How Mold Helps Cheese

When most people think of mold, they picture something unwanted that is growing on their food. Most of the time, if your food has mold on it, you will have to throw it out or cut off the moldy bit. On cheese, however, mold is not always a bad thing, depending on the type of mold it is. In reality, both mold and bacteria are crucial to cheesemaking, but they are particular types of these substances. In many cases, people will refer to them as beneficial mold and bacteria to avoid confusion.

Bacteria In Cheese

Before understanding the relationship between mold and cheese, it helps to know about the role of bacteria in cheese. In reality, your favorite types of cheese (like mozzarella and cheddar) use beneficial bacteria to develop their texture and taste. The bacteria found in most cheese comes from the lactose found in milk. These bacteria are then cultured to grow and it is this process which creates the cheese we enjoy eating.

Blue Cheese

Although bacteria and mold are not the same thing, they are closely related and if there are beneficial bacteria, it stands to reason that there is also beneficial mold. This is most commonly found in blue cheese and in fact, all of the blue veins on the cheese are areas of mold growth. All of the mold found within blue cheese was developed by encouraging Penicillium bacteria to grow. It is usually introduced right after curds are put into containers where they drain and create a wheel of cheese, although other cheese that include the purposeful growth of mold may add the Penicillium bacteria at a different point.

Encouraging Mold Growth

If you take a look at your favorite blue cheese, you will notice that the blue segments appear in veins. These are the result of needling, the process in which wheels of (soon-to-be) blue cheese are pierced by a machine or by hand, creating many tiny openings. These openings give air a path to enter the cheese where it feeds the mold, allowing it to grow and create green or blue veins that give the blue cheese their name.

The mold which is most commonly added to blue cheese is known as Penicillium Roqueforti and gets its name from Roquefort, French. This town has many caves where Penicillium mold spores naturally occur. As such, it is no surprise that the blue cheese made from these spores, known as Roquefort, originated in the town.

Getting Creative With Macaroni And Cheese

Macaroni and cheese is a delicious meal or side dish and is incredibly easy to make. You can buy boxed mixes that include the noodles and a cheese mixture, probably with a bunch of artificial flavors or you can make your own macaroni and cheese from scratch. Whenever you choose to make it from scratch, you will end up with a more flavorful, and probably nutritious, dish. Whether you are using your favorite mix or making your mac and cheese from your favorite recipe, there are plenty of ways to take this simple dish and make it exciting.

Changing The Cheese

Typically, people will make macaroni and cheese with cheddar or American cheese. If you want to get creative, you can either swap these cheeses out for another one or add in a few of your favorites. Just be sure that you pick a cheese that will actually melt. Cheeses which are known for their ability to melt in a smooth and flowing manner include Cheddar, Asiago, Muenster, Gouda, blue cheese, Monterey Jack, Harvati, Gruyere, Fontina, Emmentaler, and soft-ripened cheeses, but remember that the rind of cheese won’t melt so if you are using Camembert or Brie, you should remove it first.

Changing The Noodle

When most people think of mac and cheese, they picture a hearty dish featuring elbow macaroni. While that is a great option, you can actually use any type of noodle you want. Try to stick to smaller noodles, although if you are really adventurous you could try spaghetti. Most people, however, would recommend sticking to options like rotini, penne, shells, cavatappi, farfalle, campanelle, or orecchiette. If you want to make a truly interesting dish to show off your creativity, combine some of your favorite types of noodles.

Adding Extra Ingredients

To truly let the creativity flow when making macaroni and cheese, try throwing in some extra ingredients. Cut up hot dogs are a popular option, but you can also make classy combinations of macaroni and cheese, including ones that would impress at an adult dinner party. If you want to make your dish with blue cheese, try throwing in some buffalo sauce and smoked chicken. Or to give your dish an Italian flair, make it with mozzarella cheese, basil, roasted tomato, and roasted garlic. An upscale option would be to take a basic macaroni and cheese with Swiss cheese and add parsley, bacon, and mussels. When it comes to adding ingredients or coming up with combinations, simply think of your favorite cheese dish and then try mixing some of those ingredients to create macaroni and cheese that is reminiscent of that plate.

Delicious Variations Of Baked Brie

Brie is one of the most popular cheeses as it makes for a very elegant dish. You simply pop it in the oven for a little bit and you are ready to serve a delicious, gooey cheese that is perfect for any cheese tasting party, snack, dinner, or even dessert. While plain Brie is delicious, so are these more creative ways to serve it.

With Fruit

One of the easiest ways to vary your baked brie is to add a bit of fruit to it, either before or after you bake it. Try adding some cranberries and figs to the top of the Brie before popping it into the oven. Or you can top it with cold figs (and honey) after it comes out of the oven. Other fruity flavors that go well with baked Brie include strawberries, blueberries, and pears.

With Nuts

Another great choice is to add some nuts to the Brie. Usually when you add nuts, however, you will also want to add some sort of liquid or moist topping, such as a pecan praline sauce. You can also top the Brie with a bit of pumpkin butter and then sprinkle walnuts on top of it or sprinkle on pecans after adding maple syrup.

