I finally had the chance to paint this incredible American Cheddar linked to a rich history and incredible quality.

Shelburne Farms is a product and legacy of a pioneering vision of farming in America. In the late 1800's, William Seward and Lila Vanderbilt Webb, an heir to the Vanderbilt fortune, purchased and consolidated 32 farms into an agricultural estate focused on innovation in sustainable farming. It became a model for research and education.

Cheddar is the only cheese made at Shelburne Farms, located along Lake Champlain, in Vermont. Their cheddars are made with raw, unhomogenized milk from the farm's herd of Brown Swiss cows which graze on highest quality grass and clover. The Clothbound Cheddar is made with traditional English process of aging wheels wrapped in cloth and sealed with lard. They only make 120 wheels a year and after 2 months, they're sent for affinage (aging) to the Cellars of Jasper Hill, known for their outstanding success with aging cheddar and many types cheese alike.

I had a wedge of this sent to me by the farm and when I broke it up some to set up this composition, I found myself without any to spare for ... pre-painting tasting. It would be an understatement to say it was a glorious moment when I finished this painting, 11+ hours later and savored the incredible reward. This cheddar is as close to perfect as any I've had. It brings to mind Montgomery's Cheddar and Avonlea. It's the perfect texture of crumbly fudge with an exquisite flavor of the grass and cave that made it into a masterpiece.

Country of Origin: Vermont, USA

Availability: sold