Serves: 5

There’s a great big world of cheese out there. Exploring the varieties of domestic and imported cheeses can be a taste adventure with myriad flavors, textures, colors and shapes to choose from that brings excitement to both eating and cooking.

Legend has it that cheese was "discovered" by an Arab merchant crossing the desert who was pleased to find that the milk he’d carried all day in a pouch had transformed into dinner: thin, watery whey and thick curds. Although cheese making is a little more scientific today, the process is similar.

It’s the different ways milk is processed that accounts for the major differences among cheeses, along with their fat contents. Today you’ll find reduced-fat and low-fat cheeses on the market, and many are just fine for eating. For cooking, keep in mind that lower-fat cheeses don’t melt well they also become rubbery, and the flavor may change.

All cheeses fall into four categories: natural, pasteurized process cheese, cheese food and pasteurized cheese spread.

Kinds of Cheese

Cheeses are made from the milk (whole, skim or sometimes raw) or cream of cows, sheep or goats. The milk is treated with heat, smoke, bacteria or other agents to make it curdle then the curds (solids) are separated from the whey (liquid). The curds may or may not be aged or ripened. Some fresh, or unripened, cheeses are cottage cheese and cream cheese some aged, or ripened, cheeses are Cheddar and Parmesan. Both ripened and unripened cheeses may have ingredients such as herbs, spices and even bits of fruit added. Ripened cheese is processed further by being shaped, coated in wax or colored. Then it’s left to ripen until it reaches its distinct flavor and texture.

Natural cheeses have so many variations--from the kind of milk they’re made from to their flavor and texture to the cheesemaking process used--that categorizing them is difficult.

Pasteurized process cheese is a blend of one or more varieties of natural cheese that is ground and heated. The process stops the ripening, so the flavor doesn’t change and they keep well. American is probably the most famous of these cheeses. Pasteurized process cheese often is flavored with herbs, spices and even bits of fruit, vegetables and meat.

Cheese food is one or more varieties of natural cheeses made without heat (coldpack) or with heat (pasteurized process cheese). Dairy products such as cream, milk, skim milk or whey are added, so cheese food has a higher percentage of moisture than natural or pasteurized process cheese. Cheese food is usually sold in tubs or jars and is often flavored.

Pasteurized cheese spread is similar to pasteurized process cheese except it’s spreadable at room temperature. It’s also higher in moisture and lower in fat than cheese food. One example is cheese in aerosol cans.

Handling and Storing Cheese

For appetizers or snacks, serve ripened cheeses at room temperature to bring out their full flavor. Take the cheese out of the refrigerator, and let stand covered about 30 minutes before serving. Or microwave firm cheese uncovered on Medium-Low (30%) about 30 seconds for 8 ounces of cheese, rotating a half turn after half the time.
Let stand a few minutes before serving.

For cooking, use cheese right from the refrigerator.

To keep cheese from drying out, wrap all cheeses tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then store in the refrigerator. Ripened cheese will continue to age during storage hard cheeses will keep for 3 to 4 weeks, softer cheeses will keep from 1 to 2 weeks. Large pieces tend to keep longer than smaller ones.

Moldy cheese? It looks yucky, but it’s harmless. Before using, trim away 1/2 inch of cheese on all sides of the mold use the remaining cheese as quickly as possible. If mold appears on blue cheese (besides the natural blue veining), throw it out. You can reduce mold growth by changing the wrapping each time you use the cheese.

Unripened cheeses, such as cottage cheese and cream cheese, have a higher water content and are more perishable than hard cheeses. They don’t improve with age and should be used by the use-by date on the package.

Cheeses from very soft to very hard shred easier if they’re cold. Shred cheese right from the refrigerator or put in the freezer for 30 minutes before shredding with a grater or food processor. For very soft cheese, use a grater with large holes, or finely chop it instead.

Mold-ripened or blue-veined cheeses are a little on the sticky and crumbly side. Here’s a cutting tip: Use a length of dental floss or heavy thread. Or freeze them for easier handling.

Most hard cheeses can be frozen, but their texture will change, so crumble or shred thawed cheese as a topping or blend it into other uncooked dishes. Some tips for freezing hard cheeses: Freeze in pieces that are 1/2 pound or less use moistureproof and airtight wrapping freeze at 0° for 2 months thaw frozen cheese in the refrigerator and use as soon as possible after thawing.

