It’s time for the letter H in our cheese glossary.
Half-wheel
Sometimes called a split. Wheels of cheese are sometimes split horizontally or vertically, mostly so that shops can take less cheese at once.
Halloumi
A semi-hard, unripened, brined cheese made from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk. It is og Greek origin and is salty and slightly squeaky. It can be grilled or fried because it has such a high melting point, making it a great cheese for salads and using as an alternative patty for burgers. It is sometimes aged which gives it a much stronger flavor than the brined version usually available.
Hard
Hard cheeses are those that have been aged so that they have a lower moisture content than fresh cheese. They are often dry and crumbly. Hard cheeses include Parmesan, Gruyere, and Cheddar.
Harp
A tool with cutting wires used to cut the curds.
Hard-grating
Cheeses that are well-aged and easily grated. Often they are used in cooking or at the table to add a finish to a dish. These include Parmesan, Romano Pecorino and Asiago.
Havarti
Havarti Cheese or Cream Havarti (Fløde Havarti in Danish) is a semi-soft Danish cow’s milk cheese. It is rindless, with a smooth surface and a cream or yellow color depending on the type. It has very small and irregular eyes (holes). It has a buttery aroma and a generally sweet taste with a slightly acidic tang. Havarti can be sharp in the stronger varieties, resembling Swiss cheese. It is a washed curd cheese, which contributes to the subtle flavor of the cheese. The cheese will usually be aged for around three months and as it ages it becomes saltier and nuttier.
We also stock Havarti with Dill and Havarti with Caraway for those looking for additional flavor. Dill combines the flavors of fennel, anise, and celery, with a slight bitterness, whilst caraway has a very pungent, earthy anise flavor.
Heat-treated
Milk that is subjected to heat in order to eliminate pathogens and organisms, but at a lower heat than is required for pasteurization. This can have less of an effect on the taste than a full pasteurization process.
Homogenization
A process that breaks down the fat globules found in milk and then incorporates them. This stops the cream from separating and rising to the top.
Hooping
The process of putting fresh curds into mold forms.
Hot Performance
This is simply a term for the response a cheese has to heat.
As always, please get in touch if there is something you want to learn about cheese that we haven’t yet covered! We’re always keen to add more to the cheese glossary as we go along.
With many of us back at school and work after a fun summer, many of you will be thinking about options for packed lunches. There’s nearly always someone in the household that needs to take lunch with them in the morning.
Packed Lunch Ideas: Warming Lunches for Fall
As it starts to get cooler, you’re probably going to want something warming at lunch. Why not take a delicious soup, hearty stew or even a rich pasta dish with you to keep the cold at bay. There are so many options for food containers that will keep your lunch hot as you work or learn these days. Not only that, but taking your own along reduces the environmental impact of packaged foods.
Packed Lunch Ideas: Baking Mixes
Our range of quick baking mixes will help you to whip up something quick for tomorrow’s lunch that feels truly homemade.
For the sweet tooth, we have a great range of muffin mixes. These include strawberry, apple cinnamon, chocolate chip, pumpkin raspberry, and “bran”ana.
Packed Lunch Ideas: Trail Mix
We’ve got a trail mix to suit every taste here at Shisler’s Cheese House!
Banana Split Mix: Cranberries, banana chips, almonds, chocolate covered peanuts, chocolate drops, pineapple tidbits, raisins, yogurt covered peanuts, peanuts, and yogurt drops for those of you looking for a fruity sweet treat.
Amish Hot Mix: Hot Cajun sesame sticks, taco sesame corn sticks, redskin peanuts, pretzel twists, and chili bits for spicy food lovers.
Buggy Trail Mix: Butter toffee peanuts, honey roasted sesame sticks, cheddar crackers, pretzel nuggets, and wheat crackers for anyone who loves a bit of crunch.
We also have a Diet Trail Mix, Mikey’s Mix and a basic Trail Mix. You could even combine some of these to create your ultimate trail mix. This is a great snack if you’re sending hungry kids to school. Just be sure to check whether the school has any allergy requirements as you may not be able to send snacks containing nuts.
