CHEESE
The Preservation of Milk
HOW DOES CHEESE RELATE TO
GARDE MANGER?

Food Preservation
Cheese is a means of
preserving excess milk
 For the cows to
continue to produce
milk, they must be
continually milked
 This produces a large
quantity of excess
milk

HOW WAS IT STARTED?

The myth is:
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Nomads in the dessert had excess milk
They wanted to take the milk with them
They placed it in an sack made from an animals
stomach
The milk curdled and became clumpy
Why?
RENNET
Rennet – an enzyme in the lining of young
animals that assists in milk digestion
 There are rennets made from vegetable enzymes
as well
 Rennet causes the milk to separate into:

Curds
 Whey

BASIC CHEESEMAKING PROCESS

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Milk is heated to
pasteurize
Culture (for flavor and
style of cheese) is added
to adjust pH
Rennet is added
Whey is drained
Cheese is cut to drain
more whey
Packed
Molded
Stored and aged
QUICK KITCHEN CHEESES
Mascarpone
 Crème Fraiche
 Simple Chevre
 Paneer
 Farmer’s Cheese

(Usually use acid to coagulated the curd)
CHEESE COMES FROM MILK
Cow’s Milk Cheese
 Sheep’s Milk Cheese
 Goat’s Milk Cheese
 Mixed Milks

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Blue Cheeses (can be from any of the above)
FIRMNESS
Good cheese is measured by firmness
 Firmness:
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Hard (or Firm)
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Semi-Firm (or Semi Hard)
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Cheddar or Gruyere
Semi-Soft

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Parmesan
Gouda
Soft

Brie
RIPENESS

Ripeness usually refers to aging

Unripe
Fresh or New
 Chevre
 Cream Cheese
 Crème Fraiche
 Mozzarella
 Ripened or Aged
 Parmesan
 Cheddar
 Gruyere

GREAT CHEESE FROM AROUND THE
WORLD

Parmigianino Reggiano (the King of Cheeses)
Hard/Ripened
 Aged for 18 months

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Gruyere (Most useful in a French Kitchen)
Semi-Hard/Ripened
 Various aging times

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Brie
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Soft/Ripened
Manchego (Spanish Sheep’s Milk)

Semi-Hard/Ripened
BLUE CHEESE

What is Blue Cheese?

Any cheese made from any milk that has been
injected with penicillium bacteria to cause the blue
veins or streaks
GREAT BLUE CHEESES
Stilton (England)
 Roquefort (France)
 Maytag (USA)
 Cabrales (Spain)

CHEESE AS A COURSE
Cheese Courses are more and more popular
 Accompaniments
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Fruit – Dried and Fresh
Toast – Often a Fruit/Nut Bread
Nuts
Honey
Wine (Pair Accordingly)