crumbly and hard to slice?
Cougar GoldĀ® and our American and Smoky Cheddars are aged cheeses, aged for at least one year prior to shipping. With age, these cheeses become more flavorful, sharper, drier and crumbly. White-colored crystals (the amino acid tyrosine) will also be present throughout the aged cheese. These are all desired aspects of well-aged cheese. The more aged the cheese, the more prevelant these characteristics become. Some customers have aged our cheeses for over 30 years. For easier slicing, we recommend bringing the cheese to room temperature and using a wire cheese cutter. The cheese breaking into crumbles allows for a unique presentation. Remember, this is not a processed cheese.