With Condiments

Brie is the perfect shape to hold a bit of liquid, which means it is incredibly easy to add condiments to the top of it to create your own variation. Any liquid from compote to maple syrup to honey will do well. One of the best types of condiments, however, is jelly as this is easy to find and comes in limitless flavors.

With Savory Flavors

If you don’t want to add a bit of sweetness to your Brie, you can also bake it with some savory ingredients. Try baking in some thyme and sundried tomatoes or mushrooms. This option is easy as the cheese will naturally melt right around the mushrooms, keeping them in place.

With Crust

To change the presentation of your Brie a bit, you can also give it an edible crust with your favorite puffed pastry or phyllo dough. If you are really ambitious, try stuffing the Brie inside a vegetable before baking it. Artichokes work very well for this as they will create a natural and edible serving bowl for the Brie.

On A Stick

If you want to turn baked Brie into a pre-portioned and portable appetizer, then consider baking it onto a stick. This may sound odd at first, but it is actually fairly simple and only involves wrapping the Brie (and maybe some jam or other ingredients) in pastry dough in bite-sized pieces and inserting a stick for portability.

Where To Find The Best Gourmet Cheese

A trip to your local store can make it incredibly easy to find cheese, but that is only true if you are looking for run-of-the-mill mass produced options. While the local grocery store is the perfect place to get standard cheddar cheese, if you want to try something truly amazing, such as gourmet cheese, you will probably have to look a little harder. It is possible to find gourmet cheese in your supermarket, but you would have to be incredibly lucky and shop at a high-end grocery store.

Any Store With Knowledgeable Staff

If you are looking for gourmet cheese, chances are that you will find it at any cheese retailer that has knowledgeable staff. This is true of both stores that specialize only in cheese and those that sell other products as well, such as wine. Typically speaking, those who know all of the intricacies of cheese and its production will want to work in a place that sells the best products. Whether it is a physical or online store, if there is a cheese expert on hand, there are probably at least several gourmet options to select from.

Specialty Retail Stores

Depending on where you live, you may be lucky enough to have a quality specialty cheese retailer near to you. Not all cheese shops will have gourmet cheese or even the highest quality offerings. That being said, it is worth checking out your local stores to see their selection and ask for a sample. As the best gourmet cheese will usually be more expensive, try to seek out slightly fancier stores, although you may find some amazing gourmet cheese at affordable retailers as well.

Online Specialty Retailers

Perhaps the best place to find high quality gourmet cheese is from online specialty retailers. They tend to offer a better selection as well as more affordable prices because their upfront and monthly maintenance costs are much lower. Look for an online retailer that focuses on cheese as their main product, although some will also sell other related items, such as packaged gourmet meat, such as salami sold in packages with cheese. The retailer should have a wide selection and in many cases, you will find the best gourmet cheeses at retailers that offer cheese for all budgets.

Farmer’s Markets

If you are lucky enough to have a local farmer’s market, go check it out. You will probably find at least one stand with artisanal cheese and although that is not necessarily gourmet, it will be fairly close. This cheese will be fresh and typically made right at home with the same attention and care given to gourmet cheese. You may even luck out and find true gourmet cheese at the market.

Why Cheese Curds Make Great Gifts

If you are having problems finding the perfect holiday present for someone, consider cheese curds. Although not everyone has heard of this particular type of cheese, they are delicious and can quickly become a favorite. Whether your gift recipient has had cheese curds in the past or never tried them before, here are just some of the reasons they will be sure to appreciate this particular gift.

They’re Versatile

To start off, cheese curds are incredibly versatile. Because each curd is a bite sized piece, they are a delicious and easy-to-transport snack when standing alone. You can still eat them with crackers like any other cheese or sprinkle them on a salad. They are even the star of the classic Quebec dish poutine that features fries, cheese curds, and gravy. The options for eating cheese curds are truly limitless.

Lots Of Flavors

Standard cheese curds are cheddar, but you can also get them in many other flavors. This means that you can give someone a gift of multiple different types of cheese curds so they can find their favorite. It also gives you the chance to select a flavor that you know they will love. Just some flavors you will find (in addition to plain cheddar) are Italian, garlic, ranch and chive, onion and chive, buffalo wing, habanero ranch, bacon and chive, taco, cajun, garlic and dill, bacon and horseradish, dill, and jalapeno. With all those choices, you will find something that your gift recipient will enjoy.

A New Experience

It may seem odd to give someone the gift of cheese curds, especially if they haven’t had them before, but in reality, that is part of the gift. You are giving your friend or family member the chance to try something new. Because cheese curds are typically found in particular areas of the country, if you live somewhere else and don’t give them as a present, he or she may never try them in their lifetime. You are not only giving them a delicious treat, but also a once in a lifetime experience.

Fun To Eat

If you have ever eaten cheese curds then you know that compared to standard cheese, they are pretty fun to eat. This comes down to their unusual shape as well as the fact that they squeak when they come in contact with your teeth enamel. That is something you can’t say about most types of cheese, meaning that only cheese curds offer this particular aspect that makes them fun to eat.