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Cheese Glossary: The Letters V, W, X, Y and Z!
The time has come; we’ve reached the end of our cheese glossary! Read on to find the cheese terms you need to know from the letters V, W, X, Y, and Z.
Vegetable Rennets
These are rennets extracted from organic sources such as thistles, nettles, or fig leaves.
Washed Curd
A cheesemaking process in which the curds are drained of whey before being rinsed with water and then stirred to rinse off any lactose that natural bacteria might convert to acid. This raises the moisture level and can hasten the aging process for the curd. One example of a washed curd cheese is Colby.
Washed Rind
This refers to cheeses that have been washed in liquids such as brine, whey, beer, cider,
wine, brandy or oil during the ripening process. This keeps the rind moist and encourages growth of an orange bacteria, which can be scraped off, dried, or left to develop into a full rind. One example of a washed rind cheese is Limburger.
Waxed
A cheese covered in wax. This is done for preservation but also creates a distinctive look for cheeses. Many have a specific wax color.
Waxy
A classification of cheese texture.
Weeping
Swiss-type cheeses that release some moisture from their ‘eyes’ may be said to be ‘weeping’.
Whey
The thin, watery part of milk. It separates from the curds when heated and is usually drained away, although some cheeses use the whey in the production of the cheese.
Xynomizithra
A Greek sheep and/or goat whey cheese that is made on the island of Crete. It is a soft, white and creamy cheese that has a sour taste. It is commonly served with honey as a dessert.
Yaroslavsky
A Russian hard cow’s milk cheese with a slightly sour taste.
Yeast
Yeast are single-celled fungi. There are currently 1,500 discovered species. Yeast can be used to change the flavor and texture of cheeses during surface ripening, as well as affecting the aroma of cheese.
Zakusochny
A Russian soft, blue, cow’s milk cheese.
Zufi
An Italian cow’s milk cheese similar to ricotta that is made in Piedmont.
What was your favorite term from the cheese glossary? Let us know in the comments below! What would you like to learn about next?
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to all of our wonderful customers from us at Shisler’s Cheese House!
We hope you will all have a wonderful day spent with loved ones. Whatever you are doing, you will hopefully be able to take a moment to offer thanks for whatever you are grateful for.
Enjoy your day and we’ll see you after the holiday to fulfill your cheese needs!
The Cheese Glossary: The Letters T and U
We continue our cheese glossary with the letters T and U!
Terroir
This French term denotes the effects that geography and different environments have on food. It is particularly used in reference to cheese and wine. It includes climate, soil, and terrain, as well as the techniques used in growing. These may be based on a particular tradition.
Texture
Texture refers to the ‘feel’ of cheese, both in the eating experience and the cutting. Cheese textures can include smooth, grainy, open or closed, creamy, flaky, dense, or crumbly.
Thermalized
Milk that has been treated at temperatures higher than 160F for less than 15 seconds. It is less temperature and time than pasteurization. It is often used in the production of blue cheese.
Thermophilic Cultures
Common cheesemaking cultures that work at temperatures above 100°F.
Triple cream
Cheeses that have more than 72% butterfat content. They are very rich and creamy, as you would expect, and pair well with fruit and wine to cut through the richness.
Turophile
If you’re reading our blog then you are probably a turophile! This term means a cheese lover. It comes from the Greek turos, for cheese, and phil, for love.
Umami
The fifth taste after sweet, sour, salty and bitter, which is often equated with a savory taste. This was first identified in Japan but is now used worldwide. It is often found in mature, aged cheeses.
Unripened
Cheeses that have not been aged. They are sometimes called fresh cheeses and include cheeses such as mozzarella.
You can see our other cheese glossary posts here. We’ve come all the way through the alphabet and we’ll be carrying on through so that you’ll learn about cheese from A to Z!
What has been your favorite thing to learn from the cheese glossary? Let us know in the comments below!
Thanksgiving Checklist: Everything You Need to Prepare
We know that it’s a busy time of year, so we’ve put together a checklist to help you prepare for the festivities next week.
1. The Turkey
Many tables around the country will hold a turkey next Thursday. Now is also the time to make sure that you have a big enough dish to cook your turkey in. If you’re brining your turkey, then check that you have a large receptacle to keep it in. You’ll want to start this process up to 24 hours before you are ready to roast.
2. A Vegetarian Option
If you have guests that don’t eat meat attending your dinner then you will need to prepare a vegetarian main. There are so many recipes out there these days, so have a quick search online. If you’re unsure what to serve, you could even ask your guests for ideas so that you know you’re serving something appropriate.
3. The Sides
You’ll know which sides are family favorites! Make sure that you have all the vegetables in advance. You can also start prepping and storing them ahead of time so that everything is simple on the day. If you have family coming to stay with you, why not make an evening of doing the prep the night before over a drink? If you are making the stuffing, stock up on ingredients and dry out your bread.
4. The Sauces
Cranberry sauce and gravy are absolute essentials, but they can both be made ahead of time and stored. You can even freeze gravy!
5. Dessert
Whether you’re buying your desserts or making them, no Thanksgiving meal is complete without a sweet treat. If you need to order them then now is the time to make those last minute orders.
6. Drinks
Make sure that you have stocked up on a range of wines and beers as well as non-alcoholic options for little ones and those who don’t drink. Put anything that needs to be chilled into the refrigerator ahead of time.
7. Snacks
For those moments when you get last-minute guests or you all need a snack as you settle down in front of the TV. Make this even easier by picking up our Thanksgiving Menu Collection. It includes Troyer’s Trail Bologna Ring, Cheddar Cheese, Cranberry Delight Mix, Shisler’s Private Label Apple Butter, Pumpkin Muffin Mix, and Uncle Ozgood’s Popcorn on the Cob. It’ll tick this straight off your Thanksgiving checklist without any stress at all.
8. Table settings
Whether you prefer a minimalist or plentiful style, it makes the day seem like an occasion if you set the table beautifully. Use your best dishes and flatware, light candles and create a centerpiece that will welcome your guests.
9. Prepare for house guests
If you are having house guests, prepare for their arrival. Make sure the beds have clean linens and that you’ve collected together any supplies that will be needed. Providing the WiFi password written down somewhere will stop people from asking you for it when you are preparing dinner, although you might want to take the opposite approach and ask people to put their phones away at the door!
10. Prepare for leftovers
Make sure that you have bread in the house for turkey sandwiches! Collect some boxes ready for guests to take away leftover treats to enjoy in the days after Thanksgiving.
We hope this helps you to prepare for a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Cheese Glossary: The Letter S
Salting
The process of adding salt to cheese! Salt can be added when the cheese is still in curd form or it can be rubbed on after the cheese is pressed, depending on which cheese it is. A salt solution can also be used. This is known as brining. Whilst some of the flavor of cheese is achieved through salting, the process also preserves the cheese.
Semi-hard
Cheeses vary from hard to soft based on their body and texture. Cheddar and Swiss are examples of semi-hard cheeses.
Semi-soft
Semi-soft cheeses are usually made from whole milk and melt when heated.
Sharp
A flavor term referring to the fully developed flavor of aged cheeses. Cheeses that might be sharp include Cheddar, Provolone and blue-veined cheeses like Danish Blue.
Smoked
Smoked cheese is produced in a similar way to smoked meats. There are various ways to do this including adding smoking over wood or adding liquid smoke to brine. We stock a wide variety of smoked cheeses.
Soft
Cheeses with a high moisture content. They are usually set with the addition of lactic acid cultures and include cheeses such as cottage cheese, mascarpone, and ricotta.
Soft-ripened
These cheeses, such as Brie and Camembert, have a thin white or cream rind that is soft and edible. They are usually soft inside and have a luscious, creamy texture.
Stabilizer
An ingredient added to products, including cheese, to improve consistency and texture.
Starter
A culture that normally has varying percentages of lactic acid, bacteria or mold spores, enzymes or other microorganisms and natural chemicals. Starter cultures control the process of curdling milk during cheesemaking by converting lactose to lactic acid. They can also give the cheese particular flavor and characteristics.
