What is cheese?

Cheese, nutritious food made from the milk of cows and other mammals, including sheep, goats, buffalo, reindeer, camels, yaks, and mares. Cheese is one of the world’s oldest food products - for thousands of years, people have raised animals for milk, turning their surplus milk into cheese.

More than 1,000 varieties of cheese exist, making it one of the most versatile foods in the world. Cheese comes in hundreds of different shapes, sizes, textures, flavors, and aromas and is used in as many different ways. Enjoyed with bread, crackers, and fruit, used as an ingredient in cooked foods, or grated on salads and pastas, cheese is a healthy component of cuisines all over the world.

Cheese is a concentrated source of almost all the valuable nutrients found in milk, such as protein, vitamins and minerals. The fat content in cheese varies depending on the milk used. Cheese made with whole milk, or milk enriched with cream, has the highest amount of fat, cholesterol, and calories. Cheese made with skim milk has the lowest. Because of its high protein and calcium content, cheese in moderation is an important component of a balanced diet. Many vegetarians, who do not eat meat, rely on cheese as a source of protein in their diets.

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How is cheese made?

Although hundreds of specialized techniques lend different types of cheese their distinct flavors and characteristics, three basic steps are common to all cheese making. First, proteins in milk are transformed into solid lumps called curds. Second, the curds are separated from the milky liquid, called whey, and shaped or pressed into molds. Finally, the shaped curds are ripened using a variety of different aging and curing techniques. There are many scientific and traditional “tricks of the trade” to modern cheese making, but their sheer volume precludes them from being mentioned here. Suffice to say, every great cheese has been made with a little science, a little tradition, a little magic & a whole lot of love!

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What’s the difference between Farmstead cheese making and Artisan cheese making?

Farmstead and artisan cheeses differ from commodity (mass-produced) cheeses in that they are made by hand in much smaller quantities. These specialty cheeses can vary according to season and region, just as wines do. Their subtle variations are part of their appeal.

The term "artisan cheese making" describes cheese made by hand in small quantities in a way that respects the tradition of the cheese.

The term "Farmstead cheese making" refers to cheese made on the farm using only the milk from a cheese maker’s own herd.

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What are the basic types of cheese?

Cheeses are usually categorized based upon their type of milk, processing method, texture, shape, color and rind. Here are the basics:

Fresh Cheeses: Uncooked and unripened lactic curds, usually moist and mild, drained, like Cream Cheese, or undrained, like Ricotta.

Soft-ripened or bloomy rind: Semi-soft consistency with surfaces exposed to molds that cause them to ripen inward. Bloomy rinds (Brie, Camembert) become creamy as they ripen. The higher butterfat cheese often found in this group, including double and triple-cremes (like St. Andre), produce the richest, creamiest cheeses.

Washed-rinds: Treated or cured by being brushed, rubbed, washed or immersed in brine of salt, wine, beer or grape brandy to promote desirable exterior mold that produce a "smelly" quality with a pronounced flavor (Pont L'Eveque, Alsace Munster).

Natural rind: Self-formed rind, no micro-flora or mold or washing of their thin exterior. The natural rind takes the appearance of rock covered with splotches of lichen (Stilton, Cantal, Tomme de Savoie).

Uncooked/pressed cheese: Curds remain uncooked. Whey is removed by pressing the cheeses to complete drainage, thus achieving a firm texture (Saint Nectaire, Tomme de Savoie).

Cooked/pressed cheese: Curds are heated till they solidify before being pressed. ( Gouda, Cheshire, Cantal, Gruyere, Parmigiano Reggiano, Appenzeller, Emmental).

Semi-hard and Hard: These are also cooked and pressed, with or without rinds, and either smooth textured (Cheddar) or "holey", open textured (Swiss Emmental). Usually aged 1-2 years, even up to 6 like aged Gouda.

