Double Gloucester has been made in the
English county of
Gloucestershire since the sixteenth century, however some scholars claim that it's history stretches back to the eighth century. It's no surprise that the cheese is unpasteurised and vegetarian, given that the recipe is old enough to pre-date the use of
pasteurisation and
rennet.
Double Gloucester has a thick and hard natural rind, which was much prized by cheese vendors of centuries past. It's said that merchants would select a representative of a cheesemaker's batch, and jump on it. If the rind remained uncracked, it was deemed to be of acceptable quality to travel to market. The rind is moldy with splotches of blue-grey, and bears marks from the cheesecloth that it was matured in.
The cow's milk used in the manufacture of Double Gloucester is full cream and derived from two milking sessions. The cheese is said to have a texture like chocolate, in that it is "bitable". It's attractive tangerine colour and rich, buttery, flakey texture makes it a fantastic table cheese or for cooking and melting. The fat content of Double Gloucester is 48%
research source: cheese.com