. “There has to be monitoring and measuring of acidity and pH and temperature for sure, but it still boils down to the cheesemaker knowing the product, tasting it, grading it and anticipating what it will taste like one or two years down the road.”

Sobol compares a master cheesemaker’s palate to that of a practiced vintner. In fact, the parallels with winemaking are many. “When Cheddar is made and aged and matured and all the right things happen, it is like the making and aging of a fine wine.”

As with all fine foods, the better the quality of the ingredients you start with, the better the quality of the finished product. Canada is recognized internationally for hits high-quality milk. All Balderson milk is 100% Canadian, coming from farms in the Ottawa Valley around the plant in Winchester. And what’s good for Balderson is good for all Canadian cheese, Sobol points out.

“Canadian cheeses are getting more of an international reputation. Our cheeses, in particular our premium Aged Cheddars, are quite sought after by consumers around the world.”

When discussing cheese, Sobol offers thorough, considered responses. Here are some tips and ideas straight from the expert: store cheese in its original wrap, overwrap for additional protection and place it in the coldest part of the fridge to maintain peak freshness; when cooking, compensate for varying intensity in taste by using more of a mild cheese and less of a sharper cheese; and go slow when melting Cheddar – low heat and patience help avoid separation.

Does Sobol have a favourite, musttry Cheddar? “Try a Balderson 12-month Double Smoked Cheddar, especially with a dark beer, and tell me about it.” For the traditionalist, he says his five-year-old Cheddar with a glass of port is “quite spectacular”.

Last year, Balderson Heritage Cheddars won one gold and three silver medals in the World Natural Cheese Making Competition held in Wisconsin.