Major cheese categories and how they are made, distinct from the wine and cheese pairing deck.
36 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- What is a fresh cheese?
- A cheese made from milk that is curdled and drained but not aged, ready to eat immediately
- Name one example of a fresh cheese made from cow's milk.
- Ricotta, Mascarpone, Mozzarella, or Cream Cheese
- What defines a soft cheese?
- High moisture content, spreadable texture, typically with a moldy or washed rind
- What is a semi-hard cheese?
- Cheese with moderate moisture content, some aging, with a sliceable texture
- What is a hard cheese?
- Cheese with low moisture content, aged for an extended period, often grated or chipped
- What is the primary milk source for most European cheeses?
- Cow's milk
- What are curds in cheesemaking?
- Solid particles formed when milk coagulates during the cheesemaking process
- What is whey in cheesemaking?
- The liquid left behind after curds form and are separated from the milk
- How is mozzarella made differently from aged hard cheeses?
- Curds are heated and stretched rather than aged for months or years
- What causes the holes in Swiss cheese?
- Bacteria (Propionibacterium) that produce carbon dioxide gas during aging
- What is the white surface on Brie cheese?
- Mold (Penicillium candidum) that is intentionally added during cheesemaking
- What causes the veining in blue cheese?
- Mold (usually Penicillium roqueforti) added to the curds before aging
- What are washed-rind cheeses?
- Cheeses whose rind is regularly brushed with brine or alcohol solution during aging
- What is rennet used for in cheesemaking?
- To coagulate milk proteins and form curds
- What is aging or ripening in cheesemaking?
- The time period curds spend developing flavor and texture as microorganisms act on the cheese