Jalapeño cheddar brings zing to plates

If you look for a little zing in your cheese, you’re not alone. Jalapeño cheddar — sharp cheese with the addition of a jalapeño spice — is attracting a growing number of consumers who want to eat more spicy foods.

But it’s not just being added to burgers. It’s appearing on menus as a component of buns and wraps, and being worked into sausage to provide a nice zing of heat and acid that balances the fat.

Market research firm Datassential reports that jalapeño cheddar is found on 2% of U.S. menus, up 16% over the past four years.

Check out this video on how to make jalapeño cheddar poppers.

Click through the gallery to learn more about this Flavor of the Week and see how one chain is using jalapeño cheddar on its menu.