[Illustration]

_Chapter Four_

Native Americans


American Cheddars

The first American Cheddar was made soon after 1620 around Plymouth by
Pilgrim fathers who brought along not only cheese from the homeland
but a live cow to continue the supply. Proof of our ability to
manufacture Cheddar of our own lies in the fact that by 1790 we were
exporting it back to England.

It was called Cheddar after the English original named for the village
of Cheddar near Bristol. More than a century ago it made a new name
for itself, Herkimer County cheese, from the section of New York State
where it was first made best. Herkimer still equals its several
distinguished competitors, Coon, Colorado Blackie, California Jack,
Pineapple, Sage, Vermont Colby and Wisconsin Longhorn.

The English called our imitation Yankee, or American, Cheddar, while
here at home it was popularly known as yellow or store cheese from its
prominent position in every country store; also apple-pie cheese
because of its affinity for the all-American dessert.

The first Cheddar factory was founded by Jesse Williams in Rome, New