Blue-veined: These are marbled with blue-green mold throughout the interior and are intensely flavored (Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Stilton). Made from all major types of milk, they are sprayed or pierced with penicillin mold spores and usually aged in caves and cellars.

Pasta-Filata: Pulled cured cheeses of Italy (literally "spun paste"). The curd is bathed in hot whey, then kneaded and stretched to its proper elastic consistency. Examples range from soft Mozzarella to firm Provolone.

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What’s the proper way to serve cheese?

Serve all cheeses at room temperature! Remove cheeses from the refrigerator at least one hour before serving. Hard cheeses take longer to reach room temperature. As a rustic peasant food, cheese displays well on wood, marble or stone boards, surrounded by fruits (simplest - a bunch of grapes), nuts, crusty bread and wine. Try to avoid cubing or slicing in advance, and put out one cheese knife or cheese plane per cheese. For a big crowd, where self-service is key, you may pre-slice or cube, but the cheese will dry out quickly and, as a display technique, it's fairly cheesy. If you must precut cheese, use a covered cheese dome.

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What can you tell me about serving a Cheese Course?

Some basic things to consider when serving a cheese course:

1. As hors d'oeurves, avoid sweet triple cremes (which are more for dessert), blues (too strong), or very aged cheese (also too strong). Stick to bloomy rinds, medium washed rinds or semi-softs.
   
2. Three to five cheeses are enough for any course. Less is more in this case.
   
3. After dinner cheeses would typically start with a fresh cheese (e.g., chevre) or bloomy rind (e.g., camembert); then a semi-soft or medium cheese (e.g., Morbier or Cheddar); then a harder cheese (e.g., an aged Gouda); finally a blue (e.g., Roquefort).
   
4. A cheese plate is arranged in clockwise fashion with the first cheese at midnight on the plate.
   
5. It's a good idea to vary the milk types, too: goat, sheep and cow.
   
6. Don't be afraid to experiment. Start with what you like first and work around it.

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What else should I serve with Cheese?

Almonds help bring out the subtleties of cheese flavor and aroma. Toasted hazelnuts and walnuts interchangeably work with cheese, and pecans go well with sweet or unctuous cheeses.

Olives naturally complement sheep and goat's milk cheese. Experiment with dried fruits like raisins, figs, dates, and any number of berries.

Chutneys are a tasty alternative that meld nicely with the texture and nuances of English farmhouse cheeses. Chutney with Cheddar is simply delicious. French chevre with its stark white moist, flaky or crumbly paste is a choice for chutney, also perfect with juicy plums.

Fruit pastes, such as membrillo made of quince, with slices of an array of semi-hard sheep's milk cheeses from Spain, French Pyrenees, Sardinia, and delicate flavored cow's milk cheeses like Caerphilly, are sure to bring delight. The sweetest seasonal fruits are the ones to choose. Try blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and whatever other ripe and bursting with flavor fresh fruits are available. Apples with Cheddar and pears with Stilton always bring pleasure.

Serve thin slices of proscuitto, Serrano ham and sweet or spicy salamis, especially with aged cheeses like Pecorino and Manchego.

If you choose to serve crackers, pick unsalted ones, but bread is a must, you can never go wrong with a baguette. Crusty rustic sourdough with creamy soft ripened creations, and grain-packed hearty selections with Cheddars and the like, or perhaps specialty breads with bits of dried fruit and nuts, or olives baked in.

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How can I look like an authentic cheese monger when I’m tasting cheese?

When tasting cheese, one must consider the flavor dynamics. When we eat, we use all of our senses: hearing, sight, touch, smell and taste. These senses translate into our responses to what we eat: appearance, aroma, texture and flavor. The language we use to describe the flavor dynamics of cheese refers to these sensory experiences.

Appearance - When first looking at the cheeses, note the nuances in color, ranging from pale white to ivory, to buttery, golden or blue-streaked. Notice the moisture in the cheeses, causing them to range from soft and spoonable to firm or crumbly. Words that describe appearance are: soft, runny, hard, crumbly, dry, moist, smooth, rough, crusty, moldy, white, yellow, ivory, orange.

Aroma - The aroma of cheese is created by many factors including the cow's feed and the butterfat content on the milk, as well as type of starter culture and enzymes that the cheese recipe contains. The length of time the cheese has been ripened or aged helps to intensify its aroma, as does the amount of salting it receives. Before putting a piece of cheese into your mouth, sniff it as you would a glass of wine. Take the first bite, breathing a little air into your mouth so the aroma fills the whole nasal passage. Notice any scent that distinguishes the cheese. Aroma and taste will combine to give you the flavor of the cheese. Words that describe aroma are: mild, delicate, milky, fresh, creamy, salty, sweet, strong, pungent, earthy, moldy.

Texture - Cheese ranges from very soft to very hard, with semi-soft, firm, and hard somewhere in between the two extremes. The higher the moisture and milk fat of a cheese, the smoother the mouthfeel. In addition to smooth (Monterey Jack, high-moisture

Mozzarella, Queso Panela), cheese texture can also be creamy (Mascarpone, Fromage Blanc, Crescenza, Teleme), crumbly (Feta, Cotija), very hard (Dry Jack, Aged Gouda), or stringy (low-moisture Mozzarella, Oaxaca). Texture is also an indication of ripeness with many soft-ripened bloomy rind cheeses: the riper the cheese, the softer or creamier it will be. Rub a tiny piece of the cheese between your fingers to feel the difference between soft, semi-hard and hard texture. Notice the moisture or dryness of each sample. Don’t chew and swallow quickly, but move the cheese around in your mouth to expose it to all your taste buds. Notice that some will coat your mouth and others leave a clean palate. Words that describe texture are: soft, firm, hard, moist, runny, crumbly, granular, creamy, buttery, rubbery, waxy, oily, chalky, and spreadable.

Taste - Food has both flavor and taste. You may find that a cheese tastes quite different in your mouth from the way it smelled when you held it to your nose. Flavor is the quality that is usually a blend between taste and smell sensations. Taste refers to the sense perception we receive via the taste buds: sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Food scientists now accept a fifth taste, umami, the savory taste often associated with L-glutamates naturally occurring in foods such as mushrooms, meat and seafood, and in milk and cheese. Drying or fermenting foods seems to concentrate their "umami" flavors. Notice umami when comparing a young cheese to its aged counterpart. Slowly working the cheese around your mouth, notice which tastes are apparent first, then which tastes develop later and which, if any, linger. Words that describe taste are: sweet, mild, milky, buttery, delicate, salty, sharp, acidic, tart, tangy, lemony, bitter, nutty, piquant, smoky, and yeasty.

The cheese monger’s Tasting Guidelines - Each time a new cheese is tasted, make notes about its appearance, aroma, texture and flavor profile. Whether tasting one or several cheeses, use the following guidelines:

1. Temperature - Taste all cheese at room temperature, except for fresh cheese, which should be cold.
   
2. Mild to Sharp, Soft to Firm - Tasting cheese from mild to sharp will prevent the palate from being overwhelmed, enabling you to appreciate the more delicate nuances in mild cheeses. Tasting softer cheeses before the harder types reveals the development of flavor through aging.
   
3. Thin to Thick - Take a thin shaving of each cheese and let it melt on your tongue. Then try a large chunk that requires chewing. Note the ways the same cheese can taste different.

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What about pairing wine & cheese?

Pairing cheese and wine is a delightful pursuit, but it can be challenging. Both cheese and wine are living foods that vary seasonally and whose flavors change as they age. The pleasure of eating a good cheese can be enhanced when it’s paired with wine, or the pairing can diminish the flavors of both. There are no hard and fast rules, but experts concede that ultimately a perfect pairing is often a matter of personal preference. Following are some guidelines to help bring these two delicious foods together as satisfying companions.

