Cheese is something that just about every country in the world has experienced or has created at least once. With a wide range of flavors and textures, cheese can satisfy almost anyone if they can find the right variety! Not surprisingly, it has been found in many different cultures all around the world. Some countries use different methods to achieve interesting flavors and aromas, but they all create cheese, nonetheless.
For starters, India has some of the most aromatic cheese ever created. Bandal, one of India's signature cows milk cheeses, is one of those aromatic cheeses. It is made by separating the curds using lemon juice and draining the mixture into baskets where, shortly thereafter, it is smoked. It is very soft in texture and it rather resembles a small, crusted bread from a distance.
Mexico also some great examples of cheese that has been impacted by the cultures in the country. Anejo Enchilado is one example of a cheese that is certainly out of the ordinary. It is easily grated and shredded, sort of like Parmesan, and is made from Goat's milk. It has a
mild, yet slightly spicy, flavor and is surrounded by a red, spicy rind. With it's hard and dry texture, it melts but does not lose its shape when exposed to heat.
In Tibet, only one cheese that is native to that area is made but it sure is an interesting one! Made from yak milk, (yes, yak milk!) it is molded and wind-and-sun dried to create a hard block of cheese that boasts a strong flavor and creamy texture.
In Italy, one of the most famous and popular cheeses is Mozzarella di Bufala. A smooth textured cheese with a very mild and creamy flavor. Although Mozzarella di Bufala is very difficult to find in the United States, Mozzarella made from the milk of cows is one of the most popular cheeses in the states. A startling fact that may interest you about Mozzarella cheese is that it has been said that almost every American has tasted Mozzarella cheese at some point in his/her life.
Cheese is something that certainly molds to cultures and traditions in countries around the world and it will never become obsolete so long as the cultures stay prominent in their areas.
-Written by Caitlyn Grisham
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Why Swiss Cheese Has Holes in it
Many times people ask the question: "Why does Swiss Cheese have holes in it? Swiss cheese is one of the most well known cheeses that is currently on the market today and most people recognize it by its easily distinguishable holes that pepper entire blocks of the stuff.
Most people don't stop to think about why one of their favorite cheeses has holes in it when, in fact, it's a legitimate question that deserves to be addressed properly. Swiss cheese starts
out just like any other, with bacteria being introduced to milk. The milk begins to curdle as the bacteria thrive on it and produce something called lactic acid.
Lactic acid is also known as milk acid, for obvious reasons. As the bacteria eat away at the milk, they not only produce lactic acid but carbon dioxide as well. It is this compound that causes the holes. Trapped inside the rind of the cheese, the carbon dioxide begins to form bubbles in the finished cheese product. Some variations of Swiss cheese can have multiple holes as large as a
small walnut!
The longer the cheese is left to ferment, the larger the holes will be in the cheese as a whole. Some Swiss cheeses are named after the size of the holes that they boast. Certain types of Swiss cheese are made from pasteurized milk while others, such as Swiss Emmental, are left to be made from unpasteurized milk.
No matter what sort of milk is used, the bacteria curdles it and creates curds which are then pressed into molds and soaked in brine baths. It is the brine bath that forms the rind around the Swiss cheese and allows the carbon dioxide to start forming the hole that so define the cheese. Swiss cheese is so unique because, with any other loose cheese the carbon dioxide would have escaped through the rind and not created the holes at all.
-Written by Caitlyn Grisham
Most people don't stop to think about why one of their favorite cheeses has holes in it when, in fact, it's a legitimate question that deserves to be addressed properly. Swiss cheese starts
out just like any other, with bacteria being introduced to milk. The milk begins to curdle as the bacteria thrive on it and produce something called lactic acid.
Lactic acid is also known as milk acid, for obvious reasons. As the bacteria eat away at the milk, they not only produce lactic acid but carbon dioxide as well. It is this compound that causes the holes. Trapped inside the rind of the cheese, the carbon dioxide begins to form bubbles in the finished cheese product. Some variations of Swiss cheese can have multiple holes as large as a
small walnut!
The longer the cheese is left to ferment, the larger the holes will be in the cheese as a whole. Some Swiss cheeses are named after the size of the holes that they boast. Certain types of Swiss cheese are made from pasteurized milk while others, such as Swiss Emmental, are left to be made from unpasteurized milk.
No matter what sort of milk is used, the bacteria curdles it and creates curds which are then pressed into molds and soaked in brine baths. It is the brine bath that forms the rind around the Swiss cheese and allows the carbon dioxide to start forming the hole that so define the cheese. Swiss cheese is so unique because, with any other loose cheese the carbon dioxide would have escaped through the rind and not created the holes at all.
