Cheese
Introduction
There are many different cheese categories:
Fresh Cheese
At the beginning of the making process, all cheeses are considered fresh cheeses, as they are neither fermented nor ripened. We often refer to this as the "infant" stage, because they haven’t aged yet.
Ontario fresh cheeses are made with whey (lactoserum) extracted from whole or skim milk, and are often enriched with cream. Once the whey has finished the curdling process (achieved by the addition of rennet), the draining process begins, which allows a firmer consistency while preserving a very high level of moisture, from 60 to 80%, and a reduced level of butterfat, between 0.5 and 30 %.
Some common examples of fresh cheese are:
- Cream cheese
- Ricotta
- Cottage cheese
Soft Cheese
Ontario soft cheeses are neither pressed nor cooked during manufacturing. Most are surface-ripened, which means the ripening process begins on the surface of the cheese and progresses toward the centre. In this category, only Feta is interior-ripened, with the ripening process beginning at the centre and progressing toward the surface in a solution of salt water called brine.
Apart from Feta, which has no rind, soft cheeses are made according to a process requiring dexterity, patience and know-how in order to create quality cheeses with bloomy rinds and soft cheeses with washed rinds recognized for their high quality and originality.
Semi-soft
Semi-soft cheeses offers the largest variety of cheeses and tastes, ranging from very mild to sharp. All these cheeses contain a firmer and more compact texture. Their butterfat content varies between 10 and 30%, and their moisture level between 40 and 60%.
Firm Cheese
Ontario firm cheeses offer a great flexibility of use. They keep very well. They are delicious by themselves and can also be used in a thousand different ways in the kitchen. Pastas, cooked dishes, quiches, omelets, gratins, sandwiches and salads couldn't survive by without them! At any meal, these cheeses add taste and nutritional value.
At a tasting or simply at the end of a meal, accompanied by fruit and nuts or with varied breads, they’re always able to please young and old alike.
Firm cheeses have a butterfat content varying from 20 to 31% and a moisture level varying from 35 to 52%.
Hard Cheese
Ontario hard cheeses are firm cheeses that have been aged for months, and sometimes years, so as to lose of up to 70% of their moisture. Although mostly appreciated when grated, in au gratin dishes, sauces, or salad dressings, they can also be nibbled at with a few grapes or black olives. Complex and robust, these mouth-watering cheeses immediately evoke tasty and aromatic Mediterranean dishes. It is the quality of their sharp taste that defines hard cheeses. To achieve this, they are pressed, cooked and interior-ripened for a long period.
Hard cheeses, such as Parmesan have a moisture level of 35% and a butterfat level from 10 to 25%. Calcium and protein levels increase accordingly and make these cheeses excellent additions to a healthy and well-balanced diet.
