Cheese Wiz

Cheese 101

Lincoln tells us about the basics of cheese.

When I teach a Cheese 101 class I start with two questions: what is cheese and what are the basic types of cheese?

In its simplest form cheese is curdled milk. Milk is composed of both liquids and solids. So curdled milk is basically the separation of the milk solids from the liquids. This makes curds and whey. In cheese making the curds are separated from the whey by adding a small amount of coagulant to the milk. This coagulant is called rennet. Added to the milk along with the rennet are bacteria cultures that work to bring flavor to the cheese as it ripens.

Once the curds are separated from the whey they can be manipulated into six basic cheese categories. Most cheeses will fall under one or more of these categories. The first and most basic type of cheese falls into the category of Fresh. A fresh cheese is coagulated milk with much of the whey drained away, creating a very soft and creamy cheese that is usually spreadable. Cheeses from Mascarpone to my favorite, a French cheese called Le Roule, are in this category. Fresh cheeses are generally not aged. The second category is Soft-Ripened or Mold-Ripened. These cheeses are always ripened from the outside in by the use of a surface mold. The moldy rind is usually white, but grey and blue are found as well. The texture is usually soft and creamy and the flavors are mild. Cheeses like Brie and Camembert are good examples of this type of cheese.

Washed Rind is the third category. A stinky smell and reddish-orange rind best characterize these cheeses. The rinds of the cheese are washed with a solution that contains bacteria that grows on the rind, creating a pungent smell. I really enjoy a Spanish goat cheese called Patacabra from this category. For some local fare try Green Dirt Farms Bossa. The fourth category is Blue Veined cheese. These cheeses are ripened from the inside out by a blue mold. Holes are made in the cheeses to allow the blue mold to populate the inside of the cheese, creating blue veins. Try English Stilton next to Cambozola Black Label and taste the range of flavors blue cheeses can have.

Last but not least Semi-Hard and Hard cheeses get their own categories. The actual firmness of these cheeses can vary greatly depending on their age. These cheeses are usually made by cooking and pressing the curds to expel the remaining whey from the cheese. Pecorino Toscano is a very good example of a semi-hard cheese and try a good Cheddar from the hard category.

When serving cheese try serving at least three types from the categories above or try several from one category. With these categories in mind you might find navigating your local cheese store’s selection a bit easier.

Lincoln Broadbooks

Lincoln Broadbooks has been a cheese geek ever since his travels through Europe. As the manager of The Better Cheddar in Prairie Village he is around the food he loves every day. Lincoln has held demonstrations and lectured in the Kansas City area and teaches cheese classes at the Kansas City Culinary Center. Lincoln is also an avid home cheese maker.