CHEESE

WHAT IS CHEESE?

CHEESE IS A SOLID FOOD MADE FROM

THE MILK OF COWS, GOATS, SHEEP
AND OTHER MAMMALS.
CHEESE IS MADE BY COAGULATING
MILK .
FIRST ACIDIFICATION WITH A
BACTERIAL CULTURE
EMPLOYING AN ENZYME, RENNET TO
COAGULATE THE MILK TO "CURDS AND
WHEY."

ORIGIN

CHEESE IS AN ANCIENT FOOD .

PROPOSED DATES FOR THE ORIGIN
OF CHEESEMAKING IS RANGED FROM
8000 BC TO AROUND 3000 BC.
THE FIRST FACTORY FOR THE
PRODUCTION OF CHEESE WAS
OPENED IN SWITZERLAND IN 1815 .

PRODUCTION

CURDLING
CURD PROCESSING
AGING

CURDLING

CURDLING IS A PROCESS OF
SEPARATING THE MILK INTO SOLID CURDS AND LIQUID WHEY.

THIS IS DONE BY ACIDIFYING THE MILK AND ADDING RENNET.

THIS DONE BY THE ADDITION OF AN ACID LIKE VINEGAR OR

STARTER BACTERIA( LACTOCOCCI, LACTOBACILLI, OR
STREPTOCOCCI FAMILIES).

THESE STARTER BACTERIA CONVERT MILK SUGARS INTO LACTIC

ACID

CURD PROCESSING

AT THIS POINT, THE CHEESE HAS SET INTO

A VERY MOIST GEL .
SOFT CHEESES ARE COMPLETE: THEY ARE
DRAINED, SALTED, AND PACKAGED.
HARD CHEESES ARE THEN HEATED TO
TEMPERATURES IN THE RANGE OF 35C
55C .
THIS FORCES MORE WHEY FROM THE CUT
CURD. IT ALSO CHANGES THE TASTE OF
THE FINISHED CHEESE.

CURD PROCESSING

SOME CHEESES ARE SALTED FROM THE

OUTSIDE WITH DRY SALT OR BRINE
WASHES. MOST CHEESES HAVE THE SALT
MIXED DIRECTLY INTO THE CURDS.
IT PRESERVES CHEESE FROM SPOILING,
DRAWS MOISTURE FROM THE CURD, AND
FIRMS UP A CHEESES TEXTURE IN AN
INTERACTION WITH ITS PROTEINS

CURD PROCESSING

STRETCHING: (MOZZARELLA, PROVOLONE) THE

CURD IS STRETCHED AND KNEADED IN HOT WATER,
DEVELOPING A STRINGY, FIBROUS BODY.
CHEDDARING: (CHEDDAR, OTHER ENGLISH
CHEESES) THE CUT CURD IS REPEATEDLY PILED UP,
PUSHING MORE MOISTURE AWAY. THE CURD IS ALSO
MIXED (OR MILLED) FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME,
TAKING THE SHARP EDGES OFF THE CUT CURD
PIECES AND INFLUENCING THE FINAL PRODUCT'S
TEXTURE.
WASHING: (EDAM, GOUDA, COLBY) THE CURD IS
WASHED IN WARM WATER, LOWERING ITS ACIDITY
AND MAKING FOR A MILDER-TASTING CHEESE.

CURD PROCESSING

MOST CHEESES ACHIEVE THEIR

FINAL SHAPE WHEN THE CURDS ARE
PRESSED INTO A MOLD OR FORM .
THE PRESSURE DRIVES OUT
MOISTURE THE MOLDS ARE
DESIGNED TO ALLOW WATER TO
ESCAPE AND UNIFIES THE CURDS
INTO A SINGLE SOLID BODY.

AGING

CHEESES ARE LEFT TO

REST UNDER CAREFULLY
CONTROLLED
CONDITIONS
THIS AGING PERIOD
(ALSO CALLED
RIPENING, OR, FROM
THE FRENCH, AFFINAGE
LAST FROM A FEW DAYS
TO SEVERAL YEARS .
AS A CHEESE AGES,
MICROBES AND
ENZYMES TRANSFORM
ITS TEXTURE AND
INTENSIFY ITS FLAVOR.

AGING

THE AGING IS THE BREAKDOWN OF

CASEIN PROTEINS AND MILKFAT INTO
AMINO ACIDS, AMINES, AND FATTY ACIDS.
ADDITIONAL BACTERIA OR MOLDS
INTENTIONALLY INTRODUCED INTO SOME
CHEESE BEFORE OR DURING AGING.
THEY ARE SIMPLY ALLOWED TO SETTLE
AND GROW ON THE STORED CHEESES.

VARIETY OF CHEESES

Fresh
Whey
Pasta Filata
Semi-soft
Semi-firm
Hard

Double and
triple cream
Soft-ripened
Blue vein
Goat or sheep
Strong-smelling
Processed

FRESH CHEESE
NAME

SOURCE

COUNTRY

COTTAGE

USA

CREAM

SKIMMED
COWS MILK
FULL MILK

MOZZARELLA

COWS MILK

ITALY

RICCOTA

COWS MILK

ITALY

NEUFCHTEL

USA

ROMANIA

SOFT CHEESE
NAME

SOURCE

COUNTRY

BRIE

COWS MILK

FRENCH

CAMEMBERT

COWS MILK

FRENCH

FETA

GOATS MILK

GREEK

MUNSTER

COWS MILK

FRENCH, WITH
RED ORANGE RIND

LIPTAUER

SHEEP AND
COWS MILK

HUNGARIAN

SEMI HARD CHEESE

NAME

SOURCE

COUNTRY

CHEDDAR

COWS MILK

BRITISH

CHESHIRE

COWS MILK

BRITISH

DERBY

COWS MILK

BRITISH

EDAM

COWS MILK

DUTCH,YELLOW
OR RED WAX
COATING

GOUDA

COWS MILK, SOFT DUTCH,YELLOW

AND MILD .
OR RED WAX
COATING

SEMI HARD CHEESE

NAME

SOURCE

COUNTRY

EMMENTHAL

COWS MILK

SWISS

GRUYERE

COWS MILK
PEA SIZE HOLES

SWISS,FRENCH

GLOUCESTER

COWS MILK

BRITISH

LANCASHIRE

COWS MILK

BRITISH

HARD CHEESE
NAME

SOURCE

COUNTRY

KEFALOTYRI

GREEK

PARMESAN

ITALIAN

CACIOCAVALLO

ITALIAN

BLUE CHEESE
NAME

SOURCE

COUNTRY

BLUE
CHESHIRE
DANISH BLUE

COWS MILK

BRITISH

COWS MILK

DUTCH

GORGONZOLA COWS MILK

ITALY

ROQUEFORT

SHEEPS MILK FRANCE

STILTON

COWS MILK

BRITISH

SERVICE OF CHEESE

CHEESE BOARD IS PRESENTED

WITH VARIED SELECTION OF CHEESE
WRAPPED IN FOIL.
WITH SUFFICIENT CHEESE KNIVES
FOR CUTTING AND PORTIONING.
FOIL ARE REMOVED BEFORE SEVICE
AND RIND REMOVED IF NOT
PLATABLE.

COVER REQUIRED FOR SERVICE

SIDE PLATE
SIDE KNIFE
SWEET FORK (SOMETIMES)

ACCOMPANIMENTS

CRUET SET WITH MUSTARD

BUTTER
CELERY SERVED ON CRUSHED ICE.
RADISHES IN GLASS BOWL WITH
UNDER PLATE AND TEA SPOON.
CASTOR SUGAR FOR CREAM CHEESE
ASSORTED BISCUITS OR BREADS.

ASSORTED CHEESE BISCUITS

CREAM CRACKERS.
RYVITA.
SWEET DIGESTIVE.
WATER BISCUITS ETC.