Why Different Cheeses Have Different Textures

If you have spent time looking over a cheese counter or have had the opportunity to sample different cheeses, you will notice that the textures can vary a lot from one cheese to the next. Some cheeses are extremely runny while others are very firm and hard. Some may crumble when they are cut and others can be cut into even slices that are great for serving. It can be hard to understand why many cheeses have different textures since they are all, more or less, made from the same general ingredients.

All cheese begins with a base of milk. This may be milk that is harvested from cows, sheep or even goats. The milk that is used can affect the flavor, but does it also affect the texture? The fact is that there are many factors that can affect the texture of a cheese. Some of the factors that can affect a cheese’s texture include:

• The diet of the animal that produced the milk
• Whether that milk was then pasteurized
• The butterfat content in the milk
• The agent that was used to curdle the milk
• The production techniques used to make the cheese
• How long the cheese was aged

Many of the production methods used to produce Cheddar cheese and other cheeses can affect the texture because they force moisture out of the cheese curds. This dries the cheese out and causes it to become much firmer. With Cheddars, the process of cutting the curds, stacking them and pressing them forces a great deal of moisture out, causing a very firm texture. As these cheeses are then aged, they continue to become firmer, giving rise to different textures within the same kind of cheese.

When Mozzarella cheeses are produced, the curds are stretched and this radically changes the texture of the cheese itself. You can see how this alters the texture of the cheese by stretching your own Mozzarella at home, using a stretching kit and Mozzarella curd. This can be a really fun way to experiment with changing the textures of your own cheeses.

Aging or ripening can radically alter the texture of any cheese. Harder cheeses such as Cheddars will often start out with very rubbery curds that will firm up and grow harder as they age. Soft cheeses that have not had any chance to ripen will be almost gel-like when they are very new. As they age they will firm up but will still be much softer than a cheese such as a block of Cheddar or Parmesan would be.

When a cheese ages, the milk fat in the cheese continues to break down due to the presence of bacteria and microorganisms that are present in the cheese. This break down of milk fat into amino acids and other compounds is what gives some cheeses such as Parmesan their almost crunchy texture.

As you can see, many things can radically affect the texture of any cheese. This is one reason why exploring the world of cheese is so fantastic. You can experience the range of tastes and textures within your own favorite cheese and there is always something new to surprise you and your taste buds.

-Written by Lisa Longworth