Packed Lunch Ideas: Dried Fruit
Another great healthy snack is dried fruit. We stock Think Fruit: a fab dried fruit snack. Try pineapple, blueberries, cranberries, peach slices, cherries, and cinnamon apple slices to discover your favorite.
We hope some of these ideas will be useful to you as you plan your lunches in the coming weeks. Something that you might find useful is creating a meal plan so that you always know what’s coming up for lunch and which snacks you need to stock up on. You could even cook batches of meals ahead of time and freeze them for later. A couple of great soups and stews frozen in portions can save a lot of time and headaches later!
What do you like to take for your packed lunch? Let us know in the comments!
Danny would be 82 tomorrow had we not lost him suddenly in 2004. But his lagacy lives on in all that we do here at Shisler’s Cheese House!
Growing Up
Dan Shisler was born in Dalton in 1937 and graduated from Dalton High School in 1955. He was one of the best baseball players that ever came out of Dalton High School. He played for Ohio University and got drafted into the St. Louis Cardinals. Then came a shoulder injury that abruptly ended his pro baseball career.
Buying the Cheesehouse
So in 1959 he came back home and bought Shisler’s Cheese House, then a brand-new fledgling business, from his father, John Shisler. Dan quickly tripled the size of this business, with hard work and ingenuity in the retail. He was the one who developed our cherished concept of treating every customer like family.
Shipping Cheese
Dan also started the shipping division of our business to serve locals who had moved out of the area. Back then, he had to vacuum-pack the products himself using a shop-vac and plastic bags made pliable in a bucket of hot water. We didn’t have the insulated shipping containers, the frozen gel packs, or dry ice we use to keep the products fresh today. Trail Bologna and Swiss Cheese were the only product he shipped, and he could only ship to the warmer climates during the winter months. Dan prided himself in finding the right size box, and would do a little happy dance when when we drove to Canton to drop the packages off at UPS.
The shipping division wasn’t very profitable at the time due to the effort and additional costs involved. But he seemed to do it out of a sense of service to his loyal long-term customers.
Today, we ship to all 50 states and over 30 countries year-round, and our shipping division is rapidly approaching our retail division as our primary business model. He had the foresight into the value of direct shipping long before Amazon was born.
Legacy
Going from a professional baseball player to a cheese monger may not have been Dan’s dream. But he left a legacy of a successful retail business behind that has continued to thrive for 61 years.
Dan and His Two Boys: D.J. and Dennis
We miss you, Dan. We are sure you are cutting lots of cheese in heaven and playing baseball every day, reciting the scores of every professional game in history and still dreaming of the St. Louis Cardinals. DJ and Dennis have followed in your footsteps in the cheese business. We still joke about your vacuum packing methods back then. we still remember you joking with the customers and keeping the landscaping around the store to perfection.
We love you, and are proud of three generations of Shislers , thanks to your hard work and dedication. The fourth generation is already becoming active in the business. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DANNY SHISLER….hope you and the angels are playing baseball and still savoring cheese today.
This refers to flavors and aromas which strongly reflect the animal from which the milk came. Goat’s cheese, for example, is often described as gamey.
Glaeslet cracks
The parallel cracks that appear in Swiss cheese with no eyes.
Gouda
Gouda is a yellow cow’s milk cheese with a red or yellow wax coating. It is made by culturing and heating the milk until the curd separates from the whey. Some of the whey is then drained, and water is added. This is called “washing the curd”, and creates a sweeter cheese, as the washing removes some of the lactic acid. As it ages it develops a caramel sweetness and sometimes has a slight crunchiness from salt-like calcium lactate or tyrosine crystals. Gouda was named for the province in south Holland where it was originally developed.
Grainy
A descriptive term for the gritty texture which is desirable in certain hard-grating cheeses, such as Parmesan and Romano. It should not go so far as to be mealy. Grainy can also describe a wheat-reminiscent taste found in some cheeses.
