CHEESE

Contents

• History and origin of cheese.• Methods of manufacturing

cheese.• Countries manufacturing

cheese.• Countries exporting cheese.• Different types of cheese.• Accompaniments of cheese.•

•

History and origin of cheese

• Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate recorded history. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheese making originated, either in Europe, Central Asia or the Middle East, but the practice had spread within Europe prior to Roman times.

• The earliest archeological evidence of cheese making has been found in Egyptian tomb murals, dating to about 2000 BCE. The earliest cheeses were likely to have been quite sour and salty, similar in texture to rustic cottage cheese, a crumbly, flavorful Greek cheese.

• Cheese produced in Europe, where climates are cooler than the Middle East, required less salt for preservation. With less salt and acidity, the cheese became a suitable environment for useful microbes and molds, giving aged cheeses their respective flavors.

Manufacture of cheese

• Curdling - A required step in cheese making is separating the milk into solid curds and liquid whey. Usually this is done by acidifying (souring) the milk and adding rennet. The acidification can be accomplished directly by the addition of an acid like vinegar in a few cases (paneer, queso fresco), but usually starter bacteria are employed instead. These starter bacteria convert milk sugars into lactic acid. The same bacteria (and the enzymes they produce) also play a large role in the eventual flavor of aged cheeses. Most cheeses are made with starter bacteria from the Lactococci, Lactobacilli, or Streptococci families. Swiss starter cultures also include Propionibacter shermani, which produces carbon dioxide gas bubbles during aging, giving Swiss cheese its holes (called “eyes"). Some fresh cheeses are curdled only by acidity, but most cheeses also use rennet, in general, softer, smaller, fresher cheeses are curdled with a greater proportion of acid to rennet than harder, larger, longer-aged varieties.

. Curd Processing

, . At this point the cheese has set into a very moist gel Some soft : , , cheeses are now essentially complete they are drained salted

. , and packaged For most of the rest the curd is cut into small. cubes This allows water to drain from the individual pieces of

. curd Some hard cheeses are then heated to temperatures in the – ° ( – ° ).. range of 35 55 C 95 131  F It changes the taste of the

, finished cheese affecting both the bacterial culture and the . milk chemistry Cheeses that are heated to the higher

temperatures are usually made with thermophilic starter bacteria that survive this step either lactobacilli  or streptococci. . Salt has roles in cheese besides adding a salty flavor It

, , preserves cheese from spoiling draws moisture from the curd and ’ . firms cheese s texture in an interaction with its proteins Some

cheeses are salted from the outside with dry salt or brine. . washes Most cheeses have the salt mixed directly into the curds

Most cheeses achieve their final shape when the curds are pressed . , into a mold or form The harder the cheese the more pressure is

. , applied The pressure drives out moisture the molds are designed , to allow water to escape and unifies the curds into a single

solid body

.Ripening , A newborn cheese is usually salty yet bland in flavor and for

, . harder varieties rubbery in texture These qualities are , — sometimes enjoyed cheese curds are eaten on their own but

. normally cheeses are left to rest under controlled conditions ( , , This aging period also called ripening or from the

,French  affinage) . lasts from a few days to several years As a , cheese ages microbes and enzymes transform texture and

. intensify flavor This transformation is largely a result of the breakdown of casein proteins and milkfat into a complex mix

, , .of amino acids  amines and fatty acids Some cheeses have additional bacteria or molds intentionally

. , introduced before or during aging In traditional cheese making ; these microbes might be already present in the aging room they

. are simply allowed to settle and grow on the stored cheeses , , More often today prepared cultures are used giving more

consistent results and putting fewer constraints on the . environment where the cheese ages These cheeses include soft

ripened cheeses such as Brie and Camembert, blue cheeses suchas Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola, - and rind washed cheeses suchas  .Limburger

.Packing of cheese ( : )Hard Cheeses Dutch Half harde kazen en Goudse kazen . Gouda cheeses are fairly forgiving to many conditions Cut parts of Gouda / . cheese are therefore mostly vacuum packed in PE PA bags The vacuum package retards the growth of spoilage organisms and stops contamination

