Have you noticed all the great little shops in Seattle where you find all kinds of cheese? The thing is that there are so many choices in cheese! Selecting a good variety of cheese for a cheese plate can cause as much anxiety as selecting a good bottle of wine.
Are you excited about trying something new but don't know where to begin? Deep breath...you do not have to be an expert fromager. With just a little bit of the basics you can pick a delicious cheese or even put together a cheese plate that is sure to impress.
Let's start with a bit of history. First there was milk...it was perhaps ignored and it curdled. Before getting tossed someone thought to add a bit of salt, gave it a taste and it was GOOD. History lesson over. Actually there are so many legends about how cheese came about, but cheese seems to predate recorded history. You could spend hours reading about it. I kept it simple intentionally because it leads me to the basics.
The Basics
The cheese that you love was once milk - cow, goat, sheep, buffalo, reindeer (oh yes, like in Finland) - add a little fire, throw in some enzymes and bacteria (the good kind) and the milk separates into curds (solids) and whey (liquid) - way! Got it? Now all you have to remember is the number 5 (five) - easily done by the fingers on one hand. Why 5? That is the different stages of cheese. You see, the curds are plucked from the whey, pressed and in some cases aged to become CHEESE.
Those stages are the basic categories of cheese that you will need to remember:
FRESH: this category represents cheese made from the curds to which either some souring culture is added or in most cases rennet (or a vegetarian equivalent) is added. This sets the cheese that is then placed in container and allowed to drain some more. It doesn't lose all of the whey and depending how much it keeps determines how soft it will be. Examples: Mozzarella, Ricotta
SOFT: a little more mature than fresh with a smooth taste and texture. Examples: Brie, Camembert
SEMI-SOFT: less moisture content than semi-soft. The curd for this category of cheese is often cut to release the whey, put in moulds and lightly pressed. Examples: Provolone, Raclette
FIRM: the ripe and aged cheeses that become harder and more concentrated as they age. The curd is cut up into a smaller grain and sometimes cooked before it is pressed. Examples: Cheddar, Gruyère
HARD: ripened and aged measured in years not months. Deep intense flavor. Examples: Parmigiano Reggiano, Aged Gouda
Going Beyond The Basics
The basics are your starting point. There is a great deal of variation among those categories. Start by selecting one of the categories and become familiar with cheese in that category and move onto the next category. There are some great shops in town. Don't be afraid to ask the experts a lot of questions. Need to to put together a cheese plate right now? I refer to this wonderful cheese clock that can be found at http://www.artisanalcheese.com/cheeseclock/
Start TODAY
Seattle is always sure to cater to foodies, food lovers and those with an appetite. Don't miss out on opportunities to try, learn and buy - starting today:
- Go to the Seattle Cheese Festival
- Meet Cheesemonger Gordon Edgar at Elliott Bay Book Company
- Check out a new cheese shop - The Calf & Kid
Posted via web from feast!
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