The Most Popular Types of Cheese in the United States

Cheese has continued to be one of the most widely eaten foods in the whole United States. It’s basically a solid food made from milk. There are several kinds of cheeses seen across the world. They go by different names. However the focus here is on the United States. Two of the most popular cheeses are mainly eaten in various nooks and crannies of the nation. Let’s examine them.
Mozzarella Cheese

This is the number one cheese in the US when it comes to popularity. It actually originated from Italy but today, it’s highly priced and eaten all over the United States. Mozzarella is basically made from water buffalo milk. It’s usually known to be costlier than any other kind of cheese used in the US. This is because, the water buffalo milk used in making the cheese is very expensive. Some cheese makers in the US have to import the milk from countries where the buffalo animals are properly reared and nurtured. Mozzarella can also be made from cow’s milk. The production process of Mozzarella cheese is very easy. It’s usually prepared within a day. In most cases, it’s also taken few hours after it’s made. However, cheese makers in the US have also learnt how to preserve Mozzarella for some weeks.

Cheddar Cheese

This is the second most popular cheese usually eaten in the US. It’s normally seen in a semi-hard state with an off white or yellow color. The name of the cheese is derived from the Cheddar village in Somerset where it’s said to have originated from.

Cheddar is made from cheese curds. It requires basic ingredients such as cow’s milk and rennet. In most cases, the milk is allowed to ripen before the rennet is added. The production process of cheddar is more elaborate than Mozzarella cheese.

Other Kinds of Cheese in the US
Apart from Mozzarella and Cheddar, there are other cheeses also eaten in the US. Some of them are popular to some extent especially in the particular states where they are produced. Many of them are also introduced into US from other countries where they originated from. Among them include:
• Bel Paese - This is a creamy Italian dessert cheese with a nice flavor. Its American version in being produced in Wisconsin.

• Bondost – This originated in Sweden. The American version has also been introduced.

• Cantelle - This cheese is being produced in Illinois. It’s usually semi soft and pale in color.

• Colby – This is a kind of Cheddar cheese usually produced in Vermont.

In all, there are several other kinds of cheese being produced in several states within the North America. However, Cheddar and Mozzarella remain the most popular. They are seen in almost every state in the US. They are usually used in serving several kinds of dishes all over the US.

What Cheeses are best for a Cheese Tray?

A rich cheese tray is usually made up of quality cheeses, fruits and other spices. You can include meat and other ingredients as well. In any case, not all the cheeses are good for a cheese tray. You need to pick and choose.

There are several kinds of cheese seen all over the world. They abound in their numbers and style. In most cases, getting a cheese tray ready depends on the kind of cheeses available in one’s country.
In the US for instance, Cheddar and Mozzarella are the most popular kinds of cheese normally eaten. Mozzarella ranks the first in popularity while Cheddar follows. Any of them can be used in preparing a cheese tray anywhere in the US. Many people like going for Mozzarella cheese when getting a cheese tray ready since it’s the most popular.

Apart from Cheddar and Mozzarella, there are several other kinds of cheese that can be used in preparing a cheese tray. If you’re not very familiar with Cheddar and Mozzarella, you can make use of Swiss and Colby jack. You can equally go for other variety of cheese such as Cotswold, Vintage Gouda, English Cheddar with Caramelized Onions, Tintern, Harlech, Royal Stilton, Manchego, Rauchkase, Smoked Gouda, Boursin and a lot more.
Choosing the best kinds of cheeses for your cheese tray should never be a herculean task. All you need is to go for what is available in your location. Simply locate the most popular cheeses being used in the area you’re residing in and use them to prepare the cheese tray.
To make the cheese tray look gorgeous, you can add some cured meats. You can go for Busseto, Salami Tartufo, and Sopressata and so on.
You can equally add crackers and breads to your cheese tray. Among the best breads you can go for include German Dark Rye bread, Mini toasts, or Cocktail Pumpernickel bread. For crackers, you can go for Breton Sesame.

Your cheese tray can also be garnished with fresh seasonal fruits. Among the best you can go for include apples, grapes, pineapples, peaches, pears and strawberries.

In any case, cheese trays can be very simple or more complex. To make it simple, just choose few varieties of cheeses and other condiments. To make it expensive, you have to choose up to 8 varieties of cheeses, meats, breads, crackers and fruits. You can easily locate various kinds of cheeses in the food market. It’s also necessary you slide the large cheeses into smaller pieces to make the tray look unique. You’ll also need to arrange everything in the cheese tray creatively.