- . . from out side The resulting shelf life is about 10 weeks Vacuum packed , hard cheeses are compact products having logistical benefits over more

- - . -spacious top sealed MA packages On the other hand the top sealed 

- MA packages have a more , attractive appearance which can

. enhance sales  Recent developments in material

technology have made it possible - to manufacture bio degradable

vacuum bags with almost comparable properties and performance as the conventional

. vacuum bags Processed hard ( , cheese such as grated sliced

) and cut in pieces is more demanding with respect to the. packaging These cheese products

can benefit significantly from- .MA package concepts

Surface moulded cheeses such as Camembert and Brie are respiring. products The respiration depends strongly on the age of the cheese

. and hence the development stage of the surface moulds The vitality of the surface mould depends strongly on the applied conditions in .the supply chain and the microclimate inside the package The technology of equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging ( -E MAP)

allows the ideal storage microclimate for these cheeses to be . approached inside the package

For a successful implementation a close match between the

respiration rate of the cheese and the film permeability is

required under supply chain . realistic conditions This technology can offer large shelf

. life extensions of several weeks The exact shelf life depends

strongly on the nature of the; - product two three weeks is , feasible for cut cheeses whereas

six weeks is possible for whole. cheeses

( : ) Internal moulded cheeses Dutch Blauwschimmelkazen Internal ( , ) moulded cheeses such as Roquefort Danish Blue are slowly respiring. cheeses They are fairly tolerant to the conditions of storage and hence

, many packaging technologies can be applied to  control their quality : - . such as vacuum packaging and MA packaging Important criteria for the choice of a package are the softness of the cheese and the respiration

. - . , rate Very soft internal moulded cheeses can best be MA packaged Since . vacuum packaging could result in liquefying the cheese Good packaging , concepts can extend the shelf life for many weeks strongly depending on

.the nature of the product

( : )Smear coat cheeses Dutch Roodbacteriekazen (The quality of smear coated cheeses Port Salut , Kernhem , Münster) is

( strongly dependant on the vitality of the surface culture often Brevibacterium Linens), which is related to the relative humidity inside the

. package  

A high controlled humidity prohibits the growth of competing organisms such as

. , moulds Therefore the technology of Modified

Humidity Packaging is well suited for this type of soft. cheese A shelf life of six to

. ten weeks can be obtained

( : )Fresh and cream cheeses Dutch verse roomkazen (Fresh cheeses Mon Chou , Hüttenkase) . are very sensitive to dehydration

, Therefore they need to be protected from moisture loss by barrier. packages Moreover light and oxygen can also result in quality

. deterioration Hence some of these cheeses are packed under low oxygen , - -conditions in barrier packages such as top sealed MA packages

Countries manufacturing cheeseTop cheese producers(1,000 metric tons)

United States 4,275 (2006)

Germany 1,927 (2008)

France 1,884 (2008)

Italy 1,149 (2008)

Netherlands 732 (2008)

Poland 594 (2008)

Brazil 495 (2006)

Egypt 462 (2006)

Argentina 425 (2006)

Australia 395 (2006)

, , ; The biggest exporter of cheese by monetary value is France , ( ). the second Germany although it is first by quantity Among , , , the top ten exporters only Ireland New Zealand the

Netherlands and Australia have a cheese production that is : %, %, %, % mainly export oriented respectively 95 90 72 and 65 of

. % their cheese production is exported  Only 30 of French, , . production the world's largest exporter is exported The

, , United States the biggest world producer of cheese is a , marginal exporter as most of its production is for the .domestic market

( ) – . . Top cheese exporters Whole Cow Milk only 2004 value in U S$ France , ,2 658 441 Germany , ,2 416 973 Netherlands , ,2 099 353 Italy , ,1 253 580 Denmark , ,1 122 761 Australia ,643 575 

