Cheese

Question 1

History

Answer 1

Cheese is and ancient food whose origins predate recorded history. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, either in Europe, Central Asia, or the Middle East, but the practice had spread within Europe prior to Roman times.

Question 2

Styles

Answer 2

Cheese can be grouped into various types, styles, or families, 7 of them are:

Styles: Fresh, Bloomy, Semi-soft, Washed, Firm, Hard, Blue.

Question 3

Milk

Answer 3

In addition to style, the type of milk used in cheese production can tell you of what to expect:

Goat, Cow, Sheep, Buffalo.

Question 4

Fresh

Answer 4

Young, tart, tangy, Lemony, Smooth, Moist, Creamy. No rind.

EX: Chevre (fresh goat cheese), Mozzarella ( pasta filata or stretched curd)

Question 5

Bloomy

Answer 5

Refers to the snowy, fluffy, “blooming” rind. Think: White, buttery, decadent, pillowy, fluffy, rich, mild to mushroomy, edible rind.

EX: Camembert, Brie, and Triple-Cremes like Cremeux de Bourgogne and St. Andre

Question 6

Semi-soft

Answer 6

Pliable, earthy, wet straw, hay, leaves, melting.

EX: Fontina, Garrotxa, Morbier, Tomme de Savoie

Question 7

Washed

Answer 7

These are washed during aging, in brine (salt water), beer, wine or spirits. Pungent, Stinky, Fruity, Meaty, Intense, Aromatic. Vibrant pink to orange edible rind.

EX: Epoisses, Livarot, Pont l’Eveque, Taleggio

Question 8

Firm

Answer 8

Dense but supple. Grassy, eggy, fruited, sharp. Thick natural rind not typically eaten.

EX: Cheddar, Gruyere, Manchego, Ossau Iraty

Question 9

Hard

Answer 9

The super-aged big guns. Dry, crunchy, caramelly, butterscotchy, grainy.

EX: Aged Gouda, Dry Jack, Parmigiano-Reggiano

Question 10

Blue

Answer 10

Mold! Veins, craters, big, sharp-edged, punchy, complex.

EX: Gorgonzola, Roquefort, Stilton.

Question 11

Goat Milk

Answer 11

Slightly lower fat content than Cow’s milk. Typically used in younger, more mild cheeses: Bucheron, Huboldt Fog, Feta, Chevre.

Question 12

Cow Milk

Answer 12

Most versatile milk used in cheese making. Used in any style and range from mild to very strong depending on the style. Brie, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Stilton.

Question 13

Sheep Milk

Answer 13

Higher fat content than cow’s milk. Typically used in cheeses with a longer aging process. Stronger flavor than cow’s milk. Pecorino, Bulgarian Feta.

Question 14

Buffalo Milk

Answer 14

Highly regarded at the best milk for cheese in the world. Higher fat content than bow cow and sheep’s milk. Though hard to find in America, buffalo milk is as versatile as cow’s.
Used in the prized mozzarella di buffalo.

Question 15

Stracciatella

Answer 15

A cheese produced from Italian buffalo milk in the province using a fresh pasta filata and a shredding technique. Often mixed with cream and used to make Burrata.

Question 16

Mozzarella

Answer 16

Italian, mild, white, fresh cheese made by pasta filata process, whereby the curd is dipped into hot whey, then stretched and kneaded to the desired consistency.

Question 17

Ricotta

Answer 17

A rich fresh cheese that is slightly grainy but smoother than cottage cheese. It’s white, moist and has a slightly sweet flavor.

The word ricotta means “recooked,” and is derived from the fact that the cheese is made by heating the drained off whey from while making other cheeses such as mozzarella and provolone. Technically, this type of ricotta is not really cheese because it’s made from a cheese by-product.

In the united states, ricottas are usually made with a combination of whey and whole or skim milk.