Le Fromage Un Art Français

History Cheese was believed to have been discovered, not invented Like many great things, cheese was probably an accident!

History Cheese was probably discovered by nomadic people who kept livestock, probably around 8000 BCE Evidence of dairying in Egypt around 3000 BCE

History Cheese was probably the result of milk being stored in grass-eating animal stomachs for transportation An enzyme called rennet curdled the milk, allowing cheese to be made

What is Cheese? Cheese is milk that has been separated into protein groups: Curds - solid clumps Whey - liquid They whey is removed and the curds are the main ingredient in cheese

What is Cheese? The curds can be pressed, stretched, molded etc. to form blocks of cheese Other ingredients? The cheese may then be aged for a certain amount of time

Characteristics of Cheese Cheeses can be described based on: Type of milk used How it is made How long it is aged Of these, the amount of aging is the most important

Aging Usually occurs in “caves” As a cheese ages, it looses moisture. It becomes smaller, more fatty, harder, and more flavorful This is what makes cheese sharp

Types of Milk Cheese is made from the milk of : Cow Sheep Goat Water Buffalo Horse Camel Reindeer Yak

Yes, Yaks

Raw Milk Raw Cheese is made from milk that has not been pasteurized Favored by connoisseurs because it improves flavor and aging It’s the original flavor

Raw Milk FDA requires that all imported cheeses be aged 60 days Debates as to whether raw milk can be proved to have caused deaths or diseases Industrial vs traditional agriculture

Terroir This is a crucial French culinary idea The nature of a place determines the nature of the final product The roots of traditional, local cheeses

Terroir Experienced cheese tasters and cheese makers claim to be able to tell what the weather was like, what an animal ate etc. based on qualities of the cheese

Types of Cheese We will be looking at 5 different types of cheese These types are based on how the cheese is made and how it is aged We will sample each type!

Washed Rind Cheeses These cheese are repeatedly bathed with saltwater or some other liquid as they age Limits what kind of bacteria will grow there, forms a rind around the outside

Camembert Very popular and very famous French cheese From Normandy, across from England Cow’s milk Aged 3+ weeks The French eat the rind, they consider it a part of the cheese

Fresh and Soft Cheeses These cheeses are young, soft and mild They are not aged for long Examples include mozzarella, ricotta and mascarpone

Chèvre Chèvre means goat in France Goat’s milk cheese Aged a few days to a few weeks Tastes a lot like cream cheese Widely available Melts well, add to pizzas, salads etc.

Semi-Soft Cheeses These cheeses are between soft and hard Think of a cheese you can squish, like Swiss Some cheese are melted to make raclette and fondue

Mobay (Morbier) This cheese is based on the French cheese Morbier One layer each of goat and sheep’s milk cheese separated by a layer of grape vine ash Aged days From Franche- Comté!

Hard Cheeses These cheeses are aged the longest They are hard, crumbly and sharp Some may be aged for several decades The longer the aging, the more expensive the cheese Great for grating

Aged Gouda This is a Dutch cow’s milk cheese Very popular in Europe Very sharp - aged one year or more Small holes from gas, crystals of protein Wax rind

Blue Cheeses Blue cheeses have a distinct flavor The blue stripes in them are “veins” The blue color comes from edible mold Roquefort Blue from Roquefort caves is very famous

Buttermilk Blue Wisconsin cheese! Like many blue cheeses, this cheese was pierced with needles to make paths for mold growth Cow’s milk Aged 2+ months

Cheese in France Over 365 types of cheese Some are only sold seasonally Cheesemakers are master craftspeople Cheese course in a meal comes before dessert

Appelation d’Origine Contrôllé “AOC” Means Controlled Designation of Origin Government organization that controls the production of specific types of cheese Special labels

Buying Cheese Fromagerie or Crèmerie Cheese are usually priced by the kg You can ask a cheesemonger to sample a cheese in their store Often packaged in wax paper

Cheese Storage Cheeses should be loosely wrapped in wax paper to allow them to breathe, but be covered Some cheeses will absorb the odors of others, so store separately Tupperware to protect other food

Appleton Cheese Resources Your local grocery store! Arthur Bay Cheese Company near Calumet & Oneida Green Gecko Grocer in the City Center Farmer’s Market

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