New Zealand ,631 963 Belgium ,567 590 Ireland ,445 240 

United Kingdom ,374 156

Top consumers of cheese - Top cheese consumers 2009

( ) Total cheese consumption kg per capita per year  .Greece 11 0  .France 22 6  .Iceland 25 4  .Germany 31 1 

. .Switzerland 21 41 Italy 21 0  .Finland 26 1  .Austria 17 4 

.Sweden 18 9  .Netherlands 10 8 

.Czech Republic 16 7  .Norway 15 3  .United States 14 8  .Canada 12 3  .United Kingdom 10 9 

.Australia 12 0  .Argentina 11 3 

. Poland 9 8

Types of cheese Cheese can be classified into various categories

.depending on its texture.1 Hard cheese.2 Semi soft cheese.3 Soft cheese.4 Blue cheese

.1 Hard cheese2.

. Harder cheeses have a lower moisture content than softer cheeses They are generally packed into molds under more pressure and aged for a longer

time

) » «1   Abbaye du Mont des Cats   " ". This cheese requires the same production methods as Port du Salut It has been produced in the north of France since 1890 by the monks from an abbey ( ). , near the town of Godewaersvelde meaning God's plain It is made in a small

. independent dairy with milk from neighboring farms In Flanders it is . ( ) sometimes eaten as a breakfast cheese with coffee Affinage maturing takes

a minimum of one month and during this period the cheese is washed in ( ), salted water and dyed with rocou a South American bush plant a

. , , reddish derivative from annatto seeds The pâté is hard uncooked pressed .and has small holes

: Country France: Milk cow milk

: Texture hard : Fat content %50

) » «2   Zamorano   , Famous Spanish cheese usually produced in the . shape of drum The cheese is very similar to

, . Castelanno and Manchego but is less grainy The . cheese has a natural rind covered in gray mould

The flavor has a hint of burnt caramel and . buttery taste of sheep's milk Zamorano is used

as a table cheese and it ripens in three to nine.months

: Country , Spain : Milk , ewe milk : Texture ,hard : Fat content %50

) » «3   Berkswell  , , , , Modern farmhouse unpasteurized vegetarian hard . cheese made from sheep's milk It has a flattened

. - round shape The deep russet red natural rind bears the intricate marks of the basket mould in which it

. , , is made It is used as a table cheese for grating . but also in soups The cheese is sold at around four

, , , months when the hard crusty ridged rind has an . aroma of lanolin and damp wool The cheese is hard

, . and chewy almost granular Each bite reveals more of - , its complex flavors roasted nuts caramelized

.onions and meadow flowers with prickly tang: Country , England : Milk , ewe milk : Texture Hard

:Fat content %48

) » «4   Bra  , , Traditional unpasteurized hard cheese which has a

. round shape The cheese is named after place where it . . was originally sold There exist two types of Bra The

, traditional hard version that ripens for three to six. . months The color darkens and the flavor intensifies

, , The other type is sold young at 45 days when the . paste is still soft This version is made from

. , pasteurized milk Bra is used as a table cheese but . also for grating and melting

: Country , Italy : Milk , cow milk : Texture hard

) » «5   Caerphilly  , , , Traditional farmhouse unpasteurized vegetarian

. -cheese made from cow's milk It usually has a wheel - . shape with ivory white rind dusted with fine flour As

, the cheeses are aged in a moist cellar the white and . gray moulds become thicker and more leathery This

" ". cheese is known as the crumblies These cheeses . originate from South and West Wales It was first made

. , in Caerphilly in about 1830 When young Caerphilly has , . a fresh taste the texture is moist yet supple With

maturity the edges become creamy and the flavor .becomes more rounded: Country , Wales : Milk , cow milk : Texture Hard Fat: content %48

Semi soft cheese)1 -Port Salut .

