Prairie Breeze cheddar cheese

The cheese is so intriguing with bright and powerful flavor without being sharp that I assumed the milk is unpasteurized -- how else it's remarkable character? --  but I was wrong. 

A few days ago I picked up a block of cheddar cheese from Tony's. It was in their case near this one. There were two with similar labels and all three came from Ireland. I thought. I really don't know. The guy there recommended them. He said, "This is the milder one." 

It was the strongest flavored cheddar cheese I ever tasted. Although not particularly sharp. 

Once opened I could not keep off the stuff and the surprise of astonishingly strong flavor kept surprising each bite.

I went back today and the two that I went for are gone. Except this kind, Prairie Breeze, was still there. Horribly expensive, I thought, and I resisted buying it. The cost at that store is close to Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

And the cheese power is close to Parmigiano-Reggiano too. I assumed the milk is unpasteurized because the flavor has so much character and dimension. It has that tiny crystal bits effect thing going on with it as well. But surprisingly the cow's milk is pasteurized. 

I cannot believe how much flavor is packed into thin flakes of this stuff.

Although late in the day and near closing and there weren't many people at Tony's, the whole place nearly wide open. At the moment I went to the cheese counters women suddenly appeared at the counter as well. First two, then a single, then another single, then two more, all that during the time I spent trying to find the original cheese.

"Jeeze this stuff is steep." 

The young woman next to me answered as swooning, "Yeah, I know. But it's sooooo worth it." 

I concluded women really like cheese. Because at that moment and by random movement they were all at the cheese counter. 

I believe this cheese will make a fine gift. 

The sauce here is hot milk and this cheese. No cayenne, no jalapeño, not capsaicin at all, no nutmeg and no spices or herbs.  It's a test. The amount of cheese shown above flavors about one cup of milk excellently. And nothing is lost. Nothing diluted. The entire flavor bomb is extended. 

But it doesn't melt very well, nor blend very well.

I don't care. I can deal with that. 

Win.