Does New York Cheese Stand Out From The Rest?

Cheese is made in many states, with the most prominent one being Wisconsin. California, Idaho, and Vermont are a few of the other states that are among the top cheese manufacturers. New York also makes this delicious dairy product, although it is possibly not as well known for its cheese production as some of the others.

Choosing The Best Cheese

Preference among the many varieties of cheeses is very personal. Each cheese lover is certain that his or her favorite cheese is the very best. This holds true not only of cheese varieties, but also of cheese makers and the origin of the cheese. Each state that is a major cheese producer is sure that theirs is the very best. But if a blind taste test were to be conducted, would you be able to identify a cheese’s state of origin based solely on its taste? Many people think they could.

How New York Cheese Stands Out

If such a test were to be conducted, what would make New York cheeses stand out from all of the other fine cheeses? Just what makes New York cheese special anyway? It is well known that a cow’s (or sheep’s or goat’s) milk is only as good as the feed it consumes. Cows that are fed on rich pasture grass are going to give a better-tasting milk than those that are fed on commercial feeds alone. Better tasting milk translates into better tasting cheese. New York dairy farmers know this, and they ensure that their herds are in the finest pastureland available for grazing.

Healthy cows produce better milk, too. Cheese lovers will be able to tell that New York farmers take the utmost care of their herd, keeping them healthy without the use of, or only minimal use of antibiotics, hormones, and other undesirable treatments. The milk houses are kept immaculate to avoid contamination of the milk. In the same way, the cheese-making facilities are kept spotless. Clean facilities promote the production of the high-quality cheeses for which New York is known.

Tasting The Difference

Best practices are followed for producing the finest cheeses. Cheddars are aged to perfection. Those cheeses that are wrapped or cured in a rind are monitored closely to ensure maximum flavor and quality. Known for their sharp cheddars, New York cheese makers know just how long to age the cheeses to attain that maximum sharpness that is so loved by many aficionados. New York cheese makers take pride in producing cheese that does in fact stand out from the crowd.