Milk, Dairy, and Cheese

FACTS TO KNOW When determining the freshness of milk, check the sell-by date. Dairy products should be used within a week of the fresh sale date. The quality of milk produced among different breeds of cows is the same; they are just different breeds.

FACTS TO KNOW Examples of foods made with milk are sundaes and white sauces. An example of a food made with cheese is lasagna.

COOKING WITH DAIRY The functions of milk and eggs in cooking differ in that eggs are used as a binder while milk is not a binder. Using too high cooking temperature will cause milk to curdle and scorch. Always use low heat to cook with milk, cheese, and other dairy foods.

COOKING WITH DAIRY The MAIN ingredient in a skin that forms on heated milk is protein. Simmering in an uncovered container is MOST likely to form a skin on top of hot cocoa. When milk is heated, curdling is caused by the action of acids, tannins, enzymes, and salt.

COOKING WITH DAIRY To avoid scorching milk-based foods, use a double boiler. An advantage of pasteurization (heating process) is that bacteria is destroyed.

DIET AND DAIRY FACTS The best dairy choices for low-fat diets are reduced-fat products. Yogurt is a low fat alternative to sour cream or mayonnaise in baked goods. Skim milk has the fewest amount of calories per cup. If a dairy product is labeled low fat, the fat content per serving must be 3 grams or less. Dairy Products are a good source of Vitamin A.

FACTS TO KNOW Buttermilk and Kefir are examples of cultured milk products. Many dairy products are fortified with Vitamin D. Evaporated milk is a dairy product that has part of the water removed. Light destroys riboflavin in milk. Sour cream is a cultured milk product.

Ice Cream and Sherbet To make sweetened whipped cream, gradually add sugar after the whipped cream is thick. The MAIN ingredients in sherbet are fruit juice, milk, and sugar.

Ice Cream and Sherbet Per serving size, sherbet is lower in fat than ice cream or low fat ice cream. Sherbet has dairy in it and may even have other vitamins due to the fruit juice it contains. Low fat ice cream is a better choice than premium, higher fat ice cream.

Cheese Facts Cottage cheese has the shortest shelf life. Processed cheese makes the smoothest cheese sauce. Overcooked cheese is tough and rubbery. 1 oz. cheddar cheese is equivalent to one cup serving of milk.

CHEESE FACTS Listeriosis may be present in unripened cheese or if the cheese has not been pasteurized such as when using raw milk to prepare cheese, the cheese product could be at risk of this bacteria.

Definitions Homogenization: a mechanical process that prevents cream from rising to the surface of milk. Pasteurization: process used to heat milk so as to destroy bacteria Lactose-intolerant: digestive problem due to the vitamins, minerals, protein and sugar found in milk solids Cultured Milk: dairy products made from milk to which helpful bacteria have been added

Definitions Kefir: cultured milk product that has been used for centuries in the Middle East and Russia, with ties to Mohammed Unripened Cheese: cheese prepared for marketing as soon as the whey has been removed; will spoil rapidly Ripened Cheese: cheese that has controlled amounts of bacteria, mold, yeast, or enzymes Processed Cheese: products made from other cheeses, such as Velveeta Cheese

Definitions Low or Reduced Fat and Non-Fat: dairy products that for dietary health, avoid saturated fat and cholesterol Curdle: the action that occurs to milk with high temperatures, acids, tannins, enzymes, and salt Scorch: occurs when milk is heated to the point that the lactose (milk sugar) changes to a brown, bitter substance called caramel

Definitions Whipped cream: dairy product where the sugar decreases the volume and stiffness of the cream Overcoagulate: cheese becomes tough and rubbery and the fat separates due to the presence of proteins Emulsify: process where cheese blends more easily in cooked cheese than natural cheese due to the presence of emulsifiers.

What is a ROUX? A cooked paste of flour and fat used to thicken classic white sauce is called a roux. The ratio of flour to fat used in a roux is 1 part flour to 1 part fat. Gravy and white sauces are 2 examples of food products that a roux would be used as a base of the recipe.