Grana
This comes from the Italian word for grain and refers to a group of hard, grainy cheeses. These include Asiago, Grana Padano and Sapsago.
Gruyere
Gruyere (groo-yair) is one of our favorite imported cheeses. Some call it a French cheese while others insist it is from Switzerland. It originated in the Alpine region between Switzerland and France in the eleventh century. It was named after the town of Gruyères in Switzerland, and originated in the cantons of Fribourg, Vaud, Neuchâtel, Jura, and Berne. Before 2001, when gruyere cheese gained Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) status as a Swiss cheese, some controversy existed whether French cheeses of a similar nature could also be labeled Gruyere cheese. French gruyere-style cheeses must have holes according to French agricultural law, whereas holes are usually not present in Swiss gruyere.
Gruyere Cheese is sweet but slightly salty. It has a flavor that varies widely with age. It is often described as creamy and nutty when it is young, becoming more assertive, earthy, and complex. When fully aged, after five months to a year, it tends to have small holes and cracks which impart a slightly grainy mouthfeel. It is a good melting cheese.
As always, let us know if you have any questions or words for us to define in the cheese glossary in the comments below. We hope that this series is helping you to learn more about cheese. If you ever have questions that need a more in-depth answer and you are local then do pop into the store. We always love to have a chat about cheese with our amazing customers!
Today is National Cheeseburger Day! We thought it was a great time to bring you some facts about cheeseburgers and some ideas for celebrating.
When was the cheeseburger invented?
While the exact date of the invention of the cheeseburger is unknown, it was created in 1926 by Lionel Sternberger in Pasadena, CA at his father’s sandwich shop called the “Rite Spot.” The invention of the burger is hotly contested, so we won’t wade in on that one!
What cheese is best?
Now, this is an age-old debate: which cheese should you put on your cheeseburger?
The classic is probably American Cheese. Our Sharp American Cheese is produced in Wisconsin. American Cheese is orange, yellow, or white in color and mild in flavor, with a medium-firm consistency, and melts easily. It has traditionally been made from a blend of cheeses, most often Colby and Cheddar. It originated when British colonists began making cheddar after they arrived in America. By 1790, American cheddars were being exported back to England and the British referred to them as “American cheese” or “Yankee cheese”. Post-Revolution Americans promoted this usage to distinguish the exports of their proud new nation from European cheese.
Swiss cheese is another great choice. Our locally made Amish swiss cheese closely resembles the original Swiss Emmental Cheese and has a nutty, bittersweet taste that pairs well with beef burgers. The process of making Swiss cheese involves natural bacteria consuming the lactic acid in the cheese. This releases carbon dioxide gas, which forms bubbles that become the holes in the cheese. These are often referred to as “eyes”.
For something a little more unusual that packs a flavorful punch, try adding a slice of blue cheese. These cheeses have had Penicillium cultures added, creating dark blue or blue-grey veins throughout the cheese and a sharp, salty flavor.
Our final exciting choice is to add a spicy cheese! We love our Hot Habanero Cheddar. It’s a combination of vintage aged cheddar, habaneros, and jalapenos. It adds a great southwestern flavor to your burgers. Be careful though, it’s a spicy one! Try a little before you pile it into your bun.
Which cheese would you pick? Have we missed out one that you love to put on your cheeseburgers?
How should you celebrate?
Get a free burger! All over the country, restaurants are offering free or discounted cheeseburgers to celebrate the day. Search for one in your city and head over!
Make cheeseburgers from scratch. You might have never done this but it’s a surprisingly easy thing to make. You can find recipes for burgers from the simple to the sublime online, but at its core, it is simply beef and some seasoning, brought together into a patty. Of course, you’ll want to add a slice of cheese today!
Have a cheeseburger competition. Grab your burgers and lots of different types of cheese. See who can come up with the best combination. You pick the reward!
We hope that you all have a fun National Cheeseburger Day. Let us know how you’re celebrating in the comments!