Stirred-curd Cheese
These are sometimes called granular cheeses. They are made in a similar way to cheddar cheese but do not go through the cheddaring and milling process. It tends to have a higher moisture level than other cheeses. The granular aspect comes from the open look to the
cheese.
Stretched
Cheeses that have stretched curds are kneaded with hot water, which gives them a fibrous structure. The most common example would be mozzarella.
Surface-ripened
Cheeses that ripen from the outside in when a mold, yeast or bacteria is applied to the surface.
Swiss
A holey, semi-hard cheese with a creamy color, Swiss cheese has a nutty, slightly piquant flavor whilst simultaneously being somewhat creamy. 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”.
We hope that you continue to enjoy our cheese glossary!
Show Your Support This Veteran’s Day
As today is Veteran’s Day and we are passionate supports of our veterans, we wanted to share our Veteran’s Day Care Package with you.
This is a great way to remind our heroes that we still appreciate all they do! It is perfect as a gift for our veterans or as active duty military care packages. We have included less perishable options than some of our other gift boxes, for those who wish to send a care package to military personnel stationed overseas.
There really is nothing like a little taste of home to let our men and women in uniform know they are appreciated. We will ship to any FPO-AP address via U.S. Postal service. We will also show our appreciation for our men and women in uniform by donating a portion of the proceeds from every package sold to The Wounded Warrior Project.
The Veteran’s Day Care Package Includes:
- Baby Swiss Cheese Wheel (2 Lbs.)
- Trail Bologna Ring or Beef Jerky (In non-perishable option)
- Clem’s Hot Pepper Relish – delicious with cheese and crackers!
- Banana Split Mix – cranberries, banana chips, almonds, chocolate covered peanuts, chocolate drops, pineapple tidbits, raisins, yogurt covered peanuts, peanuts, and yogurt drops all mixed together for a great trail mix
- Amish Peanut Butter Spread
- Amish Homestyle Jam
- Carr’s Crackers
We know that you love to show your appreciation and, to us, food is the perfect way to do that.
Here at Shisler’s Cheese House, we also make a range of gift boxes if the Veteran’s Care Package isn’t quite right for you.
Our Football Season Special is perfect for sports lovers. It contains Swiss Cheese, Troyer’s Trail Bologna, Pepper Jack Cheese, Shisler’s Private Label Mustard, Shisler’s Private Label Hot Pepper Relish, and Carr’s Crackers.
The Fall Harvest Collection celebrates the best flavors of fall in Amish Country. You’ll find Baby Swiss Cheese (2 Lbs.), Streb Meats Smoked Sausage (1 Lb.), Cranberry Delight (1 Lb.), Pumpkin Muffin Mix, Pumpkin Butter, and Popcorn on the Cob inside.
If you want to show your support to a beer and cheese lover, then our Beer Collection is absolutely the gift for you. It contains enough Brick, Gouda, Gruyere, and Ohio Premium Swiss Cheese to entertain 20 people. These cheeses have been chosen for their strong flavors which pair beautifully with beer. We recommend trying out a few different beers to compare the tasting experience.
Finally, our Hot Stuff Collection has everything that you might need for someone who lives spice and heat. Enjoy trying Hot Pepper Cheese, Habanero Cheese, Troyer’s Trail Bologna with Hot Pepper Cheese, Shisler’s Private Label Hot Pepper Relish, Shisler’s Private Label Hot Jalapeno Mustard, Hot Pepper Jelly, and Carr’s Crackers. Be warned, you might need a cooling glass of milk on hand.
Do get in touch if you have any questions about any of our gift boxes, but especially if you would like to get a Veteran’s Day care package for a special someone to recognise their service this month.
We’d also love for you to take a look at the work of the Wounded Warrior Project and consider supporting them in their efforts.
Cheese Glossary: The Letters Q and R
A treat for you today: two letters from our cheese glossary!
Quarter Wheel
A quarter of a 20-pound wheel of cheese.
Queso
The Spanish word for cheese.
