How Cheese Makers Flavor Their Cheeses

If you have looked at the local cheese counter you will notice that there are many different flavored cheeses on the market. Skilled cheese makers can take a cheese such as Cheddar and alter its flavor in one of several different ways in order to create a product that may be completely different than the parent cheese may have been.

There are a few different ways that cheese makers can alter the flavor of their Cheddars and other cheeses. One is through adding herbs and spices to the Cheddar cheese as it is forming. The herbs can be added to the curds and are incorporated into the cheese as it solidifies and forms into a block. Because the herbs have been there throughout the aging process they generally give a very definite flavor to the cheese. Some popular herbs that are often added to Cheddar cheese include dill, garlic and sage. If you have a particular preference for one type of herb you may be interested in tasting a cheese that features that herb in its make-up.

Another method of changing the taste of Cheddar and other cheeses is to soak the cheese in flavored liquid. Depending on the taste that the cheese maker wants to give to the cheese, liquids that are used can include both red and white wines, port and beer. Cheese makers are exploring new flavor combinations every day and some are very tasty. If cheese is being placed in liquid in order to flavor it the cheese needs to stay in the liquid for an extended period of time in order to let the liquid flavor the cheese evenly.

Wrapping the cheese in different substances can also affect its flavor. Some cheeses may be wrapped in wax (such as Cheddar which may be wrapped in black wax) but this is less likely to flavor the cheese inside. Other cheeses are wrapped in herbs or leaves that will change the taste of the cheese as it ages. Some cheese makers will also place a paste on the cheese in order to change the taste. As the cheese sits in the wrapping or paste, its flavor will change.

A final way to alter the taste of cheese is through smoking. There are many different varieties such as smoked Cheddar, smoked Swiss, smoked Mozzarella, and smoked Gouda. Smoking cheese can also darken the color of the outer surface and gives it a beautiful appearance. The taste of the cheese will depend on which wood has been used to provide the smoke. One popular wood that is often used to smoke cheese is maple wood although apple wood is also used. The smoke can be applied to the cheese using a hot smoking process, which is much faster but heats the cheese or a cold smoking process. This second process takes much longer but many people prefer it simply because the cheese is not heated as it is smoked.

If you are planning to purchase smoked cheese it is important to look for cheese that has been naturally smoked. There are some cheese makers that use liquid smoke and coloring agents in order to alter the taste and the color of the cheese, but there is nothing to compare with a cheese that has been smoked naturally. Look for information on which wood was used in order to produce the smoke as this can be a sign as to whether the cheese has been naturally smoked or not.

-Written by Lisa Longworth