There are many things to look out for in the increasingly health conscious world. Some food flavorings that were once commonly used have been found to be bad for many parts of your body. One of these is ‘liquid smoke flavoring’. This flavor substitute is made from either smoke byproducts, or chemicals made to replicate the flavor of smoke. This product has been found to be very harmful and it has been advised to avoid it when possible. However, many people love this smoky, rich flavor on their cheese. So how do you achieve that without using a smoke flavor substitute? A natural smoke!
What Is A Natural Smoke?
Natural smoking processes include flavors added through the use of wood chips. Some flavors include beech, cedar, and other woods that give the cheese a very distinct flavor. A natural smoking is when these chips are directly burnt beneath the cheese, rather than a chemical counterpart being added to it. A natural smoke also takes much longer than the liquid substitute, as it much be smoke for several hours, then wrapped and refrigerated to seal in the flavor. It is well worth it however, as a natural smoke tastes much better than the chemical variety.
So Why Do Companies Use Liquid Smoke?
The time it takes to naturally smoke a cheese is the primary reason many companies prefer liquid smoke. Although it is dangerous to the consumer, it is much more commercially sound for them to use this product to quickly flavor the cheddar, Swiss, or mozzarella cheese. The company may also get a reduced cost on bulk liquid smoke, where they may be paying a premium on good wood chips for a rich, natural smoke. It also takes skill to smoke a cheese, as it requires the smoker to be under ninety degrees during the process.
What Are The Other Benefits Of A Natural Smoke?
Aside from being much more flavorful, a natural smoked cheese have much less carcinogenic than liquid smoke additives. Cheese is also a common food for vegetarians, and liquid smoke often contains meat products. A natural smoke is just wood chips and a patient cook. There are some condensed smoke alternatives that are simply water and the smoke collected together. When you see natural smoke flavor on a label, this is usually what it means. While the carcinogens still have time to build in these, it is still better than most liquid smoke flavorings.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Buy our Cheese for a Great Cause
Since the beginning of our history we've supplied many organizations and offered fundraising opportunities with our cheeses. Our latest, The Dave Clark Foundation, is currently selling a couple of our sharpest Cheddar cheeses; Jurassic and Super Sharp locally.
About the Dave Clark Foundation:
About the Dave Clark Foundation:
The Dave Clark Foundation organizes free mini-sports camps for kids with special needs, hosted by professional and elite college baseball and hockey teams. Participants and pro athletes come away from our Disability Dream and Do (D3) events enriched by the experience. Enrollment is open now for our Nov. 11th event with the Elmira Jackals and our January 13th event with Cornell Hockey. Participants get a day with the pros (or future pros) and tickets to a host team's home game (Jackals 11/15 - Cornell 1/24). Enrollment and more info at D3Day.com
Founder, Dave Clark – a Corning native -- was stricken by polio as an infant. He
never walked without the aid of braces and crutches, yet he persevered to chase his dream
and become a professional baseball player – the only pro ever to pitch from crutches.
Now it is his mission to give other disabled children an opportunity to play with the pros,
while motivating and inspiring pro athletes to be the best they can be in their sports, their
communities and their hearts.
The Dave Clark Foundation will be selling our cheeses along with other great local products at the times listed below.
Nov. 8 and Nov. 9 - Sam's Club in Henrietta
10a to 5p
Nov 14, 15, and 16 - Sam's Club in Henrietta 10a to 5p
Starting November 16, Dave Clark Foundation will be at the Arnot Mall in Big Flats, NY every day through Christmas during the mall hours.
Starting November 16, Dave Clark Foundation will be at the Arnot Mall in Big Flats, NY every day through Christmas during the mall hours.
What Good Bacteria Are Found In Cheese?
Generally when people think of bacteria, germs and illnesses are brought to mind. Many people’s first instinct is to wash their hands when they think about it! But did you know we have huge colonies of bacteria in our body that regulate nearly every aspect of our bodily systems? One of these places that bacteria plays a huge role in the stomach. They aid in digestion and energy consumption of the body, and without them, we could not eat most of what we do. From time to time these bacteria, also known as probiotics, must be refreshed. One of the best foods for it is cheese.
Lactobacillus
Lactobacillus is a probiotic is found in large quantities in all cheeses. It does many things for our bodies. Firstly, it is what helps line our lower intestines, breaking down harder to digest foods that may cause irritation or discomfort. Those who have low levels of this probiotic are known to have issues with ulcers or similar digestive problems. It also helps with regularity, and can help ease constipation. If you are having cramps, eating some cheddar cheese might help relieve them. Beyond digestive help, it can even boost your immune system, helping fight off bad bacteria and infections.
