Traditional Cheshire comes in three varieties - white, red (the result of added annatto), and blue (also called Shropshire cheese) - the red version is the one usually associated with the name Cheshire. Red Cheshire does not differ in flavor from white Cheshire. Cheshire is a young cheese, having an average age of 8 weeks.

Genuine Cheshire is said to be made with the milk from cattle grazed on the salty pastures of the Cheshire plain in Cheshire, Shropshire and Clywd.

The red variety is the result of marketing ploy meant to protect the cheese's identity. Welsh farmers were told to dye their cheese in order to distinguish it from real Cheshire. However, the new coloured cheese quickly became fashionable and the Cheshire makers soon found themselves having to follow suit.

Cheshire cheese has long been a favorite for Welsh rabbit.

Cheshire is considered to be the oldest British cheese. It is mentioned in the Doomsday book (1086) and probably dates back to Roman times.

Cheshire was the most popular cheese on the market in the late eighteenth century. In 1758 the Royal Navy ordered that ships be stocked with Cheshire and Gloucester cheeses. By 1823, Cheshire cheese production was estimated at 10,000 tonnes per year.

Until the late 19th century, the different varieties of Cheshire Cheeses were aged to a sufficient level of hardness to withstand the rigours of transport (by horse and cart, and later by boat) to London for trading purposes. Younger, fresher, crumbly cheese that required shorter storage – similar to the Cheshire cheese of today - began to develop in popularity towards the end of the 19th century particularly in the industrial areas in the North and the Midlands. It was a cheaper cheese to make as it required less storage.

Cheshire takes 2-3 hours to make. The morning and evening's milk are combined, and after coagulation the curds are heated in the whey for about 40 minutes. The whey is drained off quickly while the curds are cut and then torn into small pieces. It is then salted, milled and put into moulds to be pressed for 24 to 48 hours.

Appearance - Deep, bright orange paste. Hard to semi-hard and crumbly. Natural cloth wrpaaer.