Farmer’s Cheese is a mild, unripened white cheese made by adding rennet to cow’s milk. When the milk coagulates it separates into solid curds and liquid whey, which is drained off. The result at this stage is sometimes referred to as pot cheese. Further pressing out of the moisture results in a more firm and crumbly Farmer’s Cheese. It is often used in recipes including Blintzes and Pierogies. One popular local use is to lightly fry Farmers Cheese and eat it in a sandwich, but our favorite is to slice it very thin and roll it with our flavorful smoked meats. It is also known as a cheese that has fewer calories and less fat and cholesterol than many other cheeses.
Farm-made
This means a cheese that has been made on a farm with that farm’s own milk. If you have a chance to try a farm-made cheese it can often offer a specific taste unique to that area. This is also called farmhouse, farmstead, or fermier cheese.
Fermentation
The process of converting carbohydrates to alcohol or organic acids using microorganisms including bacteria and yeasts. In cheese, the carbohydrates are converted to organic acids.
Fermented
This can be used to describe the smell of cheese as having the quality of fermented alcohols.
Feta
A Greek cheese made from goat’s and sheep’s milk. It is a fresh cheese that is usually sold submerged in brine. It has a salty, tangy taste and a high moisture content. It is often used in salads and combines well with fruit, but can also be baked.
Finish
This can refer to several things:
The ripening process involved in cheesemaking. Finishing methods include spraying the surface with Penicillium, washing rinds or turning the cheese.
The packaging of cheese. This might include hard, natural rind, a bandage of cheesecloth and wax or vacuum packaging.
The aftertaste of cheese, just as ‘finish’ is used in descriptions of wine.
Firm
Cheese varieties which are relatively inelastic and unyielding in texture. Firm cheeses include Cheddar and Romano Pecorino.
Force Ripening
Speeding up the ripening of a cheese by using a warmer environment than normal to naturally ripen the cheese or by changing the enzymes added.
Formaggio
The Italian word for cheese!
Fresh
Typically these are cheeses that have not been aged or cured. They usually have a delicate, tangy flavor from the lactic curdling. Fresh cheeses can be better for melting as they have so much moisture. These include Ricotta and Mascarpone. Some cheeses that are described as ‘fresh’ have been cured for a very short time, such as Feta.
Friable
This means a cheese that crumbles easily.
Fromage
The French word for cheese!
Fruity
A description of the sweet, fragrant aroma or flavor of some cheeses.
As always, let us know if you have any questions or words for us to define in the cheese glossary in the comments below.
We absolutely love our customers at Shisler’s Cheese House. We hope that you love our products and that you enjoy coming to see us in store or shopping online. Did you know that our Facebook page is full of Shisler’s Cheese House reviews?
Today we have put together some of our favorite reviews for you to read. If you haven’t already, head on over and like us on Facebook! You’ll get up to date on our latest news and see all of our blog posts over there. You can also leave us a review; we’d love to hear what you think about us.
One of the best cheese mongers in northern Ohio! Rita knows what she’s doing. If you have a weekend out or a couple of days to explore this beautiful part of Ohio you must visit this shop. – Christy
Love this store. They say good things come in small packages. Well, this is one of the best. So much goodness in that little store and they carry my two favorite foods… cheese and chocolate! Rita and her staff go above and beyond to be sure each customer leaves happy and satisfied. – Cheryl
Great selection of quality food and chocolates!!!! I’ve never been to the store, as we live out of state, but have always been extremely pleased with the quality products and shipping that allows items to stay cold, even to Florida. Will continue to order our holiday treats from here. – Jennifer
We live in Maryland and we are originally from Massillon but every year we order Ohio Swiss Cheese from Shisler’s Cheese House, so we always have a little Ohio on our table. – Mary
At Shisler’s, our employees are trained to provide nothing less than outstanding service. Whether you choose to do business at our brick and mortar or online store, your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed. Beyond insisting that our employees provide outstanding service, we do our best to provide a pleasant work environment for them, in which those service habits develop naturally. If you ever receive anything less than outstanding service, please let a member of our senior staff know and give us the opportunity to correct the situation.