The Difference Between Pasteurized and Raw Milk Cheese

If you’re a regular consumer of different kinds of milk cheeses, you may have come across the terms “Raw Milk cheese” and “Pasteurized Milk Cheese”. Knowing the real difference between the two can actually help you to know the pros and cons involved in taking them. Let’s begin by knowing what each of them stands for.
Raw Milk Cheese

This is a kind of cheese made with unpasteurized milk. When milk is said to be unpasteurized, it’s actually coming directly from a Cow or goat. Such milk is directly collected from the animal without any further interference done on it. It’s simply milk at its raw state. Many Cheese makers prefer to use raw milk in the production process.

Actually, since 1969, the US government forbade the production and sale of raw milk cheese made with unpasteurized milk unless the cheese is aged up to 60 days. This ban is meant to protect cheese consumers from harmful pathogens that may be in the raw milk. In most cases, the salts and acid in the raw milk cheese usually prevent E.coli and other bacteria from growing after 60 days.

However, many cheese makers believe that raw milk when used in making cheese produce more flavor and hence make the cheese healthy. They also believe that such cheese can be taken without waiting for the 60 days to elapse.
Pasteurized Milk Cheese

Pasteurization is the process of heating liquid or food to a specific temperature within a definite length of time with immediate cooling off. The process normally slows down the microbial growth in liquids and foods. In most cases, pasteurization is used in the production of milk. The process usually kills the bacteria found in raw milk. Thus cheese that is pasteurized is simply made from pasteurized milk. Some cheese markers prefer to pasteurize in order to make their products consistent since some of them get the raw milk from various sources. In most cases, pasteurization eliminates the variations usually noticed in cheeses. It also makes cheese production automated.

The Difference

The difference between Pasteurized and Raw Milk Cheese is very obvious. A Pasteurized milk cheese is simply made with pasteurized milk. It has to undergo the unique process of pasteurization in order to eliminate all the bacteria. On the other hand, Raw Milk cheese is made with raw milk gotten directly from an animal source. The Raw Milk Cheese contains all bacteria except if it’s allowed to stay for 60 days before being used.

The bottom line is that Raw Milk Cheese tastes much better than pasteurized Milk Cheese since it’s still very raw but when it comes to cleanness, the pasteurized milk cheese has the upper hand. On the other hand, some of the bacteria contained in Raw Milk Cheese are vital for health but none of such bacteria is found in Pasteurized milk cheese. In any case, it’s always better to go for Pasteurized Milk chooses if you’re interested in eating clean and healthy cheese products. If you must take Raw Milk cheese, make sure it has stayed up to 60 days from the day of its production.

How Much Cheese Is Made In A Year?

Cheese production is a growing enterprise in various nations of the world. Actually, Cheese   is a generic name for certain food products made of milk.  All over the world, cheese is produced in a wide variety of textures and flavors.

Basically, Cheese is made of fat and protein from milk. The milk is mainly gotten from animals such as cows, goats, sheep and buffalo.  Cheese production is usually very elaborate. It has to go through some processes before its considered eatable. 

One may wonder at how much Cheese is made in a year!  The truth is that, several nations are involved here.   You can only get a sketchy figure of the amount of cheese made each year all over the world. However, it’s possible to locate reliable sources that can offer clues to the amount of cheese produced in several countries each year.

Basically, several types of cheese are produced in various nations. There are over a hundred types of cheese in production. They vary in their textures, flavors and styles.  In most cases, their flavors and textures depend on the kind of milk used in producing them.  Raw milk and pasteurized milk are generally used in the production of cheese.  There are also processes involved in the production.

Curdling is one of the most popular processes used in the production of cheese.  This is mainly the case with the Swiss nation, Holland and the US. Cheddaring is also another popular process used in producing cheese. This is mainly the case in the UK and other English speaking nations.

When it comes to production, cheese is now a major product of agriculture all over the world.   Millions of cheeses and their types are produced every year the world over. According to a reliable report from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, the year 2004 recorded over 18 million metric tons of cheese in production.

The US is said to be the largest producer of Cheese in the world today. 30% of   the world cheese production comes from the US.  Germany and France follow after the US in the production of cheese.