Port Salut - is a semi soft pasteurised cow's milk , , cheese from Mayenne France with a distinctive orange . crust and a mild flavour The cheese is produced in ( ) , disks approximately 23 cm 9 inches in diameter

( ).weighing approximately 2 kg 5 lb , Though Port Salut has a mild flavour it sometimes

. has a strong smell because it is a mature cheese The — smell increases the longer the cheese is kept this . however does not affect its flavour It can be

refrigerated and is best eaten within two weeks of.opening

) 2 MunsterMunster or -Munster géromé , is a

, strong tasting soft cheese made mainly , from milk from the Vosges between, - Alsace Lorraine and Franche Comté in.France

The name munster may come from the , , little town of Munster where among , Vosgian abbeys and monasteries the cheese was conserved and matured in .monk's cellars

) 3 Havarti (or Cream Havarti Fløde Havarti in) - . Danish is a semi soft Danish cow's milk cheese It is

, , . a table cheese that can be sliced grilled or melted Havarti cheese was initially created by Hanne Nielsen

who operated an experimental farm calledHavarthigaard, , , in Øverød north of Copenhagen in the

- .. - mid 19th century Havarti is an interior ripened , -cheese that is rindless smooth and slightly bright surfaced with a cream to yellow colour depending on

.. type Havarti has a buttery aroma and can be somewhat , sharp in the stronger varieties much like Swiss. , cheese The taste is buttery and from somewhat sweet

, . to very sweet and it is slightly acidic It is , typically aged about three months on ageing it

. becomes more salty and taste like hazelnut

, Fresh mozzarella is generally white but may vary seasonally to slightly yellow depending on the

. - . animal's diet It is a semi soft cheese Due to its , high moisture content it is traditionally served , the day it is made but can be kept in brine for up , - to a week or longer when sold in vacuum sealed

. - packages Low moisture mozzarella can keep , -refrigerated for up to a month though some pre

- shredded low moisture mozzarella is sold with a . shelf life of up to 6 months Mozzarella of several , kinds are also used for most types of pizza, lasagna or served with sliced tomatoes and basil in .Insalata caprese

) 4 Mozzarella

Colby , Colby is similar to Cheddar but does not undergo the

. , , cheddaring process Colby is a softer moister and milder cheese than Cheddar because it is produced - . through a washed curd process Colby is considered

- ( - ). - semi hard Sans kendrall The washed curd process , means that during the cooking time the whey is

; , replaced by water this reduces the curd's acidity . resulting in Colby's characteristically mild flavor

, Like most other cheeses it takes a little more than . . ( a U S gallon of milk to produce just 1 pound just

) . over 8 liters for a kilogram of cheese Monterey Jack cheese is produced almost , . identically as Colby but is uncolored and softer

Longhorn is the best known style of the American . (" " Colby cheeses Longhorn cheese refers to a mild Cheddar or Colby cheese made into a long orange. cylinder Now available in both its original shape

.) and also in rectangles and half rounds Colby should . . not be aged Colby dries out quickly Colby cheeses - . are typically sold in half rounds Pinconning cheese .is a sharp aged relative of Colby cheese

Soft cheese)1 Brie : -Brie may be produced from whole or semi

. skimmed milk The curd is obtained by adding rennet to raw milk and heating it to a

° ( . ° ). maximum temperature of 37 C 98 6 F The cheese , is then cast into molds sometimes with a

" traditional perforated ladle called a pelle à". brie The 20 cm mold is filled with several thin layers of cheese and drained for approximately

. 18 hours The cheese is then taken out of the, , molds salted inoculated with

(cheese mold  Penicillium candidum or  Penicilliumcamemberti) /and or  Brevibacterium linens, and aged

.in a cellar for at least four to five weeks : Country , France : Milk , cow milk : Texture soft

: Fat content % 45 : Recommended Wine Bourgogne

) , 2 A very famous French cheese Camembert dates back to the 18th century and is named for a Norman village in

which there is a statue of the creator of this particular ( ). , variety Marie Harel Originally this cheese was dry and

- , yellow brown but after a few modifications it became . softer and more earthy In 1855 one of Marie Harel's

