Cheddar cheese originated in the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England. The local caves provided a constant temperature and humidity, making them perfect for aging cheese. The earliest record of Cheddar dates back to 1170, when King Henry II purchased 10,240 lbs of it. The unique 'Cheddaring' process involves stacking blocks of curd on top of one another to squeeze out remaining whey, resulting in a dense, crumbly texture. While people often associate Cheddar with an orange color, it is naturally white to pale yellow. The orange hue is traditionally added using annatto, a seed from the achiote tree. Originally, this was done to mimic the high-quality yellow tint of grass-fed cow's milk during the winter months when cows ate hay and their milk turned white.