Penicillium
This cousin to penicillin lives in several of what are known as the mold cheeses. They can help fight off infections that have already taken hold, and help you get better faster. These can also help you push toxins that may be stagnating in your body out through the pores by accelerating the natural excretions process. This can be slightly unsightly though, as eating too much of the cheeses that contain this, such as Roquefort and blue cheese, can make you smell a little funky. However, this bacteria stays in your systems and can help fight off future illness too!
Yeast
While the amount of yeast that can be found in cheese is often questioned, the benefits certainly are not. Yeast is good for the skin, hair, and nails, helping to strengthen these areas of the body. It also contains many amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for healthy living. Yeast also grows naturally in the body, helping to produce these necessary vitamins and minerals without outside ingestion. Replenishing these probiotic cultures is a healthy way to ensure you have an additional intake of them throughout the day and nighttime hours.
Lactobacillus
Lactobacillus is a probiotic is found in large quantities in all cheeses. It does many things for our bodies. Firstly, it is what helps line our lower intestines, breaking down harder to digest foods that may cause irritation or discomfort. Those who have low levels of this probiotic are known to have issues with ulcers or similar digestive problems. It also helps with regularity, and can help ease constipation. If you are having cramps, eating some cheddar cheese might help relieve them. Beyond digestive help, it can even boost your immune system, helping fight off bad bacteria and infections.
Penicillium
This cousin to penicillin lives in several of what are known as the mold cheeses. They can help fight off infections that have already taken hold, and help you get better faster. These can also help you push toxins that may be stagnating in your body out through the pores by accelerating the natural excretions process. This can be slightly unsightly though, as eating too much of the cheeses that contain this, such as Roquefort and blue cheese, can make you smell a little funky. However, this bacteria stays in your systems and can help fight off future illness too!
Yeast
While the amount of yeast that can be found in cheese is often questioned, the benefits certainly are not. Yeast is good for the skin, hair, and nails, helping to strengthen these areas of the body. It also contains many amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that are essential for healthy living. Yeast also grows naturally in the body, helping to produce these necessary vitamins and minerals without outside ingestion. Replenishing these probiotic cultures is a healthy way to ensure you have an additional intake of them throughout the day and nighttime hours.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
What Makes The Holes In Swiss Cheese?
As a kid, you may have been told cute stories that the holes in Swiss cheese are made from mice, or other goofy tales. In reality, this holes, known as eyes to cheese experts, are made from the expansion of carbon dioxide in cheese. The process for turning milk into cheese complex, and each type of cheese is a little different from its cousin. So what makes Swiss cheese have these eyes where other cheeses do not? It is all about the process, and Swiss cheese is very special in that regard. Here is a look at what makes Swiss cheese different from the rest.
From Milk To Swiss
All cheese starts off as milk, and like most other cheeses in America, Swiss is made from cow’s milk. To this milk, bacteria is added in controlled amounts. The bacteria eat away at the milk, turning certain portions of it into lactic acid. This is the case for all cheeses. What is different about some cheeses, like Swiss, is the type of bacteria that is chosen for the process. Bacteria S. thermophiles, Lactobacillus and P. shermani are what are used to make Swiss cheese, and the levels in the milk must be very specific in order to make the perfect cheese. There are even some regulations on the hole sizes in Swiss cheese, making even more important the bacteria levels are perfect.
Special Combinations
As the bacteria eats away at the remaining portions of sugars in the cheese curd stage, these bacteria become particularly gassy. They expel carbon dioxide, which expands pieces of the cheese outward, making the eyes in the final product. But Swiss cheese is not the only place where these holes are evident, it is just the most pronounced. If you look carefully at a wheel of rind-less cheddar, you can see tiny holes there as well. This happens to all cheeses, Swiss is just special because it is the most common with these bacterial combinations.
Swiss Facts
This combination also gives it the special flavor. As with any cheese, it comes in several age stages, from baby to aged. As it becomes more aged, these pockets of released gas can become larger. Some cheese packagers may exaggerate these eyes for effect as well, but real, fresh swiss usually has holes from about three-eighths to eight-sixteenths of an inch in diameter. Swiss also changes flavor considerably as it ages, arguably more than cheddar or provolone cheese.
