Summary (by AI): Though I felt self-conscious, I thoroughly enjoyed the authentic experience of eating cave-aged Cheddar cheese right at Cheddar Gorge, which made the trip feel completely "of the place".
Blog: There’s an awful lot of cheese that comes up when you search for local foods in specific counties. Usually, I try to steer clear of the more cliché options, but when it came to Somerset, there really was only one choice, wasn't there? It had to be Cheddar.
What makes it so much more interesting, of course, is the fact that you can actually visit Cheddar Gorge and the Cheddar caves. I went there specifically to hunt out what I’d call "real" Cheddar. The block I eventually settled on was made by the Cheddar Gorge Company and sold in a shop right at the bottom of the gorge. Crucially, the cheese itself was still aged within the cave system.
Armed with my prize, I drove halfway up the gorge, pulled the car over, and got out. Right then and there, I just started gnawing away at my Cheddar. I’m not sure if anyone else does that, but I certainly did.
I felt a little self-conscious—maybe even a bit embarrassed—standing there doing it, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Eating it right there made the experience feel so much more "of the place."
The Map: