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Enjoying your cheese

Knowing your cheese

Key Concepts

Enjoying your cheese

Knowing your cheese

How is cheese produced?

Directly after milking, the milk is refrigerated and in most cases it is pasteurized: It is heated to destroy damaging bacteria and facilitate preservation. The milk is then partially creamed, in order to adjust the fat percentage.

After the pasteurization phase comes the curdling phase: Lactic ferments and rennet are added in order to allow the curdling and solidification of the milk. From this, the curd emerges, which gently contracts over the next few hours.

Once the milk has curdled, the mixture is cut up into cubes and churned, before being poured into moulds. The moulds will enable the serum (a liquid composed mostly of milk) to seep out. During this phase the definitive form of the cheese is determined. Thus, each type of cheese is produced in its own mould.

The objective of this phase is to allow all the remaining excess serum to be eliminated. For this, the moulds are sometimes placed on draining mats, sometimes wrapped up in a cloth. In some cases, the cheeses can even be pressed in order to extract more serum. The draining process can sometimes be accelerated by heating the cubed curds.

The penultimate phase of the process is the salting phase. This takes place by spraying or dry-rubbing the cheese crust, or by immersing the cheese in a salty solution (brine). The salt regulates the development of bacteria and hones the draining process by dehydrating the cheese.

The cave maturing phase is the last step in the cheese producing process. During this step, cheeses are preserved, turned over, monitored, and treated by the master cheese maker. This maturing process varies from a from a few days up to several months, depending on the cheese. Only once it has matured over an optimal amount of time, is the cheese wrapped.

What are the key ingredients used to produce cheese?

When it comes to their composition, cheeses are incredibly simple: The only vital component is the milk.

Cheese has surprisingly few ingredients. Excluding milk, only three are systematically used in the cheese production process.

Starter cultures
Their role is to facilitate the fermentation, in order to give it the characteristic cheese taste and texture.

Rennet
This vital element is responsible for the curdling of the milk. The addition of coagulant aids the transformation from liquid milk to solid curds.

Salt
The salt is not only added for taste, but it contributes to the draining of the cheese and the formation of the crust.

Can I eat the rind of my cheese?

Whether or not you eat the rind of a cheese is a question of personal preference.

Apart from Edam and other cheeses which are covered in protective but eye-catching wax layers, the rinds of most cheeses are edible. Some rinds can be harder and more bitter than the inside of the cheese, so you might choose to cut them off. Some cheeses, such as most Bries and Camemberts have softer rinds which are tastier to eat and some cheeses, such as Chaumes, have a rind which has been washed in salt and adds flavour to the cheese.

Cheese manufacturers have to declare any colourants or additives in the rind on the outside of the pack. If in doubt, check the information on the pack but after that, the choice is yours!

How and where to store your cheese?

Before opening
Keeping cheese in a separate cheese box is ideal as it will prevent the rest of your fridge from smelling.

After the cheeses have been opened
Once open, cheese can be wrapped in foil to keep it fresher for longer. Cheese boxes are perfect for preserving the humidity and containing the smell. All cheese should be consumed between three days and one week of opening. This information should be available on cheese packs. Soft ripened cheeses tend to dry out if their rind is no longer intact.

When is a cheese past its prime?

Soft ripened cheeses continue to mature after purchase. Thus, their taste and texture evolve as they near their use-by date.

Each individual may enjoy cheese at a different stage of its maturing process. Even when the cheese becomes pungent and melting, it does not necessarily need to be to be thrown out. However if the cheese starts to harden and discolour, it usually means the cheese is past its prime.

Is it possible to freeze cheese?

Soft cheese can be frozen but it often alters in texture and can separate, so may not be as appealing to eat once it is defrosted.

If the plan is to cook with it however, there should be no noticeable difference in taste. When freezing cheese, make sure it's wrapped up tightly and once defrosted use within a few days.

As a general rule though, try to avoid freezing cheese if possible.

What can you drink with cheese?

Stereotypically cheese has always been paired with red wine or port; however this really does come down to personal choice.

Try sampling French cheese with a dessert wine, champagne, white wine or even a sweet liqueur.

Do Camembert and Brie only come from France?

Camembert is originally made in Normandy. However due to an increase in demand other countries have started producing it as well.

In the 1980's, Camembert de Normandie was awarded an AOP status (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) which guaranteed that any Camembert de Normandie with this symbol was made solely in Normandy using approved methods of production.

Certain Bries also have the AOP status, such as Brie de Meaux, which only comes from specific regions in France. These specific sub categories are thus not produced outside France. There is however no protection over the general Brie and Camembert categories, so these cheeses can be produced anywhere in the world.

Can I eat cheese if I'm pregnant?

Expectant mothers are recommended to not consume unpasteurized cheese.

Indeed the living bacteria present in such cheeses, listeria, can be harmful for the unborn child.

Another type of cheese to be avoided is blue cheese. Indeed the penicilum present in Blue cheese also favours the development of listeria.

Can I eat cheese if I am a vegetarian?

Certain cheeses contain animal rennet or animal gelatine. These cheeses should be avoided by vegetarians.

We offer the following cheeses suitable for vegetarians:

Cœur de Lion Le Brie, Cœur de Lion Le Camembert, Cœur de Lion Le Pié d'Angloys and Cœur de Lion Gourmand.

Do cheeses have any health benefits?

All cheeses contain calcium, protein, vitamins and minerals.

Thus, by consuming cheese you are on your way to meeting some of your body needs. Calcium is essential to strengthening your bones, and reinforcing tooth enamel. Cheese is also a source of vitamin-B, which aids absorption and distribution of calcium throughout the body.