-Written by Caitlyn Grisham
Monday, September 20, 2010
The Difference Between Mild, Medium, Sharp, and Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheeses
There are so many types of cheddar cheeses out there for your tasting convenience that it can be difficult to distinguish between them. After all, one look through a supermarket aisle and you are sure to see at least fifty different types of cheeses, ranging from mild to sharp and some even go so far as to boast different locations such as "New York Cheese", "Vermont Cheese", and "New York Cheese".
So, some people may be wondering, is there really a difference between sharp and mild cheddar cheese varieties? Yes, as a matter of fact, there is. Sharp and mild cheddar cheese, first of all, have completely different taste factors. Sharp cheese tends to be acidic and it has a slightly tangy taste that most people say is an acquired taste. Milder cheeses tend to be less "in your
face" with their flavoring and they have a much less tangy background flavor. In reality, it's the amount of time in which the cheese is aged that determines whether it is sharp, medium or mild.
Mild cheddars are aged between two and three months. Sharp cheddars are aged for around twelve months. Extra sharp cheddar cheese is aged for eighteen months and Premium cheddar is aged anywhere from two to five years.
As the cheese undergoes the aging process, it becomes sharper and sharper. The longer the cheese is left to age, the more crumbly it gets and it dries out. This is so because the whey in the cheese has begun to evaporate and continues to do so over time. Both sharp and mild cheddar cheeses are made from the same ingredients, but not always in the same location. Contrary to some people's beliefs, location does make a difference in the acidity and taste of cheeses. The cows that produce the milk for cheese eat different things at different locations where they are raised. This results in different undertone flavors in the milk that is sent off to be turned into
cheese. As the cheese is made, the flavors from the milk still linger, resulting in slight differences in the outcomes depending on where the milk was obtained.
Some cheeses can come out tasting slightly sweet and others can have bitter flavors, usually in the sharper cheeses as they are aged longer, that can be a turn off for newer cheese tasters. In the end, there are just too many types of amazing cheddar cheeses on the market to break them into groups based solely on their flavors and locations. Try them all!
-Written by Caitlyn Grisham
So, some people may be wondering, is there really a difference between sharp and mild cheddar cheese varieties? Yes, as a matter of fact, there is. Sharp and mild cheddar cheese, first of all, have completely different taste factors. Sharp cheese tends to be acidic and it has a slightly tangy taste that most people say is an acquired taste. Milder cheeses tend to be less "in your
face" with their flavoring and they have a much less tangy background flavor. In reality, it's the amount of time in which the cheese is aged that determines whether it is sharp, medium or mild.
Mild cheddars are aged between two and three months. Sharp cheddars are aged for around twelve months. Extra sharp cheddar cheese is aged for eighteen months and Premium cheddar is aged anywhere from two to five years.
As the cheese undergoes the aging process, it becomes sharper and sharper. The longer the cheese is left to age, the more crumbly it gets and it dries out. This is so because the whey in the cheese has begun to evaporate and continues to do so over time. Both sharp and mild cheddar cheeses are made from the same ingredients, but not always in the same location. Contrary to some people's beliefs, location does make a difference in the acidity and taste of cheeses. The cows that produce the milk for cheese eat different things at different locations where they are raised. This results in different undertone flavors in the milk that is sent off to be turned into
cheese. As the cheese is made, the flavors from the milk still linger, resulting in slight differences in the outcomes depending on where the milk was obtained.
Some cheeses can come out tasting slightly sweet and others can have bitter flavors, usually in the sharper cheeses as they are aged longer, that can be a turn off for newer cheese tasters. In the end, there are just too many types of amazing cheddar cheeses on the market to break them into groups based solely on their flavors and locations. Try them all!
-Written by Caitlyn Grisham
Sunday, September 19, 2010
We've Achieved Top-Rated Seller Status on ebay!
Thanks to all of those who have been a part of our ebay history. We achieved power seller status last February, now we are a top rated seller! Thanks again for being a part of our success online! Check out our ebay feedback profile here.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
10 Cheddars Under $10: Featured in Cheese Connoisseur Magazine
If you picked up the latest (Fall 2010) issue of Cheese Connoisseur you may have noticed some of Cheddar Cheeses were featured in the article "10 Cheddars Under $10". We are so pleased to have been a part of this article and great publication that we are giving everyone 10% off all Cheddar Cheeses - yes that includes cheese curds! This offer is valid until September 30, 2010, when you use coupon code CHEESYTIMES during checkout. As stated the magazine is a wonderful publication and if you are a true cheese connoisseur you'll definitely want to check it out!
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