Let us know what you think of our products and service in the comments below or over on Facebook!
It’s time for the letter E in our cheese glossary!
Earthy
A description of flavor – hearty, rustic taste and aroma. Many sheep’s and goat’s milk cheeses will taste earthy.
Edam
Edam cheese was first produced in the Netherlands after the town in which is made. It has a pale yellow interior and is usually encased within a crust of red paraffin wax. Its flavor is mild, salty and nutty at the early stage. It becomes sharper with aging. It is comparatively low in fat content when compared with other cheeses.
Emmental
A yellow, medium-hard Swiss cheese that originated in the area around Emmental in Switzerland. It has a mild, slightly fruity taste. It has large holes produced by the fermentation process which introduces air bubbles into the cheese.
Emulsifier
A substance or mixture used to create a smooth body and texture, particularly in processed cheeses.
Enzymes
Protein or protein-like compounds that act as catalysts in the breakdown of many substances. They act on the proteins such as casein in cheese to separate them from the whey. The ones used in cheesemaking include rennet and pepsin.
Esters
Fatty acid compounds responsible for flavor in cheese.
Epoisses de Bourgogne
This is a soft cow’s milk cheese produced in the village Époisses, France. It has a creamy, chewy and firm texture and a very pungent smell. It is categorized as a smear-ripened cheese washed in marc de Bourgogne and takes on a red-orange color as it takes 6 weeks to mature fully. Its flavor is spicy, sweet and salty.
Eyes
A hole within cheese caused by the formation of trapped gas as a result of fermentation
during the curing process. Eyes are typically found in Swiss-type cheeses. The natural bacteria consumes the lactic acid in the cheese. This releases carbon dioxide gas, which forms bubbles that become the holes in the cheese. Our Amish swiss cheese, made in Northeastern Ohio, is especially flavorful because of the longer aging process that it undergoes, at a higher temperature than younger cheeses. This produces larger eyes, which is sometimes seen as an indicator for better flavor.
Extra aged
A cheese that has been aged for between 2 and 7 years. It does not have to have a specified year. You will find that extra aged cheeses are highly flavored with deep, savory notes. They can sometimes become slightly crumbly as they age.
Are you enjoying the cheese glossary? What has been your favorite thing to learn about so far? Let us know in the comments below!
Today our cheese glossary continues with the letter D!
Daisy
A cheese style, traditionally a 22-pound wheel of Cheddar, coated with wax and cheesecloth.
Danby
A cheese made in Vermont, made from raw goat milk. Danby is a hard, extra-aged cheese made in the style of Italian sardos like Piave and Asiago. It is aged for a minimum of six months and develops into a pure, dense white paste with a firm, smooth texture, and a rich flavour.
Draining
The process of separating the curds (solids) from the whey (liquids). This is the first step towards the cheese really beginning to take shape!
Deli horn
Cheese that has been formed into a small cylinder. This is most common with cheeses such as Colby, Colby Jack, and Pepper Jack.
Dipping
Transferring the curds from the whey into forms to set.
Direct-set
A cheese in which lactic acid is using to coagulate the curds rather than rennet.
Disk
Quite simply, a cheese that is formed in a disk shape. These include Brie and Camembert. Because of the shape, it allows a fairly quick aging process to take place.
Double cream cheese
This is a cheese made with milk that has at least 60% butterfat in it. Cream is added to the milk before the coagulation of the curds takes place.
Dry
A dry cheese is usually rather crumbly. In most cases, this would indicate a defect in the cheesemaking process, as most cheeses should still be moist even if they crumble slightly.
Dry matter
This refers to the dry elements of cheese that would be left if all of the moisture were removed. This includes proteins, milkfat, milk sugars and minerals A cheese with less dry matter will be softer. Most soft cheeses are around 50% dry matter and 50% water.
Do you have a term that you would like us to add to the cheese glossary? Let us know in the comments below!