Raclette
Raclette (ra-klet) is a semi-firm, salted cheese made from cow’s milk. It originated in the Swiss canton of Valais, but is today also produced in the French regions of Savoie and Franche-Comté. The term raclette derives from the French racler, meaning “to scrape”. Raclette cheese is heated, either in front of a fire or by a special machine, then scraped onto diners’ plates.
Raclette is mentioned in medieval writings and was then known in the German-speaking part of Switzerland as Bratchäs, or “roasted cheese.” Traditionally, the Swiss cow herders used to take the cheese with them into the mountains. They would cook it by the campfire and scrape it onto bread. Now, electric table-top grills with small pans make the job of melting the cheese easy and fun. Each guest fills their small pan, known as a coupelles, with cheese and melts it before adding it to their plate.
Raw milk
This is simply the term for milk that has not undergone pasteurization.
Rennet
This comes from the membranes of calves’ stomachs and contains rennin, an enzyme. This aids in coagulating milk or separating curds from whey. There are also vegetarian forms of rennet that can be commercially produced from fungi.
Rind
The outer surface of the cheese. Rind can vary from soft to hard as well as in thickness and color. Natural rinds exist but some are produced from a harmless mold.
Rindless
Cheese without a rind. Some of these are not ripened so they won’t develop a rind and others are protected with a coating or plastic film.
Ripening
The aging process that cheese goes through.
Rustic
A term for cheeses that are earthy in flavor and aroma.
Cheese Glossary: The Letter P
Today we are continuing with our cheese glossary! Ever wondered what cheese that starts with a p? Learn now!
Parmesan
Parmesan Cheese is a hard, dry cheese, which has a complex, sharp, nutty flavor and a somewhat grainy texture. It is made from unpasteurized cow’s milk. Starter whey, containing thermophilic lactic acid bacteria, and rennet is added to separate the curds. These are then compacted and placed into molds. The wheels are placed into brine baths for up to 25 days where they absorb the salt. After brining, each cheese is aged for 12 months.
Parmigiano Reggiano
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese gets its name from the Italian regions of production: Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna, and Mantova. It originated in the Middle Ages, at least 700 years ago. It was first made by monks in Reggio Emilia, with production spreading to the Parma and Modena regions. With the exception of new production equipment and technology, the basic process to make the cheese has changed very little in the hundreds of years since.
A Parmesan Consortium was created in 1934 which regulates the production of authentic Parmesan Cheese and inspects all of the cheese produced by nearly 800 cheese producers. Parmigiano Reggiano is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese in the European Union, which legally requires the cheese to be produced in certain regions of northern Italy in order to be labeled as Parmigiano Reggiano. Outside of Europe, the phrase “Parmesan Cheese” may be used to refer to any hard grating cheese.
Pasteurization
A process of treating food or drinks with mild heat to extend their shelf life.
Penicillium
A group of molds is used in various processes including food production.
Penicillium Camemberti
A white mold that is used to make Camembert, Brie, Langres, Coulommiers, and Cambozola cheeses.
Penicillium Glaucum
A mold that is used to make cheeses including Gorgonzola.
Penicillium Roqueforti
A mold used in the production of Roquefort, Gorgonzola, Stilton, and Danish Blue.
Pressed
A cheese there the curd is placed in a mold and pressed to form the shape of the finished cheese.
Provolone
Provolone Cheese, like mozzarella, is a pulled or stretched curd cheese with two varieties. Dolce (mild Provolone) is aged for just two to three months. It is a semi-soft, mild, smooth table cheese. Piccante is aged for six to twelve months and has a much stronger flavor.
The term Provolone (meaning large provola) appeared around the end of the 19th century when it started to be manufactured in the southern regions of Italy. Modern Provolone has smooth skin and is produced mainly in the regions of Lombardia and Veneto. It is produced in different shapes. Some are like a very large sausage which may be up to 30 cm (1 ft) in diameter and 90 cm (3 ft) long, whilst others come in a truncated bottle shape or a large pear shape which has a characteristic round knob for hanging.
Provolone cheese can be made with buffalo or cow’s milk, or a mixture of the two. