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The Cheeseman distributes delicious, fresh, healthy cheeses imported and locally produced. A wide range of well-known dairy products from The Cheeseman are all made with milk straight from the cow that very day and taste all the better for their freshness. Cheeses contains a high concentration of essential nutrients in particular high quality protein and calcium as well as other nutrients such as phosphorus, zinc, Vitamin A, riboflavin, and vitamin B12. For the benefit for individuals monitoring or reducing fat in their diet, many reduced fat varieties of cheeses are available at the Cheeseman Deli Shop. |
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Step Three: Pressing
During this stage, it is also common for cheeses to be further treated with various ingredients such as salt, herbs, or food colorings. They may also be smoked, covered in brine baths or ashes, or inoculated with bacterial molds. The most famous of these is Penicillium roqueforti used to make bold blue cheeses like Roquefort and Stilton.
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The process of making cheese is often described as part art, and part science - and for good reason. There are hundreds of distinct cheese varieties produced around the world today, and all are made with varying recipes, techniques, and trade secrets. Just think of how soft, creamy Brie differs from firm, salty Parmesan. Or how lacy Baby Swiss is so much more delicate than sharp, aged Cheddar.
Of course the process of making cheese has become much more sophisticated over these many thousands of years. But once the milk has been prepared, all cheeses are crafted using some variance of the same four-step process. While many modern dairies now pasteurize milk sold to large cheese factories, there is some disagreement in the field as to whether this is necessary. In fact, most cheese connoisseurs will tell you the best cheeses are the old-fashioned kinds made from milk in its raw, natural, unpasteurized state.
Step One: Curdling After the milk is prepared, it is curdled to separate the solid components (curds) from the liquid components (whey). To do this, cheese makers usually add a lactic starter, rennet, or both, depending on the type of cheese being made. A lactic starter is used when making soft "fresh" cheeses like cottage cheese and ricotta. This special strain of lactic acid bacteria causes milk to separate into small grains of curd. Rennet is employed when making firm or semi-firm cheeses such as Raclette and Tomme. This enzyme, which traditionally comes from the lining of a calf's stomach, causes the milk to separate into larger grains of curd. Today, many cheeses are made with synthetic or "vegetarian" rennet produced from fig leaves, artichokes or melons. When lactic starter and rennet are used together, they produce cheeses that display a combination of both soft and firm characteristics. The best examples of these are semi-soft or semi-crumbly cheeses like Camembert, Munster and many of the blue-veined varieties.
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Step Two: Draining
It is at this point that cheese making recipes begin to greatly diverge in technique. In a technique called "stretching," for example, the curd is stretched and kneaded in hot water to make stringy, pulled cheeses like Mozzarella and Provolone.
Step Four: Ripening
For soft, fresh cheeses, the ripening process may last only a few hours or days, but for long-aged cheeses it may go on for several months or more. The undeniably intense Parmigiano Reggiano from Italy is aged two full years before it is sold. |
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Mozzarella can be packaged dry in vacuum-sealed plastic packages or in a governing liquid sometimes called "latte". It is available salted and unsalted. It is most often made from cow's milk however it can be made from a combination of other milks such as cow's milk and goat's milk mixed. There are two basic ways to make mozzarella: direct acidification of the milk to form the curds or the culture/rennet method. In both methods, raw milk is pasteurized and then coagulated to form curds. Once the curds reach a pH of 5.2 they are cut into small pieces and mixed with hot water and then "strung" or "spun" until long ropes of cheese form. Mozzarella can be smoked, either in a smoking chamber with intense smoke or by "painting" with a liquid smoke. The curds can be mixed with fresh herbs or chili peppers before forming to flavour the mozzarella. The cheese should taste fresh and reminiscent of milk. It should be mild and delicate. Some say it is bland, yet there is flavor. There should be a hint of sourness. If it tastes too tart or sour the cheese is past its prime. The color should be white; however, seasonally the cheese can be more yellow due to the cows' diet of grasses. How Many Calories in Mozzarella Cheese |
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Cheddar cheese is usually made of cow's milk. A unique feature of cheddar cheese is its process of manufacturing, called 'cheddaring,' which is alien to other types of cheese. The natural colour of cheddar cheese is pale white, but, manufacturers add 'annatto,' extracted from the achiote tree or oil made from paprika, to get the deep orange color. Even food colours are used to get the different hues seen in various types of cheddar cheese. Compared to other types of cheeses, cheddar cheese has a sharp taste and is smoother and, creamier. The sharpness depends on the aging period of the cheese. The longer it ages, the taste become sharper and the cheese becomes crumbly. Depending on the age and level of sharpness, cheddar cheese is available in a wide ranges - mild, medium, old, extra old, etc. The mild one may age in a few weeks or months with a smooth and slightly crumbly texture and will be semi-hard. The old ones are hard and more crumbly with a sharp, strong taste. Apart from this, you can get cheddar cheese with various flavours like hot pepper, caramelized onion, garlic and horseradish.
How Many Calories Cheddar Cheese |
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Provolone is a sharp Italian cheese from the southern region of Italy, though it is now widely produced world wide. Provolone is formed in the shape of a medium sized pumpkin or watermelon. Most provolones are aged for at least four months, though sharper cheeses are aged less than sweeter and mild varieties. Provolone typically melts easier than other sharp cheeses like cheddar. For this reason, it is the most popular form of cheese on cheesesteaks or other hot sandwiches. Like Mozzarella, Provolone comes from the family of pasta filata cheeses. What makes Provolone different from other pasta filata cheeses like Mozzarella or Caciocavallo is the aging ability. Molded into fanciful shapes, wrapped up in cords, and hung to ripen, Provolone develops an oily, golden brown rind. As it ages, the cheese becomes richer in yellow colour, firmer in texture, and more pronounced in flavour. Provolone is made with calf’s rennet and aged no longer than two to three months. |
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Feta is a classic and famous Greek curd cheese whose tradition dates back thousands of years. It was originally made with goat's or sheep's milk, but today much is often made commercially with pasteurized cow's milk The curdled milk is separated and allowed to drain in a special mold or a cloth bag. It is cut into large slices (feta means 'slice') that are salted and then packed in barrels filled with whey or brine. Salted and cured in a brine solution for a week to several months, Feta dries out rapidly when removed from the brine. Feta cheese is white, usually formed into square cakes, and can range from soft to semi-hard, with a tangy, salty flavor that can range from mild to sharp. Its fat content can range from 30 to 60 percent, most is around 45 percent milk fat. |
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Gouda cheese is from milk that is cultured and heated until the curd is separate from the whey. Some of the whey is then drained, and water is added. This is called "washing the curd", and creates a sweeter cheese, as the washing removes some of the lactic acid. About ten percent of the mixture is curd which are pressed into circular moulds for several hours. These moulds are the essential reason behind its traditional, characteristic shape. The cheese is then soaked in a brine solution which gives the cheese and its rind a distinctive taste. The cheese is then dried for a couple of days before being coated to prevent it from drying out, then it is aged. Depending on age classification, it can be any time between a number of weeks to over seven years before it is ready to be eaten. As it ages it develops a caramel sweetness and sometimes has a slight crunchiness from salt-like calcium lactate or tyrosine crystals that form in older cheeses. |
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Parmesan cheese is a popular type of cheese used all over the world, particularly as a topping for Spaghetti and pasta dishes. Parmesan cheese is noted for its distinct taste and hard texture which are a result of their lengthy and very specific production procedures.
The process for making Parmesan cheese is lengthy and arduous. Parmesan cheese is made with a special blend of two different types of cow’s milk. The full cream milk that is taken from the cows in the morning is mixed with the skimmed milk taken from the same cows on the previous evening. Those cows whose milk is used to produce Parmesan cheese are fed only on grass and hay. This gives the milk with which Parmesan cheese is made a unique consistency that shows in the texture of the cheese later on. The milk is then heated and stirred in huge copper vats which are used specifically because they heat up and cool down so quickly. The curd is then lumped into cheese cloths and made into the shape of a wheel using a metal brace. Parmesan cheese contains no additives or artificial flavourings. |
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Halloumi is a traditional cheese from Cyprus, the island in the Mediterranean Sea.
Halloumi has a higher melting point than other cheese what makes it suitable for frying and grilling. Traditionally it was made just from sheep's and goat's milk. Nowadays it might contain some cow's milk as well. These days industrial produced halloumi contains more cow's milk than milk from sheep and goat. This reduces the cost but also has an influence on the taste as well as on the grilling effect of halloumi. The white cheese has a characteristic layered texture and a salty flavour, which comes from the brine that is used for preservation. Very often you will find the halloumi garnished with mint. Mint doesn't just add to the taste. Traditionally it was used as a kind of preservation cause of its anti-bacterial effect. |
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Ricotta cheese is a creamy byproduct of the cheese manufacturing process and thus is technically not really a cheese. It is created from whey, a watery substance left over from the milk, which is drained off when provolone or mozzarella cheese is made. Because the product is cooked twice, once during the original process and then again to make the ricotta; the food was given its name from the Latin "recocta," meaning re-cooked.
Ricotta affumicata, or smoked ricotta, is a hard cheese that can be grated over pasta or melted in a casserole. Ricotta infornata is created by baking creamy ricotta until it has a brown, toasty crust. Ricotta is most often used in Italian cooking, typically as cheese filling for cooked pasta dishes such as lasagna, manicotti and ravioli. The cheese blends well with tomato sauces. It also makes great dips and spreads and dessert fillings for cannoli and blintzes. It is the main cheese used for cheesecake. |
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Cream cheese differs from other cheeses in that it is not allowed time to mature as it is meant to be consumed fresh. It is often combined with other ingredients such as herbs, pepper or garlic giving it extra flavours that range from mild to spicy. Cream cheese has the highest water content of all cheese varieties. Made from cow milk and cream and normally sold in foil wrapped blocks, but also in tubs. It is mild and spreadably soft, and when heated becomes very soft, but does not flow or seep oil. In the production of cream cheese there is the addition of lactic acid bacteria to the milk. How Many Calories in Creame Cheese |
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Cottage cheese is a loosely packed cow's milk cheese distinguished by its slightly bland taste and the whey which is left in with the cheese curds. The cheese is designed to be eaten fresh, and is highly perishable. There are a number of uses for cottage cheese, ranging from a dish in and of itself to a substitute for ricotta in dishes like lasagna.
