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KINDS OF CHEESE

CLASSIFICATION OF VARIETIES

25. The cheese used in the United States may be included under two
leading classes, namely, _foreign cheese_ and _domestic cheese_. Since
the foreign cheeses are imported, they are more expensive than the
cheeses made here, and should not be bought if cheese is to be used as
an economical article of food. They are valuable chiefly for their
flavor and are generally bought for this reason. The domestic cheeses
can be used in larger quantities, for, besides being less expensive,
they are usually of a milder type and are more easily digested. To
enable the housewife to become familiar with the principal varieties of
each of these classes, a discussion of them, including their names,
characteristics, and, in some cases, their use and the method of
making, is here given. In addition, there are shown in colors, in Fig.
4, a large number of cheeses, together with a print of butter _o_, which
serves to illustrate the irregular surface that is exposed when good
butter is broken apart.


IMPORTED CHEESE

26. Each of the European countries has originated its own peculiar kind
of cheese, which remains representative of a certain people or locality.
The majority of these cheeses have met with so much favor in the United
States that large quantities of them are continually imported. A few of
them have been copied here with success, but others have not been
successfully made. While these are not in such common use as the
domestic cheeses, it is well for every one to know their names and the
characteristics by which they can be identified.

27. ENGLISH CHEESE.--Chief among the kinds of cheeses made in England is
CHEDDAR CHEESE, which is illustrated at _a_, Fig. 4. It is rich,
double-thick cream cheese, ranging from a pale to a dark yellow,
although when uncolored it may be white. Such cheese, when fresh, has a
milk flavor, but when it is well ripened it has a characteristic sharp
taste. New Cheddar cheese is soft, but not waxy, in texture and may
readily be shaved or broken into small pieces; when it is well ripened,
it may be grated. English Cheddar cheese is not unlike AMERICAN CHEDDAR
CHEESE, or, as it is commonly called, _American cream cheese_, which is
shown by _b_. In fact the American variety is made according to the
method used for the English. Owing to its characteristics, flavor, and
abundance, Cheddar cheese, both English and American, is the kind that
is used most extensively in the United States.

ENGLISH DAIRY CHEESE, shown at _d_, is similar to Cheddar cheese,
although it has a reddish color and, on account of the method of
manufacture, it is harder. This kind of cheese lends itself well to
cooking, as it may be easily grated.

CHESHIRE CHEESE, a well-known English variety, is a dry cream cheese
made from whole cow's milk. It is deep yellow or red in color, similar
in flavor to Cheddar cheese, and is used in much the same manner.

[Illustration]

[Illustration]

STILTON CHEESE, shown at _m_, is a hard cheese made from cow's milk to
which cream has been added and which is coagulated with rennet. Mold
is introduced into this cheese, so that it resembles Roquefort cheese,
which is shown at _j_.

28. HOLLAND CHEESE.--The variety of cheese shown at _e_, Fig. 4, is
known as EDAM CHEESE. It is a hard rennet cheese of a red color and is
mild in flavor. This kind of cheese is molded into the shape of a ball,
the outside of which is usually dyed red, and will keep for a long
period of time. Edam cheese is one of the important products of the
Netherlands, and while it is seldom used in cookery in the homes of this
country, it is served at the table. Usually a section of the top is cut
off to serve as a lid while the inside is scooped out as needed.
Sometimes, after most of the cheese has been removed, the hollow shell
is stuffed with macaroni or rice that has been cooked and seasoned and
the food then baked in the shell.

29. FRENCH CHEESES.--Among the French cheeses, the variety called
GRUYERE CHEESE, which is shown at _f_, Fig. 4, is well liked. It is
usually made of skim milk, has a yellow color and a mild, sweetish
flavor, and contains large holes like those found in Swiss and Emmenthal
cheeses, varieties that are very similar to it. Like these cheeses,
Gruyere cheese may be used in cooking or served without cooking, being
used considerably in the making of sandwiches.

BRIE CHEESE is a French variety of very soft cheese, with a strong
flavor and odor. It is made from whole or partly skimmed cow's milk
coagulated by means of rennet. This kind of cheese is used mostly as an
accompaniment to other foods.

CAMEMBERT CHEESE, which is shown at _h_, is also a soft cheese. It is
made by practically the same process as Brie cheese and is used in the
same way. This cheese has a typical odor. Its rind is thick and dry, but
its center is very soft, being sometimes almost liquid.

