It’s been said that cheddar isn’t merely a noun or an adjective, but also a verb. At least, that is, it’s considered to be such in England and Vermont. In the latter, cheddaring began in the 1800s, as a way for dairy farmers to use up extra milk. Today, it’s more of a craft, practiced among small dairy farms as a labor of love (as well as, of course, a way to make a living).

Vermont cheddar houses take enormous pride in their product, proclaiming it by far America’s finest sharp cheese. And they take great pain to live up to that claim. Cheddaring starts with adding rennet to warm milk to curdle it into a custard-like consistency. They then cut it with mesh wires and allow the curd to drain off all the whey before it is milled, salted, pressed, and aged. And that last stage is where the majority of the flavor and refinement come in.

The most sharp-flavored (and most expensive) cheddars are those that have been aged the longest. There are scant few makers of authentic Vermont cheddar left these days, but most can be visited and are happy to offer tastings and sell their hand-crafted delicacy. Following is a list of some of those cheese-makers; note that it’s always wise to call ahead and make sure they will be making cheese during the time of your visit.

Cabot Creamery

Rte. 215, Cabot Village

800/837-4261

www.cabotcheese.com

Crowley Cheese

Healdville Rd., Healdville

802/259-2340

www.crowleycheese-vermont.com

Grafton Village Cheese Company

533 Townshend Rd., Grafton

800/472-3866

www.graftonvillagecheese.com

Plymouth Cheese Corporation

P.O. Box 1, Plymouth

802/672-3650

Shelburne Farms

1611 Harbor Rd., Shelburne

802/985-8686

www.shelburnefarms.org

Sugarbush Farm

591 Sugarbush Farm Rd.

802/457-1757

www.sugarbushfarm.com

Three Shepherds Farm

42 Roxbury Mountain Rd., Warren

802/496-4559

www.rootswork.org