What Are Some Of the Different Types Of Specialty Cheeses?

There are so many varieties of cheese it's very difficult to not find a kind you like. Often parents can only get their children to eat certain foods if cheese is involved. But maybe you've developed past this taste and want to try some of the artisan or specialty types. Well here's a few you may like to start with.

Most of us have had American, Cheddar, Colby, Monterey Jack, Swiss, Feta and Bleu. But have we all had Brie? If you haven't it's a great place to start. If you have it's a great place to go even more specialty. If you haven't tried Camembert it's a good way to step it up a notch. It's not exactly Brie, but a richer flavored, similar texture. It comes from Normandy and some people say there's a hint of apple to its flavor. It is creamy if you serve at room temp and quite firm if chilled.

Maybe you'd like to try a specialty that doesn't come from France. The Dutch are quite known for making excellent cheeses also. Edam is mild, a little salty and very yummy. It's not far out there in flavor and often quite easy to get a hold of. You can serve with fruit, crackers or bread. Or add it to a sauce to richen the flavor. Another great style that comes from the Dutch is Gouda. This cheese is stronger in flavor and if it's young can be quite creamy. As it ages it tends to become firmer and almost bitter in taste. If you really want to search for unique Gouda, try it made from goat milk. It's white instead of yellow and milder in flavor.

Maybe you've already tried both Dutch and French varieties but haven't had a good German cheese; Limburger could be just your ticket. It's come to be known as one of the stinky kind, but don't let that keep you from tasting this delicious import. It has a flavor that is both creamy and tangy, similar to Brie. The rind is the strong, smelly part of the cheese. If you're not up to it, trim this off. Enjoy with veggies, crackers or a cold stein of German beer!

Whichever specialty is for you make sure to stretch your taste buds and go for something unique and new. You only get to live once, and you might as well try all the cheese the world has to offer!

Cheese Recipe 18: Cheese and Cold Cut Sandwich

This recipe makes enough for about four.


Ingredients:

8 lettuce leaves


8 deli slices of Colby Jack cheese


12 slices whole wheat bread, toasted


½ cup mayonnaise


1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard


½ pound thinly sliced deli ham


8 slices bacon


½ pound thinly sliced smoked deli turkey


8 slices of tomato

Method:

In a small bowl, combine mustard and mayonnaise, mix very well. Spread 1 teaspoon on one side of each slice of bread. To create each sandwich: layer one slice of toast, mayonnaise-mustard mixture side up, 1 leaf of lettuce, 1 slice of cheese, 2 ounces of turkey, 2 ounces of ham, 2 slices of tomato, second slice of toast with the mayonnaise mixture side down. Spread 1 teaspoon on top of this toast and continue layering; cheese, turkey, bacon, lettuce, toast-mayo down. Stick tooth picks in and cut into fours. This is an all-American club!

Alternative Cheeses:

Swiss, Smokey Swiss, Muenster, Provolone, Cheddar, Sharp Cheddar, Gouda

What Type Of Cheese Will Mold the Fastest: Cheddar or Swiss?

You're a cheese-aholic. You've had to face the fact every time you open your refrigerator and see there are so many types of cheese and so much of them that you're running out of room to store leftovers or your veggies. You shuffle items around, toss out stuff that may still be good just to make room for your newest blocks or triangles. Don't worry, you're not alone.

There are heaps of us that can't stand going a single meal without cheese. We buy it in quantities and make sure to hit the store anytime we see a sale. We hide our veggies under it, cover some meats with it and even dunk some fruits in it. Two of my favorite types are Cheddar and Swiss. I love them both because they are easy to find and often quite reasonable in price. I also really enjoy how versatile both cheeses can be and that most people like either or both of them.

One of the things I've noticed in buying in bulk when you hit a big sale is what you're going to do with it. You want to eat some of it before it goes bad (if cheese can go bad) and you don't want to have to waste tons of it by cutting off slabs of mold. So I've wondered which molds faster, Swiss or Cheddar.

Cheddar is a firm cheese with a rich flavor that isn't too strong. Like a lot of your fruits and veggies, the firmer it is the less prone to mold it can be. It's also generally aged longer which can help it keep from molding quickly. Because of this Cheddar wins in the race against the Swiss cheese.

Swiss is a soft cheese full of different sized holes that become veritable live-traps for fungi. Because of all the holes and softer texture you will find that Swiss is going to grow the funk quicker.

Either way, this food is made through a process using mold and because of this some miner amounts can be cut off and then it still be enjoyed. A good way of preventing mold if you've purchased more than your share because of a good deal at the local market is to toss a few blocks in the freezer. This way the next time you go to make a dish and open the fridge, you won't be sent into a panic when you realize you're out of your favorite food!

What Are the Top Five Cheeses Produced in the United States?

There are over 2000 types of cheeses produced in the world and the United States is the largest producer in the world. This is directly tied to milk production and the US is one of the largest milk producers in the world also. In the year 2008 the US produced over 30 percent of the world’s cheeses. They are followed by Germany, France and Italy.

Within the United States there are five states who are the largest producers of cheeses. The top producer is the state of Wisconsin closely followed by California. Then depending on which statistics you are looking at there follows the state of Idaho, New York State, and Minnesota followed by smaller production in a few others. These states produce 72 percent of all cheese produced in the US. That is a lot of the stuff.

The largest product produced is Cheddar and Mozzarella and this is about 60 percent of the US production. This is followed by cream cheese which accounts for approximately eight percent and then Italian style which is approximately nine percent of the product.

There are several types of the product produced. Some places produce regional varieties that don’t travel well. Then there is the artisan or artisanal producers who make small batches by hand generally in a more traditional method. There is a specialty category which generally is a product that has something added to it such as herbs, spices or nuts. For it to be defined as specialty it can only be made in a limited production. The last category is called farmstead which are products that are actually produced on the farm using the farms own milk and other products. The milk whether it be goat, sheep or cow cannot come in from another source.

Much of the product produced in the US are the wax covered blocks that may be Cheddar, Jack, American or Swiss. Different areas of the US produce different types of them including a Blue from Iowa which is made with milk from local area dairy farms instead of the traditional European type made from sheep’s milk. It too is aged in caves after being injected with Penicillum.

There are many different quite small artisan producers from the Pacific to the Atlantic. They will produce traditional product by hand in often very small batches. Some of the artisan products are so popular they sell out year after year.

Are There Any Special Tips For Storing, Using and Enjoying Cheese?

You must remember that cheese is a living and breathing product. It is a product that should be vibrant and alive. Its taste, texture and aroma should be interesting or exciting to the palate. It should be an enjoyable experience to simply eat a piece of cheese with a piece of apple or pear.

When you are serving several different cheeses don’t overwhelm the plate with so many different types that they become confusing and one begins to overwhelm another. You should serve a few different types from several of the different types available. If you have a local store that specializes in this product then you can let them know when you are going to serve the product and they will choose one that will be exactly ready to eat at the time you plan to serve it. That is why there are specialty shops that sell it.

Since some of them have added flavors to them such as herbs or spices you certainly don’t want to serve this type only. Mix a semi-soft like cubed pepper jack which has hot peppers added to it, with a washed rind type that may be made in salt brine that has been flavored with wine or brandy. Then select a mild and sweet bloomy rind like luscious brie that just is melting to be tasted. This way you have flavored with a milder choice. If you are served them in a restaurant you will be served the milder ones before the sharper or more pungent ones. There is a good reason for this. If you eat sharper foods first your taste buds become jaded fast. Then you have little taste for a milder choice and even though it may be in superb condition to eat right now you will not enjoy it.

One thing to remember about the goat milk cheeses is that a very fresh goat milk cheese will actually be quite mild and very good. If you are a person who believes you don’t care for the goat milk flavor try to find one that is very fresh and you may be surprised that you really enjoy it and it won’t have that typical goat milk bite to it.

It is interesting to note that a full wheel of certain cheeses like parmesan will literally last for years. These wheels may weight 70 pounds and the taste changes the longer it’s been cut.