Leicester

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Name Variations

 * Red Leicester

About Leicester
Wikipedia Article About Leicester on Wikipedia

Leicester cheese, often called Red Leicester, is an English cheese, made in a similar manner to cheddar cheese, but is crumblier; it is coloured orange by adding annatto extract during manufacture. The "red" in the name is a bit misleading, because there is no other well known Leicester cheese of another colour to so distinguish it by. The fairly mild flavour goes well with most food and wine or beer, and is good for Welsh rarebit and cheese on toast.

This orangy-red, cow's-milk cheese resembles Cheddar but has a higher moisture content. Its crumbly texture makes slicing difficult but facilitates grating. The flavor is mellow with a tangy aftertaste. Leicester melts beautifully, which makes it perfect for dishes such as Welsh Rabbit. It's also good for snacks and makes a mild accompaniment for fruit.