NEUFCHATEL CHEESE, which is shown at _i_, is a soft rennet cheese made
from cow's milk. It is made at Neufchatel-en-Bray, France, and not at
Neufchatel, Switzerland. This variety of cheese is wrapped in tin-foil
and sold in small packages. It is used chiefly for salads, sandwiches,
etc. As it does not keep well after the package is opened, the entire
contents should be used at one time.

ROQUEFORT CHEESE, which is shown at _j_, is a hard, highly flavored
cheese made from sheep's milk coagulated with rennet. It has a marbled
appearance, which is due to a greenish mold that is introduced.
Roquefort cheese is frequently served with crackers at the end of a
meal, and is well liked by many persons.

30. ITALIAN CHEESES.--From Italy is imported a cheese, called PARMESAN
CHEESE, that is used extensively for flavoring soups and macaroni
dishes. This cheese, which is shown at _g_, Fig. 4, is very hard and
granular and, provided it is well made, it will keep for years. Owing to
its characteristics, it may be easily grated. It can be bought by the
pound and grated as it is needed, or it can be secured already grated
in bottles.

GORGONZOLA, another Italian cheese, is shown at _k_. It is not unlike
Roquefort in appearance and in use, but it is made from whole cow's milk
coagulated with rennet. Into this cheese is also introduced a mold that
gives its center a streaked or mottled appearance.

31. SWISS CHEESES.--Possibly the best known cheese imported from
Switzerland is the variety known as SWISS, or SWITZER, CHEESE. This kind
of cheese has different names, depending on the district of Switzerland
in which it is made. Nevertheless all of them are similar and have a
mild, sweet flavor. Swiss cheese may be readily recognized by its pale
yellow color and the presence of large holes, although it resembles
Gruyere cheese very closely.

EMMENTHAL CHEESE is a variety of fairly hard cheese that originated in
Switzerland, but is now made in many other countries. It is similar to
Swiss cheese, being made from whole cow's milk and characterized by
large holes about 3 inches apart.

SAPSAGO CHEESE, shown at _n_, Fig. 4, is a skim-milk cheese made in
Switzerland. It is a very hard cheese, and therefore suitable for
grating. In the process of making this cheese, melilot, a clover-like
herb, is added, and this gives the cheese a green color and a
peculiar flavor.

32. BELGIAN CHEESE.--A cheese that originated in Belgium, but is now
manufactured in other countries, is the variety known as LIMBURG, or
LIMBURGER, CHEESE, cheese, which is shown at _l_, Fig. 4. It is a soft
rennet cheese made from whole cow's milk. It is very strong in taste and
smell, due to putrefactive germs that are added to the milk in its
manufacture.


DOMESTIC CHEESE

33. In the United States, efforts that have been exerted to make cheeses
similar to some of those produced in Europe have to a certain extent
been successful. American cheese makers have succeeded in making
several soft cream cheeses that resemble Neufchatel, some of which are
spiced or flavored with pimiento, olives, etc. In addition, Limburg and
Swiss cheeses have been successfully manufactured in Wisconsin, and
Brie, Neufchatel, and Camembert have been copied and are produced in New
York. Pineapple cheese, while of American origin, is really very much
like English Cheddar cheese, except that it is harder. But while these
fancy cheeses are desired by some persons and have a moderately large
sale, the cheese for which there is the most demand in America is the
so-called American Cheddar cheese, which, as has been stated, is made
according to the method used for English Cheddar cheese.

34. AMERICAN CHEDDAR CHEESE.--Since American Cheddar cheese is the kind
that is commonly used in this country, the way in which it is made will
be well to know. The milk used for this kind of cheese is first
inspected as to cleanliness and the extent of fermentation it has
undergone, and when these points are ascertained, it is _ripened_; that
is, allowed to sour to a certain degree of acidity. At this stage,
coloring matter is added, after which the milk is prepared for setting
by bringing it to a certain temperature. With the temperature at the
right point, rennet is added to coagulate the milk, or form the curd.
The milk is then allowed to remain undisturbed until the action of the
rennet is at a certain point, when the curd is cut into little
cube-shaped pieces by drawing two sets of knives through it and thus is
separated from the whey. As soon as the curd is cut, the temperature of
the mass is raised to help make the curd firm and to cause the little
cubes to retain their firmness, and during the entire heating process
the whole mass is stirred constantly to assist in the separation from
the whey. When the curd is sufficiently firm, the whey is removed and
the particles of curd are allowed to adhere and form into a solid mass.
If necessary, the curd is cut again into small pieces to get rid of the
excess whey; but if the curd is too dry, the pieces must be piled up
until they are four or five deep. During this process, which is known as
the _cheddaring_ of the cheese, the curd is treated until it is of the
proper texture to be _milled_, that is, put into a mill and ground into
small pieces. The object of milling the curd is to cut it into pieces
small enough to permit of uniform salting and the further escape of
whey. When the curd has been brought to this point, it is salted and
then pressed into molds. Finally, it is wrapped and cured, or ripened.