From Milk To Swiss
All cheese starts off as milk, and like most other cheeses in America, Swiss is made from cow’s milk. To this milk, bacteria is added in controlled amounts. The bacteria eat away at the milk, turning certain portions of it into lactic acid. This is the case for all cheeses. What is different about some cheeses, like Swiss, is the type of bacteria that is chosen for the process. Bacteria S. thermophiles, Lactobacillus and P. shermani are what are used to make Swiss cheese, and the levels in the milk must be very specific in order to make the perfect cheese. There are even some regulations on the hole sizes in Swiss cheese, making even more important the bacteria levels are perfect.
Special Combinations
As the bacteria eats away at the remaining portions of sugars in the cheese curd stage, these bacteria become particularly gassy. They expel carbon dioxide, which expands pieces of the cheese outward, making the eyes in the final product. But Swiss cheese is not the only place where these holes are evident, it is just the most pronounced. If you look carefully at a wheel of rind-less cheddar, you can see tiny holes there as well. This happens to all cheeses, Swiss is just special because it is the most common with these bacterial combinations.
Swiss Facts
This combination also gives it the special flavor. As with any cheese, it comes in several age stages, from baby to aged. As it becomes more aged, these pockets of released gas can become larger. Some cheese packagers may exaggerate these eyes for effect as well, but real, fresh swiss usually has holes from about three-eighths to eight-sixteenths of an inch in diameter. Swiss also changes flavor considerably as it ages, arguably more than cheddar or provolone cheese.
Monday, November 3, 2014
The Ages Of Cheddar Cheese
Cheddar cheese is still a favorite of many average consumers and connoisseurs alike. It is well known for its versatility and ability to be paired with many different dishes and beverages. Many people just getting into the cheese world do not know, however, what the varying age differences in a good cheddar are. How cheddar aged, and what is are the ages of cheddar are common questions to new fans of this wonderful cheese. Something to remember, even the youngest cheddars are aged for at least a month before you eat it. Here are the aspects of cheddar, the many ages, and what critics say the distinctions in flavors are.
How Do You Age Cheddar
Most fine cheddars are aged in a sealed boxed, in a carefully regulated environment. However, there are a ton of ways you can age this cheese. It is one of the hardiest against mold and some airborne bacteria. It still cannot last very long in an open environment though. Most commercial cheeses are aged in a refrigerator or temperature controlled room for a short time, then cut and shipped. Personal or fine cheeses may be stored in a cellar or other cheese making room, and may be aged in anything from a wooden box to a sealed high-tech ager.
So What Are The Ages Of Cheddar?
There are three broad names for the ages of cheddar. Mild cheddar is usually aged for no more than two to three weeks, having the smoothest flavor and texture. Medium cheddars are aged for anywhere from four months to as much as nine months, and have a slightly sharper flavor. Medium cheddars are most commonly found in sandwich shops because it is a nice balance in texture between malleable and flaky. Sharp cheddars are the oldest variety, and have a strong flavor, and get flaky as it ages, but also take on a creamy quality.
What Is The Oldest Cheese?
While it is not recommended as it is difficult to regulate for such long periods of time, the age of a cheese can be quite long. Recently a forty year old cheese was uncovered and found to be quite edible and delicious. It was described as crumbly, creamy, and very sharp. The oldest cheese that you will likely find is six to eight years old, which is considered a fine cheese to most. Even twelve to fourteen year old cheeses are not unheard of on the open market.
How Do You Age Cheddar
Most fine cheddars are aged in a sealed boxed, in a carefully regulated environment. However, there are a ton of ways you can age this cheese. It is one of the hardiest against mold and some airborne bacteria. It still cannot last very long in an open environment though. Most commercial cheeses are aged in a refrigerator or temperature controlled room for a short time, then cut and shipped. Personal or fine cheeses may be stored in a cellar or other cheese making room, and may be aged in anything from a wooden box to a sealed high-tech ager.
So What Are The Ages Of Cheddar?
There are three broad names for the ages of cheddar. Mild cheddar is usually aged for no more than two to three weeks, having the smoothest flavor and texture. Medium cheddars are aged for anywhere from four months to as much as nine months, and have a slightly sharper flavor. Medium cheddars are most commonly found in sandwich shops because it is a nice balance in texture between malleable and flaky. Sharp cheddars are the oldest variety, and have a strong flavor, and get flaky as it ages, but also take on a creamy quality.
What Is The Oldest Cheese?
While it is not recommended as it is difficult to regulate for such long periods of time, the age of a cheese can be quite long. Recently a forty year old cheese was uncovered and found to be quite edible and delicious. It was described as crumbly, creamy, and very sharp. The oldest cheese that you will likely find is six to eight years old, which is considered a fine cheese to most. Even twelve to fourteen year old cheeses are not unheard of on the open market.
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