Cheese

processed cheese

a blend of fresh and aged natural cheeses that have been shredded, mixed, and heated with an addition of an emulsifier salt, after which mo further ripening occurs, as a result many flavors, colors, and textures of processed cheese exist

Semi-soft

a wide variety of cheeses made with whole milk and melt well when cooked; monterery jack, brick, muenster

natural cheese

can be made from milk of cow, goat, sheep, and reindeer. can be made into other products called processed cheese

snack

cheese and crackers, string cheese

sandwich

cheese burger, grilled cheese

cooking principles

cheese is a high protein food- it needs low temps and short periods of time to cook, cooking at too high of temp or for too long of a cooking time- cheese becomes tough, rubbery or string; fat in cheese may separate, cheese that is grated, shredded or cut into small pieces blends and melts quicker

soup

cheese soup

Soft (fresh or ripened)

cheese with high moisture content; cottage cheese, ricotta, mascarparone, cream cheese.

dessert

cheesecake

casserole

cheesy potato

cheese

concentrated form of milk. Milk is coagulated and the curd is separated from the whey

ripened cheese (aged cheese)

contains controlled amounts of bacteria, mold, yeast, or enzymes. during ripening, cheese is stored at specific temperature to develop desired textures and flavors. some cheese becomes softer and more tender; other become hard or crumbly. the flavor or ripened cheese varies from mild to strong. some ripened cheese require longer storage to develop flavor. This is called aging. Cheese is aged anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 years. ex: cheddar cheese, swiss cheese, colby, parmesean, mozzarella.

storing cheese

cover or tightly wrap and refrigerate to prevent drying out and to prevent mold from forming. it will also prevent the spread of odors and flavors. cheese can absorb odors from other foods as well as other foods absorbing cheese odors. if a small mold develops on a block of cheese, cut off about one-half inch into the cheese section and continue to use the cheese.

imitation cheese

has a large portion of the milk fat replaced by veggie oils, may differ in texture and melting characteristics from real cheese

whey

liquid part

appetizer

nachos, mac and cheese, cheese curds

nutrients in cheese

protein, calcium, phosphorus, whole milk cheese are excellent sources of vitamin A, a 1 lb package of cheese contains the protein and fat of about 1 gal of milk.

sauce

queso, beefy nacho cheese

unripened cheese

ready for marketing as soon as the whey has been removed, not allowed to ripen or age, mild in flavor, eaten fresh, spoils most quickly. ex: cream cheese, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese

how can I use cheese in a meal

sauce, salad, casserole, sandwich, dessert, snack, appetizer, soup

cost of cheese

shredded, grated, cubed and sliced cheese costs more, fully-ripened cheeses often cost more than unripened cheese, pasteurized process cheese costs less than ripened cheese, process cheese costs less but is more desirable because it melts quickly

curd

solid part

moisture content of cheeses: soft to hard

the lower the moisture content, the firmer the cheese.

salad

toss, wedge, chef, pasta

Hard

well-aged, easily grated and primarily used in cooking; parmesean, romano and asiago