Zman mattan Toroseinu is a signal for the homemaker to
take out her dairy dishes and count exactly how many plates
are not chipped. Following the ancient custom of eating at
least one dairy meal on Shavuos, let's `say cheese.' Gone are
the days when in Israel we could choose from only two kinds
of cheese, white and yellow. Cheeses with a superior
supervision are multiplying every year, and we now have a
much wider choice than ever with which to fill cheese
kreplach, top our pizza, cook and bake, or serve in a simple
sandwich.
Cheese has been an important food for centuries and is still
widely used in various parts of the world. Many varieties
have been developed, each with its own special flavor. The
wide range in price, excellent food value and good keeping
quality make it easy to use cheese often in planning
nutritious meals. All cheese is made from milk. Most is made
from cow's milk, but some varieties are made from the milk of
sheep or goats. [Ed.: Incidentally, many mothers with infants
allergic to cow's milk have found that their children
tolerate goats' milk very well and thrive on it. Luckily, it
is available in most neighborhood supermarkets and if not,
the manager will probably be happy to order it for you. This
has saved many a child from undernourishment.]
Cheese making starts with the coagulation of the milk protein
to form the curd, which is then separated from the liquid
whey by heating, stirring and pressing. Next it is salted and
cured or ripened. The specific method used gives a particular
cheese its appearance, consistency, texture and flavor.
More than 2,000 varieties of cheese have been defined and
classified by several methods. They are classified by:
Consistency: soft to hard. Flavor: mild to sharp. Fat
content: low to moderate. Manufacturing process: distinctive
cheese varieties.
Cheeses may also be classified as natural or process cheese.
The name indicates how the cheese was made. Natural cheese is
made from pasteurized whole milk to which bacteria, rennet
and sometimes color are added. The curd is heated, stirred
and pressed to remove excess moisture. It may or may not be
aged. The longer the curing or aging period, the sharper the
flavor. The most popular natural cheese is Cheddar. In
Israel, cottage cheese is THE food product (not only dairy)
most widely sold -- 8.5 million containers each month!
Process cheese is made by blending new and aged lots of the
same or different varieties of natural cheese. An emulsifier
is added and the cheese is pasteurized to stop further
curing. The process provides uniformity and keeping quality.
Although purists frown upon it, process cheese is the cheese
to use if you want uniform flavor, consistency and cooking
quality. Because it contains an emulsifier, it will melt
smoothly and quickly without becoming stringy. Among the
flavors of process cheese are mild, medium and sharp
American, Swiss and brick.
We in Israel are generally unfamiliar with "Process cheese
food." It is a blend of natural cheeses to which non-fat dry
milk or whey solids and water have been added. It is milder
in flavor, softer in texture and contains somewhat less
cheese than process cheese. Cheese food may be smoked, or
have pimento, fruit, or vegetable added for flavor. By law,
at least 51% of the finished product must be cheese. Process
cheese spread is similar to cheese food except that an edible
stabilizer and moisture are added. The soft consistency makes
it easy to spread with a knife at room temperature.
Packaged grated cheese is still another kind of cheese with
good keeping qualities. Hard American and Italian cheeses are
prepared this way. Grated cheese is convenient to use for
sprinkling on foods such as spaghetti, salads, soups and
casserole dishes.
Food Values
Since cheese is made from milk, it has many of the nutrients
found in milk. Twenty to 30 percent of cheese is high quality
protein. It is an excellent source of calcium and phosphorus,
but unlike milk, it is only a fair source of riboflavin,
since most of this vitamin is pressed out with the whey.
Cheddar and cream cheese made from whole milk is rich in fat
and vitamin A value.
Cholesterol -- the relationship of cholesterol to saturated
fat is a concern to many people. Low fat cheeses range from 5
to 17 mg cholesterol per ounce, while moderate fat cheeses
contain 13 to 35 mg cholesterol.
Sodium -- sodium levels vary according to flavor and process.
Some products are now lower in sodium amounts and may be
labeled `reduced sodium' or `low sodium.' Reduced sodium
products still have 450 to 700 mg per 1 1/2 ounces -- which
is still high for people on reduced sodium diets.
Cheese Uses
There is a cheese to suit every taste, mood and occasion.
Almost all varieties can be served plain as appetizers or
with other foods. Crackers spread with cheese may be served
with soup or salad. Cheese sandwiches make good additions to
the lunch bag or picnic box. A cheese tray arranged with
several kinds of cheese and fresh fruit makes an interesting
and unusual type of dairy dessert. In some European
countries, it is a common favorite.
Pizza, fondue, souffles, omelets are typical examples of main
dishes with cheese. Smaller amounts of cheese are used for
flavor with potatoes, other vegetables, rice, macaroni,
noodles, or spaghetti. Cheese may be added to sauces and
dressings, grated as a garnish for soups or hot dishes. Don't
forget blintzes and cheesecake!
Cooking with Cheese
Cooking should be done at a low temperature so the cheese
does not become tough or stringy. Some cheeses blend more
easily than others. Cream cheese combines very easily and is
used in many main dishes and desserts. To speed up melting
and blending of cheese, grate, slice or shave it thin before
you heat it. Whenever possible, mix cheese with a sauce
before adding it to other ingredients.
Buying Tips
Keep in mind the use for which the cheese is intended.
Consistency and flavor should be considered if the cheese is
to be served plain. If the cheese is to be used for cooking,
it should be a variety that will melt easily. An important
bit of information on the label of certain kinds of natural
cheese indicates the age or degree of curing. Cheddar cheese,
for example, may be labeled as `mild,' `medium' or `sharp.'
Keeping quality is another point to think about when buying
cheese. The hard varieties and process cheeses keep best. The
size of the package or the quantity to buy at one time should
also be considered. Larger amounts may be cheaper but may not
be a bargain unless the cheese can be used within a
reasonable time.
Care and Storage
Soft cheeses spoil quickly and must be refrigerated until
use. Hard and semihard cheeses need to be stored at low
temperatures. To prevent drying out, cheese should be
carefully covered with a moist cloth, waxed paper or foil.
Whenever possible, the original wrapper or cover should be
left on the cheese. Grated cheese will dry out least when
stored in a covered jar in the refrigerator.
Cheese tends to become dry and crumbly when frozen. Certain
varieties such as brick, Cheddar, Edam, Gouda, Muenster,
Swiss, Provolone, Mozzarella and Camembert are sometimes
frozen. These should be packaged in small pieces weighing a
pound or less and used as soon after thawing as possible.