By monetary standards, France is said to be the largest exporter of cheese.  Other countries involved in the production of cheese include German,   New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and Netherland. [1]

Recently, the US Department for Agriculture listed top cheese producers and their level of production in selected years[2].  Among the countries listed include United States, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Brazil, Egypt, Argentina, and Australia.  Each of the nations has varying number of annual cheese produced in them. They are mainly the top leading nations in cheese production.

In all, Cheese production has always been the order of the day in many of the countries listed above.  The future is still very bright for this wonderful edible product.

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[1] Sources: FAO and Eurostat.

[2] United States Department of Agriculture for the US and non European countries in 2006 [4]and Eurostat for European countries in 2008 [5]

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How long does it take to make Mozzarella Cheese?

Mozzarella cheese is usually made from water buffalo milk. It’s the most popular kind of cheese normally eaten in the US although the cheese production originated from Italy. It has also continued to be very popular in various nooks and crannies of the Italian nation.

In the US, Mozzarella cheese is highly priced. This is because the water buffalo milk used in its production is costlier than the normal cow milk. In most cases, cheese makers have to import the buffalo milk from other countries where the buffalo animal is reared. The buffalo animal is a very rare species that is not found in many countries. The water buffalo milk is known to be very high in casein and fat. Hence, it’s always very good in producing quality Mozzarella cheese. You can’t use the milk as beverage since it’s very high in fat and casein.

In most cases, Mozzarella cheese is not allowed to age. It’s usually eaten the same day it’s made. Hence, it takes only one day to produce Mozzarella cheese. The production process is basically known as Pasta Filata. It’s all about heating the curds in water or whey until they begin to form strings and also become elastic. After that, the curds are stretched and then kneaded. This makes them to be smooth. They will then form balls and also look very fresh.

The production process of Mozzarella cheese is very simple and easy. It takes few hours in a day. All you need is to have the ingredients and equipments required. You need the following ingredients: buffalo milk, citric acid, vegetable rennet and water. You need each of these ingredients in specified quantities. The quantities depend on the amount of Mozzarella cheese you want to produce. You can easily locate a simple recipe on how to produce a specific amount of Mozzarella cheese in order to go about the process.

Again, you need to have the necessary equipments on ground. You need the following: large stock pot, long stainless knife, strainer, food thermometer and tea towels. You’ll need each of the equipments at certain intervals during the production of Mozzarella cheese.
Basically, it takes up to 12 to 20 hours to produce Mozzarella cheese. It may also take a maximum of 24 hours. In most cases, you have to allow the curds to ferment for 3 hours or more before you continue. You simply have to be patient in the process.

Once produced, Mozzarella cheese is usually eaten the same day. It can use with a variety of dishes including meats, seafood, vegetable and salads.

How is Mozzarella Made?

Mozzarella refers to an Italian cheese usually produced through spinning and cutting processes. The name is derived from the Italian verb, “mozzare” which means “to cut”. In the US, Mozzarella is the most popular kind of cheese widely eaten.

Basically, Mozzarella showcases in a variety of kinds. They include:
• Buffalo Mozzarella
• Mozzarella fior di latte
• Low Moisture Mozzarella and
• Smoked Mozzarella

In most cases, water buffalo milk is used in making Buffalo Mozzarella while Fresh pasteurized cow milk or raw cow milk is used in producing Mozzarella fior di latte. Low moisture Mozzarella is made from skimmed or whole milk. It is mainly used in the food service industry. Smoked Mozzarella is also made from milk but it’s usually smoked in a very unique way.

Meanwhile Mozzarella can be produced fresh. Basically, fresh Mozzarella is normally white in color although it can as well be yellow depending on the kind of animal diet used in the production process. Fresh Mozzarella is normally soft and it also has high moisture. It’s usually served on the very day it’s produced. However, it can still be kept in brine for a week or more especially when it’s to be sold in sealed packages. However, Low moisture Mozzarella can be properly refrigerated for a month when produced.

Meanwhile, several kinds of Mozzarella as discussed above can be used for various kinds of pizza. They can be served as pasta dishes. They can equally be served with fresh tomatoes.

