Read Making Artisan Cheese Online
Authors: Tim Smith
Making Artisan Cheese (34 page)
Glossary
Acid curd
The gelatinous state that milk comes to when a high level of acidity is created through the activity of starter bacteria, or through the induction of acid into the milk from an outside source (i.e., vinegar for paneer).
Acidification
The process of increasing the acid level in milk, thereby allowing the solids to come to the surface of the milk.
Aging
The final process in cheese making during which the cheese is stored in a specific environment for a specific amount of time in order to develop its flavor and texture. Two important factors involved in aging are temperature and humidity.
Annatto coloring
A natural vegetable extract from the seeds of the annatto (
Bixa orellana
) plant found in South America. Annatto is used to add coloring to cheese, giving it the bright yellow often found in Cheddars.
Brevibacterium linens (B. Linens)
Bacterium that is applied to the exterior of washed-rind cheeses that aids in the ripening and maturation of the cheese.
Bacteria
Omnipresent, microscopic, single-cell organisms. In cheese making there are two major types of bacteria: lactic acid–producing bacteria, which are essential to making virtually all cheeses, and
B.linens
, the ripening bacteria used for the development of washed-rind cheeses such as Limburger and Muenster.
Blue-veined cheeses
These are the family of cheeses that rely on the blue mold,
Penicillium roqueforti
for development.
Brine
A mixture of noniodized salt and water. Brine serves many functions in cheese making. It acts as preservative inhibiting the growth of surface mold, helps to develop a rind on the cheese, and adds an element of flavor to the cheese.
Calcium chloride
A white, powdered salt that is added to homogenized cow’s milk or goat’s milk to help produce a firm curd structure.
Carotenoids
Secondary pigments found in plant matter that are involved in photosynthesis.
Casein
This milk protein is one of the key elements giving cheese its structure and body.
Cheddaring
The process of stacking and turning curd blocks. This technique applies specifically to Cheddar making. When the whey has drained from the vat, the remaining curd mass is cut into blocks, leaving a drainage channel down the center. These blocks are then turned over. After five to ten minutes the blocks are piled one on top of the other. The process is repeated, inverting the blocks in the vat. The weight of the curd helps to squeeze out the moisture and develop a “chicken breast” texture, which is the ideal Cheddar curd texture.
Cheese press
A mechanical device that applies pressure to curds to expel whey. Presses come in many different shapes and sizes.
Cheese starter
This is the bacterial culture that is added to milk during the first step of cheese production. The bacteria thrive on the milk sugar (
see
lactose), converting it into lactic acid, which results in an acid curd. There are two types of cheese starters: thermophilic and mesophilic.
Cheese wax
A combination of paraffin and microcrystalline wax with a low melting point. When applied to the surface of a cheese, wax will produce an airtight seal.
Cheese salt
A coarse, textured salt.
Cheese trier
An essential tool used to determine whether a cheese has matured properly.
Coagulation
The stage where milk becomes solidified into a solid mass through the action of enzymes (
see
rennet) or acid.
Cooking
Heat treatment of curd. The primary function of cooking is to shrink the curd and expel moisture. Cooking reaches a higher temperature than scalding and is often associated with larger-sized cheeses.
Curd
A coagulation of milk protein. In cheese making, the curd, created under the influence of rennet, is like a sponge holding whey, fat, other milk solids, and an abundance of acidifying and flavor-producing bacteria.
Curd cutting
The process during which the curd is cut into equal-sized pieces, resulting in the release of whey from the curd.
Curd knife
A long knife used to cut the curds. Ideally, a curd knife should have a blade long enough to reach to the bottom of the pot without the curds touching the handle
Direct-set cultures
Prepared starter cultures that are used to induce lactic acid in milk at the beginning of the cheese-making process. Direct-set cultures are designed to be used only once and do not require any re-culturing, unlike a mother culture.
Drying
Dehydration of the cheese surface to help form a rind. This is a crucial part in the manufacture of mold-ripened cheese such as Camembert. Inadequate drying can lead to excessive mold growth and quicker breakdown of the curd than desired.
Dry matter
The entire composition of a cheese without moisture; this will include protein, fats, minerals, and lactose.
Geotrichum candidum
Another mold that is used for making soft-ripened cheeses. Typically it is the white mold found on the surface of certain smear cheeses, or it is added to Brie or Camembert to aid in the development of the rind. It can be applied either directly to the milk before renneting or sprayed on the surface of the cheese before ripening.
Homogenization
The mechanical process of breaking down the size of fat globules in milk so that they will stay suspended in the milk, thereby not rising to the surface. Homogenized milk, though widely available, does present problems for cheese making, and its use requires the addition of calcium chloride.
Lactic acid
The acid produced in milk during cheese making. Starter culture bacteria thrive on the lactose; the by-product is lactic acid.
Lactose
The naturally occurring sugar found in milk. Lactose composes up to five percent of the total weight of milk.
Maturing
The controlled storage of cheese. Different cheeses require different temperature and humidity to mature to their optimum level. Typically, hard cheeses of most types will mature well in a temperature range between 54°F to 57°F (12°C–14°C) and a humidity band of 85–90 percent.
Microbial rennet
Yeast or bacteria that contains chymosin (the active ingredient found in animal rennet). Typically it is derived from the mold
Murhor mehi
.
Milk
A liquid secreted from the mammary glands of female mammals to nourish their young.
Milling
Breaking curds into smaller pieces before putting them into a mold and pressing.
Mesophilic culture
Lactic-acid producing starter bacteria that are used to make cheeses at or below 102°F (39°C).
Paste
The inside of the cheese.
Pasteurization
The heating of milk to destroy pathogenic organisms. For the home cheese maker this is done at 145°F (63°C) for thirty minutes.
Penicillium candidum
The white mold that is responsible for the development of soft-ripened cheeses such as Brie and Camembert. The mold is essential to developing the soft, smooth texture, as well as the rich flavor.
Penicillium roqueforti
The blue mold that is responsible for the creation of blue cheeses. Its origins lie in the ripening caves in the town of Roquefort in France. Originally,
Penicillium roqueforti
was developed by inoculating rye bread in the caves; today, it is a factory-produced product.
Pressing
The application of pressure to the cheese to drive out moisture and fuse the milled curd together. The pressing procedure differs between cheeses, depending on their size and desired texture.
Propionic acid
The enzyme that is responsible for the development of eyes in Emmental cheeses.
Raw milk
Milk that is taken directly from the animal and has not been pasteurized.
Rennet
A coagulant used in cheese making. The active agent in rennet is an enzyme called chymosin. Traditionally, chymosin would be extracted from the fourth stomach of a calf, kid, or lamb. There are various vegetarian rennets that contain chymosin, which has been generated by adapting yeast or mold cultures.
Salting
The process of adding salt to the curds. Salt is added to the milled curds before pressing or to the surface of a finished cheese
Soft-ripened cheeses
Also known as mold-ripened cheeses, this group of cheeses relies on the induction of specific molds to mature. Brie and Camembert are the most famous of the soft-ripened cheeses.
Ripening
The process in cheese making that occurs after the introduction of starter cultures and before renneting. During ripening, the milk is allowed to develop increased acidity from the addition of the cultures and the milk sugars.
Starter culture
A preparation of bacteria that, when added to milk, consumes lactose and produces lactic acid. The resulting acidification is one of the techniques used in cheese making.
Thermalization
The process of heating milk to 145°F (63°C) for ten to fifteen seconds. This treatment results in less damage to the milk enzymes and non-starter bacteria than full pasteurization, thereby giving the cheese a better flavor.
UHT milk
Ultra Heat-Treated (UHT) milk is any milk that is subjected to a few seconds of heating at 275°F to 300°F (140°C–150°C). UHT is popular for its extended shelf life, and because it does not require refrigeration until opened. UHT milk cannot be used for cheese making.
Washing curd
Replacing an amount (usually a third) of the whey removed from the vat with water. Washing helps to control acidity by reducing the amount of lactose and bacteria. Cheeses with a rubbery texture are often washed-curd cheeses.
Washed-rind cheese
A group of cheeses that are ripened using a heavy growth of the bacterium
B. linens
. These cheeses are called “washed” due to the fact that the bacterium does not spread evenly over the surface of the cheese and must be assisted by washing, typically with a rag soaked in brine solution (but hands will also work). These cheeses have a typically strong aroma and flavor.
Whey
The by-product of cheese making. It contains water, lactose (milk sugar), minerals, and albuminous proteins. Whey can be used for making cheese, most notably Ricotta, as well as some cooked cheeses such as myseost.
Index
A
acidity,
34
–36
advanced cheese making,
130
–152
equipment,
132
,
136
–137
recipes,
138
–153
techniques,
132
–135
aeration,
135
annatto coloring,
72
B
basic cheese making,
44
–69
equipment,
47
,
48
recipes,
50
–69
techniques,
48
–49
Bra,
122
–123
brevibacterium linens
,
38
brining,
135
butter muslin,
47
butter, clarified.
See
ghee
butter, cultured,
156
butter, drawn.
See
ghee
C
cabra al vino,
112
–113
Caerphilly,
102
–103
calcium chloride,
72
–73
Camembert,
144
Cantal,
94
–95
catch pan,
137
cave, ripening,
78
–79
Cheddar,
104
–105
cheese
fat percentage in,
146
name-protected,
17
–18
names, origin of,
18
reasons to make one’s own,
10
–11
cheese board,
77
cheese cloth,
47
cheese film,
137
cheese follower,
80
cheese molds,
80
cheese press,
76
cheese trier,
81
cheese turning,
87
cheese, American (processed),
73
cheese, factors affecting quality of acidity,
34
–36
breed of animal,
25
–27
diet of animal,
28
environment of animal,
28
lactating cycle,
32
time of day of milking,
28
time of year,
28
type of animal,
25
–27
cheese, processed (American),
73
cheeses, types of cooked,
114
–123
pasta filata,
124
–127
pressed,
90
–105
raw milk,
38
washed-curd,
106
–113
whey,
128
–129
Chèvre,
54
–56
clean break,
83
Colby,
106
–107
Cotswold,
92
–93