, daughters presented Napoleon with a piece of that cheese . saying that it came from village called Camembert He liked

it a lot and from that moment Camembert became known by . , its contemporary name At the beginning of its ripening

Camembert is crumbly and soft and gets creamier over time( - ). usually 2 3 weeks A genuine Camembert has a delicate

.salty taste : Country , France : Milk , cow milk : Texture Soft : Fat content % 45 : Recommended Wine . , St Emilion

St Estephe

) 3» «  Bouyssou  

French cheese of rectangular shape made from cow's. milk This cheese is only produced by the farmers in . the Averyron region of France It matures in freshly

, . ground wood ashes The taste is characteristic of the arid land and tender fruits of the south of

. France The period of ripening is about three weeks .and it tastes delicious with a glass of red wine

: Country , France : Milk , cow milk : Texture soft : Recommended Wine Marcillac Rouge

) 4 »  Mascarpone «   , , , , A soft white fresh vegetarian cream cheese from the

. , Lombardy region of southern Italy In fact it is not cheese , at all but rather the result of a culture being added to the

, cream skimmed off the milk used in the production of. , , , Parmesan It is however described as a curd cheese although

. it is made in much the same way as yogurt To make ( Mascarporne cheese tartaric acid natural vegetable acid

) . derived from the seed of the tamarind tree is needed After , , the culture has been added the cream is gently heated then

. - , allowed to mature and thicken This whitish to straw yellow, , creamy mild fresh cheese is compact but supple and

, spreadable and it is added to famous Italian desserts . sometimes accompanied by cognac Frequently it is used for

. the preparation of certain dishes and sauces It takes only a . few days to ripen and has a fat content of 75 per cent

: Country , Italy : Milk , cow milk : Texture , Soft Fat: content %75

) » «5   Ricotta  

, , . Traditional creamery whey cheese made from cow's milk - , It is a basin shaped cheese pure white and wet but not

. , sticky Good Ricotta should be firm not solid and , , , consist of a mass of fine moist delicate grains . , neither salted nor ripened It is white creamy and mild

. and is primarily used as an ingredient in lasagna It is primarily made with cow's milk whey which is heated to

. 170 degrees F Citric acid is added to encourage destabilization and separation and the temperature is

. quickly raised to 185 degrees F Proteins from the whey ; ( ) separate rise and coagulate the proteins lactalbumin

are skimmed off and put in a wicker basket to drain for " " . two days after which the cheese is ready for market

: There are three distinct varieties of ricotta ricotta ( ), salata moliterna ewe's milk whey ricotta piemontese

( + % ) ( cow's milk whey 10 milk and ricotta romana a ).byproduct of Romano cheese production

Country: ItalyMilk: cow milkTexture: softRecommended Wine: Muscadet Sauvignon Blanc

Bluecheese

" ". Roquefort is considered as the King of cheeses It has a . tingly pungent taste and ranks among blue cheeses Only

the milk of specially bred sheep is used and is ripened . - in limestone caverns It has the cylinder shape with

, , . , sticky pale ivory natural rind Ripe Roquefort is creamy , -thick and white on the inside and have a thin burnt . orange skin The ripening of the cheeses is in the, natural damp aired caves found under the village of

- - . , Roquefort sur Soulzon It is the quality of the milk the , “ processing of the curd the adding of Penicillium” roqueforti and finally the ripening in natural caves

that give us this . unique and remarkable cheese : Country France : Milk ewe milk : Texture - semi hard : Recommended Wine Zinfandel Port

» «  Roquefort  

" " Historically referred to as The King of Cheeses Stilton is - a blue mould cheese with a rich and mellow flavor and a

. , - piquant aftertaste It has narrow blue green veins and a . wrinkled rind which is not edible Stilton is milder than , Roquefort or Gorgonzola and is equally excellent for , crumbling over salads or as a dessert cheese served with a

. : Port Wine There are two types of Stilton Blue and White. Stilton Rennet is added to milk at 86 degrees F and after

