Love your article! Love Cheddar Cheese, too.
When I was in culinary school, I was taught that back in the days of old, when commoners like us were not taught to read, the milkmaids of Cheddar wanted to do something to their cheese to make it readily identifiable as the best cheese in the market. They added enough carrot juice to the process that the cheese was orange, giving it a distinctive look that wouldn't be mistaken for any cheese except Cheddar at the big-city markets.
Is this a true story?