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Cheese making, storing & eating aka. everything you wanted to know about cheese, but were too afraid to ask!
The height of what a cheese can achieve is dictated by the quality of the milk. Cheesemaking decisions begin in the pastures and the breeding programmes of the herd, and the consequences can be seen directly in the vat.
Factors of influence on milk composition, microbial diversity, flavour & colour fall into two categories: individual factors such as the type of animal, the breed, their age, health and stage of lactation, and environmental factors such as location and climate, farming system, animal feed, housing, milking method and whether chemicals and medicines were used.
What is the difference pasteurised and raw milk?
Raw milk is not the same as unpasteurised milk; while all raw milk is unpasteurised, not all unpasteurised milk is raw. Confused? Read on!
Pasteurised milk has been heated to a particular temperature, for a specific time, in order to kill off certain bacteria. While pasteurisation ensures the destruction of many of the pathogens (that may or may not be present), it also strips the milk of beneficial and innocuous natural flora. Whereas, raw milk has not been heat treated or pasteurised and therefore maintains all its natural bacteriological and enzymatic characteristics.
All territorial cheeses in the UK were once made using raw milk and this is becoming increasingly popular as it allows greater control over the quality and a focus on a more natural, less processed product.
Rennet
Rennet is a mixture of enzymes extracted from the stomachs of young ruminant mammals (calves, lambs or kids) which transforms liquid milk into solid curds, the first step in cheesemaking. Animal rennet typically comes from the same species of animal as the milk being used for cheese; calf-rennet used to produce cows milk cheese, and so on.
Vegetarian coagulants have been developed as an alternative to animal rennet and, increasingly, plant extracts are being utilised as alternatives to synthetics. Figs, papaya, thistles and cardoons contain enzymes similar (although not identical) to those in animal rennet. Interestingly, different enzymes lead to different flavours and textures in the cheese.
We regularly stock Sinodun Hill, for example, which is made using a purified cardoon coagulant, and Brighton Blue, Rachel and Winslade, all made with a vegetarian coagulant.
Two vegetarian exceptions are ricotta and paneer, which are coagulated by the combination of heat and acidity from the action of the lactic acid bacteria in the milk, sometimes boosted by the addition of vinegar or citric acid.
Maturation
When we talk about maturation, we are referring to the ageing and maturing process. During this time, unique environments of temperature & humidity, and treatments (such as washing, brushing, or turning) are employed to develop the flavour and texture of the cheese, and the results of different conditions can be astonishingly varied.
Better with age? Not necessarily. Different cheeses benefit from different age profiles, such as a Brie-style cheese like Baron Bigod which is typically eaten at 6 weeks, or a Stilton which is typically eaten at 16 weeks. But, excessive age can create a waxy texture, a dried out rind, a bitter or salty taste or production of unwanted moulds or even ammonia.
Cheesecare & Storage
A common sense approach to cheese care should be adopted, rather than following rigid guidelines.
We sell our cheese wrapped in specialist waxed paper, which achieves the best balance between maintaining humidity while allowing it to breathe. We recommend re-using the wax paper (cling film or foil will cause the cheese to sweat, greaseproof paper will cause it to dry more rapidly) and to store the cheese in an open container in the fridge. The container will help prevent the cheese drying out or absorbing other flavours and will slow the growth of mould on the surface. Be aware, smaller pieces of cheese will dry out faster than larger pieces, so it's best to buy larger pieces and rescue any little leftovers from the cheeseboard guilt-free, rather than saving them. (If anyone asks, you're simply caring for the cheese in the best way possible!)
If you are buying larger cheeses, you may not have sufficient fridge space but you could improvise, perhaps with a cool box, cellar or garden shed (in winter). Particularly with hard cheeses and territorials, you can store the whole cheese outside of the fridge; it will mature & develop more quickly, but this can produce more rounded flavours.
Whether refrigerated or not, check on your cheese regularly to see how it is behaving. If conditions are not right, the cheese will tell you, it will change. If it is too warm or damp, it may sweat, feel pappy (unpleasantly soft or watery), gases may develop inside it and it will likely have a considerably stronger smell.
There are an array of factors that affect how long cheese will last. We sell all our cheeses on the assumption they will be consumed within a week to 10 days. If you want your cheese to last longer, please ask and we can advise the best choices available.
Cheese is, in short, preserved milk. By the very nature of its production, it creates lactic acid, which inhibits pathogens and prevents competition from other species (the Jameson effect). Low refrigeration temperatures therefore, which inhibit the production of lactic acid, have limited utility for the preservation of cheese.
Mesophilic pathogens - Salmonella, Listeria, and Staphylococcus aureus - may be destroyed or at least inhibited by lactic acid. Food-borne Listeria monocytogenes and some strains of E. coli are psychrotrophic and may still grow, albeit at a reduced rate, at refrigeration temperatures. Staphylococcus aureus, which causes illness by production of toxins, is unaffected by refrigeration. Interestingly, toxigenic E coli species die off over time in hard aged cheeses kept at maturation temperature.
The majority of our cheese has been matured at cellar temperature, between 10 and 14 degrees Celsius and at approximately 90 percent humidity. We continue to store the cheese in our shops at the same cellar temperature at which it is matured and positioning in the display cabinet is a key factor. Temperature and humidity are carefully monitored on a daily basis.
Cheese is shipped to us either using refrigerated hauliers for pallet-sized shipments or using unrefrigerated third-party couriers for smaller shipments. We ship onward to our e-commerce customers by unrefrigerated third-party couriers. Packaging in both instances is adapted depending on the outside temperature, utilising ice packs when necessary.
Help my cheese has mould!
Cheese can be intentionally mouldy! Blue cheeses, such as Stilton, have blue mould spores injected in to the body of the cheese. These moulds help break the cheese down and, in the process, give it a stronger flavour and distinctive appearance.
Some cheeses unintentionally develop blue mould. Air can penetrate the cheese through the rind, allowing naturally-occurring mould spores to grow. There is no danger in eating blue that has developed in this way.
Clothbound and natural-rind cheeses have permeable rinds that allow oxygen exchange in and out of the cheese. And so, if a cheese is bumped or has natural crevasses within it, moulds can sometimes grow inside them.
A brown or grey mould or a ‘bruised’ appearance within the paste is not only unattractive, it is not good to eat. Whereas, a streak of bright blue through a Cheddar will add complexity and should be celebrated. As in nature, red is a warning sign, and any bright orange or red should be avoided altogether.
Can I eat the rind?
Some rinds, such as wax and the food grade plastic coating, “plasticote”, used to seal cheeses such as Coolea & Lincolnshire Poacher, cannot be eaten. Neither can the clothbound covering of cheddars such as Isle of Mull - the fabric of which will have been stripped by your cheesemonger.
But other soft rinds can be eaten and it is all a matter of taste. As a general rule:
Help I’m pregnant! Do I really have to avoid cheese for 9 months?
You’ll be relieved to know that not all cheese is created equal and being pregnant doesn’t need to spoil all your cheese-eating fun, but you do need to be aware of what cheeses are considered safe to eat, those to avoid and why.
There's a chance that unpasteurised or soft ripened dairy products may contain Listeria bacteria, which can cause the infection listeriosis which can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth, or make your newborn baby very unwell. Soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside have more moisture, which can make it easier for bacteria to grow.
First the bad news. You should avoid:
Now the good news! You can still enjoy a range of cheeses that include:
Creating the perfect cheeseboard
It can sometimes be hard to know how much cheese to buy. As a general rule of thumb, we would recommend roughly 100-150 grams per person.
Add charcuterie, accompaniments such as a chutney or relish, some antipasti - sundried tomatoes or olives - and a selection of cheese biscuits of different shapes & colours. Add some balance to the board with fresh or dried fruit such as rich dark black grapes, dates, apricots, figs in particular look very attractive, or cucumber for some freshness.
A balanced cheeseboard will combine:
Prepare the cheese board before your guests arrive: bring the cheese out of the fridge and (leaving it wrapped to prevent drying out) arrange on a wooden board, slate or marble slab. Leave to “room-up”, come up to room temperature, before serving - cold cheese will be bland and lacking in flavour - and unwrap a short while before you need it.
Don’t forget the cheese knives!