The Ultimate 1930s Cheddar Cheese on Toast

I found a recipe for what is basically cheese on toast from the 1930s and couldn’t resist trying it out. It even came with its own story of intrigue and subterfuge, all in the name of keeping promises.
The Cheddar I used: Food Snob Aged English Cheddar: www.foodsnob.c...
Support me on Patreon: / cheesehistory
Follow me on Instagram: / cheese.history
Sources
Squire, John ed. Cheddar Gorge: A Book of English Cheese. London: Harper Collins, 2018.
Vachell, Horace Annesley. "Cheddar," Pages 39-57 in Cheddar Gorge: A Book of English Cheese. Edited by John Squire. London: Harper Collins, 2018.
---, This Was England: A Countryman's Calendar. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1933.
Images
Illustration by Ernest H. Shephard (public domain)
Portrait of Horace Annesley Vachell (public domain)
00:00 Introduction
00:54 A dish of boiled cheese
03:33 Making boiled cheese
06:48 Taste tests
09:56 Thanks for watching
#cheeseontoast #cheddar #cheddarcheese #cheese #history #cheesehistory #1930s

[@marciab2480]

Reminds me of Welsh Rarebit too! I have a copy that my maternal grandfather hand wrote into his WW2 recipe note book while serving as a cook in Papua New Guinea in the early 1940's. No quantities are given & he often had to cook for 100 men or more, ingredients & method consisted of : "Matured or scraps of cheese, mustard, curry, worcester sauce, tomato sauce and a little salt. Grate the cheese and mix all together to a paste. Place on toast in fingers and bake lightly". I've made it too his recipe once and didn't think that much of it to be honest, still worth experimenting with.

[@cheesehistory]

That's so cool. Thanks for sharing 😀

[@cheesehistory]

Thanks for watching. If you give this recipe a try, let me know how it goes 😄

[@adamflores4206]

Just finished watching. You didn't comment on the texture of the sauce so I assume that they are comparable. Thank you for this, you do a great job.

[@cheesehistory]

There was no real difference in texture. Both were smooth and creamy. They were both a little grainy in appearance but I didn't notice it when eating them. Thanks for watching 😁

[@lynmeadows3663]

That looks amazing. I will have to give it a try. I've made Welsh Rabbit (Rarebit) a few times, it's very delicious too but could be a bit runny as mine always fell off the toast while cooking. The advantage of your recipe is the cheddar is cooked first and put on to the hot toast. 👍🏻😋

[@adamflores4206]

I paused because I think the mustard will emulsify the cheese so it will be creamier in texture and the spices will give it a little flavor boost and mouth feel.

[@redbeki]

Nice, I think i'll give it a try.
We always made, and still do, cheese on toast with a dash of worcestershire sauce on top before toasting.
This recipe is almost like welsh rarebit.

[@cheesehistory]

Awesome. I have heard of Welsh rarebit but never tried it. Clearly I am missing out 😁

[@redbeki]

@@cheesehistory it's pretty much the same as your boiled cheese recipe. Do look it up and give it a try. It's put back under the grill to brown also.

[@cheesehistory]

It sounds better by the minute. I'm going to have to try it now 😁

[@moniquem783]

@@cheesehistory ooh yes, try Welsh rarebit. I was a bit scared by the beer in it because I’m really not a fan of beer, but then saw a chef making it who said you could substitute it for apple cider so I did that. It was incredible. It’s in a few of my vintage Aussie cookbooks but you rarely hear of anyone making it anymore.
The cheese spread looks pretty fabulous too. And that is some crunchy toast!

[@cheesehistory]

That sounds really interesting. I am going to have to give it a try 😁

[@Crypto-vb3tx]

wow

[@PhotonChief]

I too am often at a loss for words when I have a good cheese sauce. How does the egg base compare to a beschamel/roux based cheese sauce as far as texture?

[@cheesehistory]

😁 It looked grainier than it was. It was thicker than a roux based cheese sauce, but not to different texturewise

[@PennDavies]

Did you consider that red pepper might mean red peppercorns?

[@cheesehistory]

I did. But couldn't find anything that suggested that that was the case

[@paulomalley1147]

So Welsh rarebit? Using eggs rather than making a roux to thicken, although there is a lot of latitude to how Welsh rarebit is made.

[@cheesehistory]

Maybe 😁 Sounds like I have to look into Welsh rarebit a bit more.

[@paulomalley1147]

@@cheesehistory Oh yes you won't be disappointed, still very popular in the UK, nothing to do with the Welsh or rabbits though! 😆

[@cheesehistory]

Haha. Will do. I wonder it is has an interesting history too 😁

[@charizard7326]

Chiz