What is a Truckle?

If you’re thinking of giving cheese as a gift or creating a cheese board for a special occasion, you may come across the term ‘truckles’. But, what is a truckle of cheese and what makes it different from other types of cheese?

This post takes an in-depth look at the world of cheese truckles: what they are, how they’re made and what makes them special.

By the end, you’ll be able to talk truckles over cheese and wine like an expert and choose perfect gifts of cheeses that will delight your family and friends.

Cheshire Cheese Company is an award-winning maker of British cheeses expertly crafted to time-honoured recipes in the heart of Cheshire. We produce a unique range of waxed cheese truckles, indulgent chutneys, and complimentary cheese biscuits.

Browse our selection of truckles and gifts, and read on to tuck into our essential guide to what exactly is a truckle of cheese?

What is the Dictionary Definition of Truckle?

The dictionary definition of ‘truckle’ according to the Cambridge Dictionary is a small barrel-shaped cheese, especially Cheddar.

Truckle meaning

The word truckle is an English word dating back to the Middle Ages, derived from the Latin word trochlea, meaning 'wheel, pulley’, via the Anglo-Norman French word trocle.

Truckle has a pleasingly old-fashioned sound to it, with connections to things like truckle beds, which are pull-out beds with wheels that are stored beneath the main bed.

Shakespeare uses the word 'truckle' in Romeo and Juliet, when Mercutio calls out to Romeo, who is hiding in an orchard: "Romeo, good night – I'll to my truckle-bed." Here’s what the modern version of truckle beds, also known as trundle beds, looks like.

What is a Truckle of Cheese?

But let’s get back to the world of cheese. A truckle of cheese, as the word suggests, is a cylindrical wheel of cheese, often cheddar or another hard cheese. The cheese in a truckle is typically covered in hard wax or rind, to protect it from mould.

This gives truckles a distinctive look and feel, and they’re usually sold whole or cut into wedges with the wax or rind left in place.

Truckles have an extra depth of flavour to the cheese, making this a uniquely appealing way to store cheese. Take a look at our individual cheese truckles, which are crafted to time-honoured recipes.

Choose from 15 styles of delicious cheese truckles. Click here.

How Big is a Truckle of Cheese?

Truckles can vary greatly in size, from the smaller wax-coated cheeses, to larger artisanal cheeses. At Cheshire Cheese company, our truckles are 200g, and size-wise they’re a little bigger in circumference than the base of a champagne bottle.

We find that two or more truckles together make a delightful gift, especially as our different varieties of cheese and flavours all come with different coloured wax, making a lively display.

We also sell larger 2kg party time wheels of our most popular truckles, the Black Bob Extra Mature Cheddar and our Reserva, made with cheddar, caramelised onion and Rioja wine.

How are Truckles Made?

Cheese truckles are made in a similar way to other hard cheeses. The first step is to curdle the milk so that it can be separated into curds and whey.

Milk is gently heated, and then cultures (called ‘starter cultures’) and rennet are added. Once the milk has been curdled, it is cut into small pieces and cooked in a large vat.

During the cooking process, the curds separate from the whey and are pressed into molds to form the shape of the cheese wheel. The cheese is then allowed to age for several months, during which time it develops its characteristic flavour and texture.

At Cheshire Cheese Company, our truckle cheese is made with vegetarian rennet and is suitable for vegetarians. Our entire range is VegSoc Approved.

Our truckles are made with Cheddar, Cheshire and Red Leicester cheese, at varying depths of maturity, and our extra mature and smoked versions of these cheeses are among our most enduringly popular.

We also have award-winning flavour infusions, which mean we offer an extensive range of tastes to suit any palate. For example, you can spice things up with Masala flavoured Red Leicester, our Gincello Gin and Lemon Cheshire Cheese truckle, or a Truffle and Cracked Black Pepper Cheddar truckle.

See our full range of award-winning 200g cheese truckles, all priced £5.50. Click here.

What makes Truckles so special?

There are several things that make a truckle of cheese something special. First and foremost is its size and shape. The typical small and cylindrical size of truckles makes them easy to handle and store.

Truckles of cheese are also special in the way they are aged. During the maturing process, the cheese develops small pockets of air, which gives it a crumbly texture and a slightly nutty flavour. Because they are made from hard cheese varieties like Cheddar, they have a distinct, sharp flavour that is a real hit with cheese lovers. Our cheese is rated ‘excellent’ by over 5,000 YOTPO reviews.

How Do You Serve Truckle Cheese?

Truckles of cheese can be enjoyed on their own, or paired with crackers, bread, and other accompaniments like our chutneys and relish.

They also work well as the star attraction on a cheese board. We’d recommend selecting several different types of cheese and arranging them on a platter with fruits, nuts, and other snacks.

If you like you can also use your truckle of cheese in cooking. The sharp, tangy flavour of Cheddar or Red Leicester truckles makes them a great addition to soups and stews.

Try one of our creamy Cheshire truckles crumbled over pasta, or any of our great flavour infusions make a tasty sandwich paired with pickle, brie, roast beef or ham.

You can also make a splash at parties with our celebration cakes made from truckles. These stunning creations, done in partnership with Hawkridge Farmhouse Dairy Produce, are stand-out centrepieces for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries or any special get-together.

Cheese celebration cakes for special occasions - browse our range.

Cheese Truckles Made the Traditional Way

The Cheshire Cheese Company’s range of cheese truckles is created by ourselves and we produce it in Crewe, Cheshire. We uniquely use only local milk to make our cheese, making us a true farm-to-fork producer.

Our cheese is suitable for vegetarians, All of our cheese is made with pasteurised milk and all our cheese except for our blue cheese is suitable for pregnant women.

All our waxed truckles are also gluten free, except for Old Hag Ale & Mustard Cheese and Old Hag Ale Chutney. You can view our Ingredients & Allergens Page for current information.

Summary

Truckles of cheese are small, cylindrical wheels of cheese that are typically made from cheddar or other hard cheese varieties. They make ideal gifts because of the way they look, and also because they’re full of flavour while being long lasting too.

Our award-winning truckles are made to a traditional recipe, using milk from local Cheshire farms. Our truckles are made with mature Cheddar, creamy Cheshire and aged Red Leicester cheese. Innovative infusions of flavour mean we have a truckle for any palate, and thousands of positive independent reviews from our customers.

Please get in touch with us if you’d like to find out more about our cheese. Our dedicated team is happy to help with any questions.

Contact us online here.