Apart from the fresh type, Mozzarella can also be dried partly. The dried type is usually more compact and it’s mainly used in preparing oven-cooked dishes such as pizza and lasagna.
Generally, the production process of Mozzarella depends on the type needed. The Buffalo Mozzarella is usually made from Buffalo milk only. In most cases, the milk is left to ripen in order to allow the bacteria to increase. Rennet is then added to make the milk coagulate. This forms curd which will be cut into pieces after the coagulation. The curd will then be left to sit and heal. After this, it’s also cut into larger pieces. The sliced curds will then be stirred and heated in order to separate them from the whey. The whey will then be separated from the curds. A hoop is then used to place the curds where they will form a mass of solid. The PH of the curds will then lower in the process. After this, it’s then stretched and kneaded with hands. This makes the curd to be smooth and shinny. It will then form nice ball shape which can be eaten.

In all, every other type of Mozzarella undergoes almost a similar process although there are variations according to several approaches used in various countries.

How is Cheddar Cheese Made from Cheese Curds?

Cheddar cheese is usually known to be somehow hard. It can have yellow or off white color as well. It actually originated from Cheddar village in Somerset. Today, Cheddar is considered as one of the most popular cheese in the whole of UK. In the US, it’s also very popular. It comes second after Mozzarella which is also a very wonderful cheese widely eaten in the US.
The Cheddar Making Process

Cheddar Cheese is made from cheese curds. The production process begins by the gathering of the food ingredients needed. The basic ingredients needed include milk and rennet. The milk used is allowed to ripen before the rennet is added. The ripening of the milk allows lactose to be turned into lactic acid by the resident bacteria. This lowers the pH and also contributes to making the milk to coagulate. This is very important for the making of quality cheese curds which are then turned into cheddar.

The Rennet usually added is an enzyme which is normally gotten from the belly of milk fed calf. The rennet contributes to the coagulation of the milk proteins which helps in the production of curds. In most cases, rennet contains bovine pepsin and chymosin. These two elements help in making the curds come out well.
In most cases, 3 or 4 oz of rennet is usually added per 1000 lb of mix. This helps the milk protein to coagulate and then form nice curds. The Vat is usually mixed after the rennet has been added. This ensures equal mixing and also helps in diluting the rennet for easy spreading. At this point, clean water will be added to dilute the rennet.

Meanwhile, there are also basic equipments required when making cheddar cheese from curds. A stainless steel knife is usually used to cut the curds in a uniform manner during the production process. A stainless steel frame that has stainless steel wires is also needed to slice the curds well.
Vats are also needed during the production process. They can be in rectangular or oval shapes. They may also have nice hollow walls which will be used for accommodating warm water necessary for keeping the curds at required temperatures.
A quality milling machine will then be used to slice the matted curds which are formed as the cheddaring process continues. This will then allow the curds to be salted easily.
Now, curd setting is the next stage. Once the rennet has been added, the entire mixture is allowed to settle in order to form curds. The right temperature must also be set to control the process. Usually, a flat blade is inserted into the curds to make it set. This will be raised up slowly. If the curd breaks, it’s set for cutting. Usually, the curd is sliced into tiny cubes with the help of a stainless steel wire knife. The sliced curds will then be handled well to avoid the loss of protein and fat.

The next stage is the cooking of the curds. After that comes the draining of the curds. Then the curds will be stacked during the cheddaring process. The milking process commences. Usually, the curds can be milked using the hand. The salting process will then follow. After that, the curds are then packed and pressed. They will also be weighed into moulds. After this, the cheddar cheese will then be allowed to age. The aging process may last for one or two months. However this can also last for 1 or more years depending on the type of cheddar needed.

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Cheese Recipe 41: Cheesy Rice Balls

This will make about 4-6 servings.


Ingredients:

4 ounces ham, diced finely


2 garlic cloves finely chopped


¼ chives


2 tablespoons butter


4 ounces cream cheese warmed to room temperature


½ cup shredded mozzarella


½ cup shredded provolone


2 cups long grain rice cooked to package directions


½ cup flour


3 eggs beaten


2 cups breadcrumbs


Salt, pepper and parsley to taste


Oil for frying

Method:

Preheat fryer to 375 degrees. Sauté garlic and chives in butter over medium heat. Add the ham, cooking until lightly crisp, and then stir in the rice. Mix the ham mixture, cream cheese, and cheeses, add some parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and then begin rolling them into balls that are a little smaller than golf balls. Place on baking sheet. In three separate bowls, place flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. Season breadcrumbs to taste. Roll the balls through the flour, then eggs, and finally breadcrumbs. Gently add to deep fryer and fry until golden brown and crisp, about three minutes. Serve warm.

Alternative Cheeses:

Provolone, Cheddar