LESSON 1: KNOW YOUR BASICS

Understanding the basics of how cheese is made and the main types of cheese are fundamental to the successful execution and service level of any specialty cheese department. Let’s get started.

Cheese 101

Ingredients – the first step to understanding cheese is to look at the ingredients that every cheese has in common.

Milk

• The quality of the cheese will never surpass the quality of the milk it is made from, only the freshest, highest quality milk must be used to make quality cheese.
• Milk may be left unpasteurized to preserve flavor-enhancing bacteria, or the milk may be pasteurized to kill off bacteria so that isolated strains may be added to produce a more consistent cheese.
• Cheese milk may come from several species of ruminants, including cows, goats, sheep and water buffalo.
• The species and breed determine the particular qualities of the milk (total volume and percentage of mild solids.
  
  

Cultures

• Particular strains of good flavor-producing bacteria are added to fresh milk.
• Cultures consume the milk sugars (lactose) and produce lactic acid, making the milk more acidic, causing the protein and fat in the milk to curdle, or clump together, and separate from the water (whey) portion of the milk.
• They are usually in the form of freeze-dried powders and are suited to producing particular flavors and designed for use in particular types of cheese.
• They are often used in conjunction with one another in proprietary blends to make for a dairy’s distinctive cheese flavor.
  
  

Rennet

• An enzyme used to help coagulate (change to a solid or semi solid state) the liquid milk into solid curd.
• Traditionally derived from the fourth stomach of an un-weaned ruminant (calf, kid, lamb, etc.)
• Modern rennet can also be derived from vegetarian sources (molds, spores, plants)

Salt

• Functions as a preservative.
• Drives out moisture from the curd (the drier the curd, the longer keeping the cheese).
• Helps the cheese form a rind.
  
  

Cheese Types 

Fresh

• The simplest of all cheeses.
• Un-ripened or only slightly ripened.
• May be drained of most or some of its liquid or not.
• May be molded into a form or scooped from a container.
• Meant to be eaten as close to the day it was made as possible.
• Examples: cottage cheese, farmers cheese, fromage blanc, chevre, Mascarpone, cream cheese, ricotta.
  
  

Soft-Ripened

• Uses particular strains of penicillium mold that is added to the milk or sprayed onto the molded curd surface.
• These types of cheese encourage the growth of edible surface mold.
• The mold will break down the fat and protein in the cheese, softening and ripening it from outside inward.
• Examples: Brie, Camembert, Triple Cream.
  
  

Washed Rind

• Uses a particular strain of bacteria that is added to the milk and/or washed onto the molded curd surface.
• The bacteria give these cheeses a sticky, often gritty and orange exterior.
• The bacteria produce a strong odor and flavor typical of this type of cheese.
• Examples: Taleggio, Epoisses, Munster, Limburger.

Uncooked & Un-pressed Curd

• Curd is not cooked, which would result in protein contraction and moisture expulsion.
• Instead, curd is drained of moisture more slowly over time.
• Curd is not pressed, which would result in a great expulsion of moisture.
• Instead, curd is allowed to knit more slowly by force of gravity and the cheese’s own weight.
• This results in a moist cheese with a more open texture.
• Examples: Cheddar, Manchego.

Cooked & Pressed Curd

• Curd is heated in its own whey or in whey mixed with water to push out extra water.
• Curd is then pressed to push out extra water and push curd particles together to form a more cohesive, well “knit” curd.
• These cheeses tend to be the driest and longest keeping cheeses.
• Examples: Parmesan, Gouda, Gruyere.

Blue-veined

• Specific strains of penicillium are added to the milk or mixed with the fresh curd.
• Will bloom into blue mold on contact with oxygen which breaks down the curd’s protein and fat to ripen the cheese inside out.
• Examples: Stilton, Gorgonzola, Roquefort.

Processed

• Natural cheese combined with fats, emulsifiers, flavorings, and/or stabilizers.
• Meant to enhance flavor, shelf-stability or meltability.
• Examples: Laughing Cow, Kraft Singles, Velveeta.
  
  

The Cheese-Buying Customer

Identifying the four main types of cheese customers is an important first step to providing excellent customer service.

Buying cheese for a recipe

• Usually requires a cheese with specific qualities to contribute the appropriate flavor/texture to a finished dish.
• Important to know the dish and understand how the cheese is supposed to perform in it so that you can suggest appropriate substitutions if necessary.
• Can use less expensive varieties because they are only playing a supporting role.
• Examples: ricotta for lasagna, mozzarella for pizza, Gruyere for fondue or souffle, Cheddar for Welsh rarebit.
  
  

Buying cheese for the table

• Cheese is featured as a garnish for a dish.
• Cheeses offered as a course in a meal or the meal itself.
• Choose high quality cheese, based on flavor alone.
  
  

Buying cheese as a staple

• Cheese as a snack or component in everyday meals.
• Choose modestly priced cheeses.
• Convenience is king (pre-sliced, proportioned).
  
  

Buying cheese for celebration (such as a cheese board)

• Choose formats where the customer can purchase the whole form of cheese (small petite formats to a large wheel for presentation).
• Choose high quality cheese, based on flavor alone.
• Offers contrast in flavor and texture.
• Limit the number of varieties – 3 or 5 selections is best.
  
  

Finding Out What the Customer Wants – once you know what type of cheese customer you have, now you need to help them narrow the choices.

• Ask simple questions and offer simple choices (i.e. “Would you like a soft, spreadable cheese or a hard cheese you can slice?” “Would you like a cheese with a milder flavor or a strong flavor?”)
• Find out what they’ve tried before that they really enjoyed.
• Ask them if there are any types of cheese they tend to not like.
• If possible, give them samples!