35. BRICK CHEESE.--Another American cheese that seems to meet with a
popular demand is brick cheese. This kind of cheese, which is
illustrated at _c_, Fig. 4, gets its name from the fact that it is
pressed into "bricks" under the weight of one or two bricks. It is made
from sweet milk, coagulated with rennet, cut with curd knives, and
heated in the whey to firm it. Brick cheese is mild in flavor and of a
moderately close texture. It is used chiefly as an accompaniment to
other foods.

36. AMERICAN HOME-MADE CHEESE.--The making of Cheddar cheese and brick
cheese is, of course, done commercially, but there is a kind of cheese
that can be made very conveniently in the home. This home-made cheese,
which is generally known as COTTAGE CHEESE, affords an excellent way in
which to utilize left-over sour milk, particularly if a quart or more
can be obtained at one time; smaller quantities can generally be used
for baking purposes.

If properly made, such cheese is very digestible. As it can be seasoned
and served in a variety of ways, it makes a delightful addition to
lunches or other light meals in which a protein dish, such as meat, is
undesirable. Skim milk does very well for this kind of cheese, so that
if the sour milk that is to be used has cream on it, the cream should be
removed before the cheese is made; otherwise, it will remain in the whey
and be lost. In case cream is desired to improve the texture and flavor
of the cheese, it should be added after the cheese is made.

[Illustration: FIG. 5]

37. To make cottage cheese, allow a quantity of sour milk to clabber,
that is, become curdled, and then place it on the back of the stove in a
thick vessel, such as a crock, until the whey begins to appear on the
top, turning it occasionally so that it will heat very slowly and
evenly. Do not allow the temperature to rise above 90 degrees
Fahrenheit, or the curd will become tough and dry. Remember that the two
things on which the success of this product depends are the flavor of
the milk used and the proper heating of it. No difficulty will be
encountered in the heating of the milk if a coal or a wood stove is
used, but in case a gas stove must be used, the vessel containing the
milk should be placed in a larger one containing warm water and the milk
should be heated in this manner until the curd and the whey begin to
separate. At this point, pour off all the whey possible, and turn the
curd into a cloth bag or a colander lined with cloth, as shown in Fig.
5, and allow any remaining whey to drip out. If, after the whey is
removed, the curd tastes sour, wash it with warm water and allow it to
drip again. Then season it with salt to suit the taste and, provided
cream is desired, add it at this time, using sweet or sour cream. To
work in the cream, press it into the curd with a spoon until the cheese
is quite smooth.

Cheese made in this way may be flavored with anything desirable. For
instance, chopped pimiento, parsley, olives, or nuts improve the flavor
of the cheese very much and make a very appetizing combination. The dry
curd mixed with any of these makes a delightful salad when it is pressed
into balls, garnished with lettuce, and served with salad dressing.

38. JUNKET COTTAGE CHEESE.--Another variety of cottage cheese can be
prepared by using sweet milk and forming the curd with a junket tablet,
one tablet being required for each quart of milk. To make cheese of this
kind, heat the milk until it is lukewarm, or not over 98 degrees
Fahrenheit, and then add the junket tablet dissolved in cold milk or
water. Keep the milk warm until the curd forms, and then break up the
curd with a spoon and pour the whole mass into a bag or a colander lined
with cloth. When all the whey is drained out, the curd, which will be
sweet, can be seasoned in any desired way or mixed with cream and
served. If more flavor is preferred, the curd may be allowed to sour or
may be mixed with sour cream.

39. BUTTERMILK CREAM CHEESE.--A slight variation from the cottage
cheeses just described is buttermilk cream cheese. This cheese is formed
from the curd of buttermilk, which is finer in texture and not so likely
to become tough as that formed from ordinary sour milk. To prepare
buttermilk cream cheese, warm the buttermilk slowly, being careful not
to allow the temperature to rise beyond 100 degrees Fahrenheit. As the
milk is heated, the curd will form and will gradually sink to the bottom
of the vessel. After this occurs, remove the whey and mix the curd with
a little thick cream. The result will be a mixture having a delightfully
creamy consistency.