Cooking with Cheese

Four ounces of most shredded, crumbled or grated cheese equals l cup.

Two tips for cheese cooking success: Keep cooking temps low keep cooking times short. Cooking on too high a heat and for too long make cheese tough and stringy.
Cheese melts and blends better with other ingredients if you shred it or cut it into small pieces.

Add a cheese topping to casseroles during the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking for perfect melting. When broiling cheese-topped dishes, keep a close eye on them-the cheese melts really fast!

Use cheeses with similar flavor and texture interchangeably.

Cheese microwaves well, but use lower power settings. To soften cream cheese, remove the foil wrapper and microwave uncovered on Medium (50%) until softened: 30 to 45 seconds for a 3-ounce package, 60 to 90 seconds for an 8-ounce one.

Varieties of Natural Cheese
Texture Flavor Use

Very Hard (grating)
Asiago Sharp, slightly fruity Cooking, seasoning
Parmesan Sharp, salty Cooking, pasta, salad, seasoning
Romano Sharp, piquant, salty Cooking, pasta, seasoning

Hard
Cheddar Rich, nutty, from mild to Cooking, dessert, with fruit
full-bodied bite
Cheshire Tangy, salty Cooking, with fruit
Edam, Gouda Milky and nutty to sharp and salty Appetizer, dessert
Gjetost Sweet, fudgelike, caramely with a Sandwich, snack
hint of condensed milk
Gruyère Mellow and buttery with a Cooking, dessert
nutlike flavor
Jarlsberg Slightly sweet, nutty Appetizer, sandwich, cooking
Nökkelost Spiced with cloves, buttery Appetizer, sandwich, cooking
Swiss Mild, very fruity, mouth-tingling tang Appetizer, cooking, dessert,
sandwich

Semisoft
Blue Rich, robust, salty with a lingering Appetizer, dessert, salad
tanginess
Brick From mild and sweet to savory with Appetizer, sandwich
a spicy tang
Colby Mild and milky Cooking, sandwich
Curds Mild and milky, rubbery Appetizer, snack
Feta Very sharp, salty Cooking, salad
Fontina Delicate, nutty with a hint of honey Appetizer, cooking
Gorgonzola Earthy, rich, spicy Dessert, salad
Havarti Creamy, mild, smooth Appetizer, cooking
Monterey Jack Mild to mellow Appetizer, cooking, sandwich
Mozzarella Delicate, vaguely sweet and stringy Appetizer, cooking, pizza
Muenster Strong tasting and smelling, Appetizer, dessert, sandwich
tangy, spicy
Port du Salut Nutty, almost meaty Appetizer, dessert, sandwich
Provolone Creamy, firm, slightly smoky Cooking, sandwich
Reblochon Mild with flavor of fresh-crushed Appetizer, dessert
walnuts
Roquefort Rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture with a Appetizer, dessert, salad
clean, sharp, lingering tang
Stilton Rich, spicy with a blended flavor of blue Dessert, salad, snack
and Cheddar cheeses
Taleggio Full-bodied, creamy with a hint of Appetizer, cooking
asparagus
Soft
Bel Paese Rich, sweet, creamy, robust Cooking, dessert
Boursin Mild, rich, often seasoned with herbs Appetizer
or pepper
Brie Mild, creamy, slight flavor of mushrooms Appetizer, dessert
Bucheron Mild, fresh, tangy Cooking, dessert
Camembert Creamy, slightly tangy, earthy Appetizer, dessert,
sandwich
Cottage, dry or creamed Very bland, sometimes flavored Cooking, salad
Cream Rich, slightly tangy Appetizer, dessert, salad
Farmer Mild, fresh with a faintly sour tinge Cooking
Liederkranz Full-flavored, pungent, almost honeylike Appetizer, dessert
consistency
Limburger Tangy, gamy and strong-smelling Appetizer, snack
Mascarpone Very soft, mild, sweet, almost like Dessert
whipped cream
Montrachet Creamy, fresh, mildly tangy Appetizer, cooking
Neufchâtel Mild, rich with a hint of salt Appetizer, dessert, salad,
spread
Ricotta Bland, slightly sweet Cooking, dessert, pasta


From "Betty Crocker's Complete Cookbook, Everything You Need to Know to Cook Today, 9th Edition." Text Copyright 2000 General Mills, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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