There are a number of variants on cottage cheese. Some producers use nonfat or skim milk to make nonfat or low fat cottage cheese. Others add cream to the cottage cheese after it is made for a rich, creamy cottage cheese. Some producers tend to make a more dry style cottage cheese, while others keep it moist. The curds also range in style from small bits to large chunks, sometimes called “popcorn style.” In some cases, ingredients such as fruit or savory vegetables are added to make the cottage cheese more flavorful.
Many consumers eat cottage cheese as a diet food, since it is low in fat and high in protein and calcium. How Many Calories in Cottage Cheese |
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Camembert is a semi hard to soft cheese, growing softer and creamier as it ages. A fully aged Camembert will be creamy to the center, with no rough texture. While young Camembert can be eaten, it tastes the best when the cheese has matured all the way through and has gained a slightly runny texture. The cheese has salty notes, and also tends to be somewhat bitter, a flavor which interacts well with fruits and other sweets.
Camembert is one of the most famous of French cheeses, well known around the world for its creamy and delicate flavor. Camembert was one of the earliest foods to earn a protected origin designation, and manufacture and sale of the cheese has been carefully controlled under this designation since 1983. Camembert often appears on dessert platters, although it is also excellent smeared on bread with picnic lunches, and is occasionally roasted as well. |
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Brie is a delicious dessert cheese, usually served at room temperature or even slightly warmed. It has a distinctive rich, creamy flavour which is deliciously mild and complements fruit, high quality bread, and anything else the cheese can be smeared onto. Although Brie is traditionally a French cheese, it is made all over the world. The creamy center and edible, though tasteless, rind have wound their way into the hearts of cheese lovers everywhere, making Brie one of the most recognized types of cheese in the world.
Like Camembert, a similar creamy and slightly runny cheese, Brie is considered to be mature after it has softened all the way through, and will have an astringent, chalky taste if eaten too young. To make Brie, milk is curdled with the addition of rennet and the curds are spread out in molds and drained. Usually several passes are taken, creating layers of curds which can sometimes be distinguished in the final cheese product. After draining for almost a day, the cheese is removed from the molds, salted, and bacteria is introduced. Finally, the cheese is set in a cave to age for approximately one month before being brought to market |
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Stilton is a popular cheese, with a flavour more mild than that of other blue cheeses, and is exported all over the world for a wide variety of table uses. Stilton is a creamy cheese marbled with rich blue veins, and it has a rich flavour which will mellow with additional aging. Stilton usually also has a sharp after taste, which complements many foods well. The traditionally wrinkled crust of the cheese is not edible and should be cut away before eating. Because Stilton is not pressed, the cheese remains crumbly and flaky, ideal for salads, pastas, and pizza. Older Stiltons sometimes appear on dessert platters, lending a distinguished creamy flavour to the table. Stilton is made by mixing pasteurized milk with rennet, started cultures, and Penicillium roqueforti for the mold. Curds will form in the mixing vat, and are removed to drain overnight. After draining, the curds are cut to release further whey and ensure even drainage. These curds are salted and poured into cylindrical molds which are rotated periodically while the cheese begins to ripen, but never pressed. As a result, the cheese has a loose and flaky texture which will promote the growth of blue mold. The cheese is stored sealed, in a humidity and temperature controlled area in order to ripen. |
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Kefalotiri is a traditional Greek hard cheese which has been produced in Greece and the neighboring regions for hundreds of years. By tradition, only sheep or goat's milk can be used to produce Kefalotiri. Both of these milks have a distinctive tangy flavor which mellows as the cheese ages, although there is a distinctive bite to Kefalotiri which makes the cheese especially savory. The cheese is heated, curdled, and packed into molds which roughly resemble a Kefalo, a type of hat. Once the cheese firms up, it is removed from the molds and allowed to age for three to four months before it is sent to market. The colour of Kefalotiri varies, depending on the ratio of sheep's to goat's milk and the time of year. At some times of the year, Kefalotiri turns out almost white, while in other reasons it is a rich golden yellow. In both cases, the cheese hardens as it ages, forming irregular holes which dapple the hardened cheese along with a solid rind. Because Kefalotiri is so hard, it is ideal for a grated table cheese. Kefalotiri can also be grated onto roasts, gratins, and grilled dishes, and some recipes also call for a blend of cheeses including Kefalotiri. |
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| Pairing And Serving Cheeses |
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