Cheese  Curd – milk solids stick together  Whey – liquid around curd  Differences in cheese from type of milk used, how processed, how long aged

Fresh Cheese  Sometimes called green cheese  Ready to eat as soon as made  Soft and smooth  Mild flavor

Fresh Cheese  Cottage  Cream and Neufchatel  Ricotta  Farmer’s

Aged Cheese  Cheese that has been stored by the maker under carefully controlled temperature and humidity.  Adds flavor  Adds texture

Soft Cheeses  Brie  Camembert  Marscapone

Semi-Hard Cheeses  Blue  Brick  Monterey Jack  Mozzarella  Provolone

Hard Cheeses  Cheddar  Colby  Swiss

Very Hard Cheeses  Parmesan  Romano

Pasteurized Process Cheese  Blend of 2 or more cheeses  Then pasteurized  Heating prevents further aging  Soft  Melt easy and smooth  Velveeta

Pasteurized Process Cheese Food  Like pasteurized processed cheese with milder flavor  Less cheese; more fat and water  In jars (cheez whiz), pressured cans (easy cheese)

Cold Pack Cheese  Blend of cheeses  Like pasteurized process but not heated  Add spices and flavorings  Like cranberries and wild rice

Cheese Prices  Dependent on 3 factors  Type of cheese – aged is more costly  Origin of cheese – imported more costly  Size of piece – shredded more costly

Cooking with Cheese  Gets tough and greasy if cooked too long  Only needs to melt  Add near end