• Pair simple cheeses with light wines. Avoid overwhelming the young, mild cheeses with complex wines. Instead, choose wines that are light, crisp, and mildly fruity like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, or fruity Rose.
  
• Pair mild, aged cheeses with older, milder wines. Cheese expert Laura Werlin notes in her book, The All American Cheese and Wine Book, that some cheeses and wines become rounded and mellow with age, allowing them to “find companionship because neither is interested in wrestling the other for attention.” Examples she cites are Aged Gouda and Syrah, and Cheddar and Cabernet Sauvignon.
  
• Pair strong, pungent cheeses with sweet wines. Cheeses with strong flavors can have textures that are smooth and buttery or crumbly and tangy. Match these full flavored cheeses with a contrasting or sweet wine such as a Port or a late harvest Riesling.
  
• White wines are more cheese friendly, across the board, than reds. Because white wines typically are acidic and fruity, they pair well with the saltiness in most cheeses. Red wines with juicy, soft fruit and acidity pair well with cheeses, as long as the red wine is low in tannins. Werlin points out that cheese influences the flavor of wine much more than the reverse, and cheese can bring out or even create bitterness in wine. The main reason why white wines are more cheese friendly is because white wines are not made with much oak, if any (except for some Chardonnays.) Red wines always have oak plus they have inherent tannins. That combination makes cheese and wine pairing more challenging, notes Werlin.
  
• Dessert wines, which are sweet, pair well in contrast to the saltiness of cheese. The rich sweetness of dessert wines makes them broadly compatible with pungent creamy cheeses and earthy, extra-strong hard cheeses. Blue cheese usually goes well with dessert wines. Werlin notes that contrasting pairings should be “equal and opposite.” That is, pair a mildly salty cheese with a mildly sweet wine and a highly salty cheese with a much sweeter-style wine.
  
• Match textures in cheese and wine. Cheese textures that are buttery, creamy and soft can be matched with wines that are similar in weight and body. For example, pair a triple-crème brie with a creamy, not too oaky full-bodied Chardonnay. Likewise, cheese textures that are semi-hard match with medium-bodied and full-bodied wines.
  
• Creamy cheeses can exacerbate tannins, making wines taste stronger and more astringent. Laura Werlin explains that double and triple-crème cheeses that coat the mouth with proteins will mask the fruit in a wine and allow any tannin in the wine to dominate. Wines with softer tannins or sparkling wines are better matches for creamy cheeses.

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How should I store Cheese?

When wrapping cheese you want to maintain moisture while allowing the cheese to breathe. Use aluminum foil, wax paper or plastic wrap (least favorable). Wrap securely and store in consistent temperature, preferably in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator.

• Fresh Cheeses, such as cream cheese, are fragile and highly perishable-eat them quickly. They are best kept in airtight containers.

• Soft-ripened and triple cremes, like Brie and Saint Andre, will keep at least a week refrigerated in plastic, but waxed paper is better if you can keep out the air.

• Wrap semi-soft Taleggio, and the like, with plastic (stinky, washed-rind cheeses like Alsace Munster should have wrapping changed often.)

• Semi-firm (eg. Comte, Fontina) should be wrapped securely to maintain moisture. In some instances when the cheese is crumbly moist like Caerphilly, wrap it in a slightly damp cloth.

• Avoid letting hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano dry out; keep them securely wrapped in wax paper or foil.

• Wrap Blue cheese securely in foil and refrigerate.

• With individual chevres (eg. Valency, Crottin de Chavignol), avoid plastic wrap. Opt instead for foil, wax paper, or sealed containers. This allows the cheese to breathe, retaining moisture as it ages, and developing flavor and texture for up to two months.

• Pasta Filata (eg. Mozzarella, Provolone): Fragile cheeses should be consumed quickly, if fresh. Avoid letting harder versions dry out by wrapping securely.

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