. . an hour curd forms The curd is drained and moulded One week passes and then Stiltons are allowed to mature for 6

. to 8 months : Country , England : Milk , cow milk : Texture- semi hard :Fat content %55

» «  Stilton  

, - , Gorgonzola is a traditional creamery and co operative blue. - , cheese The greenish blue penicillin mould imparts a sharp spicy flavor and provides an excellent contrast to the, . rich creamy cheese Gorgonzola is made in the northern

, , Italian village according to which the cheese has its name either from unpasteurized or pasteurized milk to which the . mould is added At about four weeks the cheeses are pierced . with thick needles to encourage the spread of the mould

. Gorgonzola ripens in three to six months The cheese is . usually wrapped in foil to keep it moist Its color ranges

- from white to straw yellow with an unmistakable marbled - . green or bluish green mould The taste ranges from mild to, . sharp depending on age Gorgonzola is also excellent in . salads and dips

: Country , Italy : Milk , cow milk : Texture , Soft Fat: content %48

» «  Gorgonzola  

» «  Blue Castello  , , . Modern creamery blue cheese made from cow's milk It is

- - . , a half moon shaped cheese The moist natural rind may , . develop some gray brown or white moulds The cheese was

. - developed in 1960's Blue Castello has a Brie like, , . texture with the blue in fairly thick horizontal lines . Enriched with cream The aroma is of mushrooms and the

. taste is mildly spicy : Country , Denmark : Milk , cow milk: Texture , soft :Fat content %70

.Cheese and its accompaniments , , cheese is wonderful on its own but like pairing the right wine with the right food . cheese condiments can bring out unique aspects of both the cheese and the condiment , Similar to wine pairings many things are taken into account when deciding what

. , condiments fare best with which cheeses In some cases the best idea is to find , , condiments that compliment the cheese while with others pairing with a contrasting

. , flavor is more exciting For example one could pair Italian condiments with Italian, cheeses or try to balance out the saltiness of an aged -Parmigiano Reggiano  with the

.tart sweetness of a marmalade

Bread : , / ,  Baguette currant raisin bread fig cakes ( ) , ,   pan de higo and date cakes nut bread , , .peasant bread olive bread semolina raisin bread

Crackers :  , .Savory crackers water crackers Dried Fruits : , , , , . Apricots cherries currants cranberries peaches and raisins Fresh Fruit: , , . Apple and pear slices figs grapes

Nuts: , , . Caramelized walnuts Marcona almonds black walnutsOlives: , . Serve a variety of sizes textures and flavors

Fruits & NutsDried and fresh fruits and plain or toasted nuts are the cheese “condiments” most people have grown up with.

There are many classic pairings of both fruits and nuts with specific cheeses—ask your cheese monger, get a good book on cheese or do online research. Some pairings are

Feta or goat cheese with pine nuts and green apple;

Asiago with almonds, apple and mango;

goat cheese or Brie with walnuts, figs and strawberries.

HoneyThink “beyond the bear” and look for infused varieties. Tea Together sells Italian infused honeys in flavors like orange, pear, truffle and eucalyptus.

A thick sweet syrup produced by bees and extracted from their hives, honey is excellent on a variety of cheeses, and the “cheese condiment” most of us already have in the kitchen.

Honey is a delicious counterpoint with both strong and mild cheese. Try it with strong blue cheeses like Cabrales, Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton; and with fresh goat cheeses.

MustardsLook for French and English mustards. Both offer a good degree of heat while maintaining a level of complexity that will compliment the cheese.

Prepared mustard is made from the seeds of the mustard plant, which are ground into a powder and then combined with wet ingredients and spices. Prepared mustard gets some of its flavor and consistency from vinegar, white wine, turmeric and sugar. Many mustards contain other ingredients like horseradish, honey, whole mustard seeds or fruit. These flavored mustards are also delicious with cheese.

English and Scottish mustards pair well with strong Cheddars like Gloucester.Pair the slightly more delicate French mustards with Port Salut or the grassy Le Berger Basque.