Cheese 101: Your guide to making it, and tasting it

By Jesse Granger

Monday, April 4, 2016 | 2 a.m.

Legend has it that cheese was invented accidentally when an Arabian man crossing the desert put his day’s milk supply into a pouch made from a goat’s stomach. The enzymes in the lining of the pouch and the intense heat from the sun separated the milk into curds and whey. The man drank the whey and ate the curds.

The tale might not sound very appetizing, but what has come from it is. Today, about 2,000 varieties of cheese exist.

How is cheese made?

There are slight variations depending on type, but generally, cheese is made by separating milk into curds and whey.

1. Heat the milk to kill any bacteria, then let the milk cool.

2. Acidify the milk. For soft cheese such as ricotta or mascarpone, add either vinegar or citric acid. For other cheeses, add living bacteria cultures.

3. Add rennet, which contains an enzyme that causes the proteins in milk to coagulate. This separates the solid curds from the liquid whey.

4. Cut the curd into smaller pieces using a cheese harp or knife. The smaller you cut the pieces, the drier the cheese will be.

5. Heat the pieces of curd to release more whey. This process is called syneresis. The most basic form of curds and whey is cottage cheese. The curds are the solid white lumps, and the whey is the watery liquid.

6. Strain the curds from the whey and rinse them. The curds will clump together in a process called “cheddaring.”

7. Add salt to remove moisture and add flavor.

8. Press the cheese into a solid wheel or blocks, and cool.

What milk is used to make cheese?

Most cheese is made from cow’s milk. Goat’s milk is next in line in terms of popularity, but cheeses can be made from virtually any mammal. There are cheeses made from the milk of moose, yak, horses, reindeer and even camels. Camel’s-milk cheese is most popular in the Middle East but also can be found in dairies on the East Coast of the United States.

What makes cheese hard or soft?

This is largely determined by how the milk is acidified in the cheese-making process. Vinegar and citric acid produce softer, more delicate cheeses. Using more traditional rennet results in more robust, harder cheeses. Another factor that affects the texture of cheese is how much moisture and whey is drained from the curd. The more moisture that’s squeezed out, the drier and harder the cheese will be.

What makes some cheeses stink?

The type of bacteria used as a starter culture is the biggest factor in determining a cheese’s aroma. Other factors include aging and washing. The longer a cheese ages — sometimes for many months — the stronger its smell. Some cheese rinds also are washed throughout the aging process to influence aroma. Vieux Boulogne, for example, is washed with beer.

The king of stinky cheeses is Limburger, known for its foot-like aroma. The starter culture used in Limburger is Brevibacterium linens, the same bacteria that creates human body odor.

Can you get addicted to cheese?

Yes! Casomorphins, or protein fragments, in cheese have an opioid effect in humans and produce a feeling of euphoria. People who kick cheese to the curb often feel symptoms of withdrawal.

Popular cheeses, from soft to hard

• Brie originated in France and is nicknamed “the queen of cheeses.” The soft, buttery cheese once was used as a tribute that had to be paid to French kings. It is cream colored and has a fruity, mild, tangy flavor.

• Mozzarella cheese originated in Italy. It is white and has a fresh, milky flavor. Mozzarella has a high fat content and a springy, stringy, supple texture. It is one of the easiest cheeses to make at home.

• Colby originated in Wisconsin and often is compared with cheddar since both are dyed to appear orange. But colby tastes nothing like cheddar. It is much sweeter and softer, and has a higher moisture content.

• Provolone originated in southern Italy and comes in two forms. Provolone dolce is aged for two to three months and has a sweet taste. Provolone piccante is aged for more than four months and has a sharper taste. Both are pale yellow with a firm, grainy texture.

• Gouda originated in the Netherlands, in the city for which it is named. It commonly is made from pasteurized cow’s milk but also can be made with goat’s or sheep’s milk. Gouda has a pungent aroma and is creamy, dense and crumbly.

• Pepper jack, a derivative of Monterey Jack, originated in Monterey, Calif. The cheese has an extra kick, as it is made with sweet peppers, rosemary, habañero chilies, garlic and jalapeños. It is cream-colored with specks of chilies, and has a sharp, spicy flavor.

• Cheddar cheese originated in England. It typically is pale orange, although white versions exist, and has a creamy, sharp flavor and a crumbly texture.

• Swiss cheese, with its nutty, sweet flavor, is not from Switzerland but from the United States. For years, many believed that the cheese’s signature holes formed when bacteria released carbon dioxide, creating air pockets. But scientists now hypothesize that fragments of hay actually cause the holes, and excessively clean, modern milkers have contributed to the rise of “blind” Swisses. Swiss cheeses without holes are referred to as blind; the holes in Swiss cheese are called eyes.

What about American cheese?

American cheese used to be made by mixing Colby and Cheddar cheeses, but the processed cheese today is made from a blend of milk, milk fats, milk solids and whey protein concentrates. Since mixed cheeses no longer are used, most American cheese can’t legally be called cheese. It now is referred to as “processed cheese,” “American slices,” “American singles” or “cheese food.” It is creamy and mild.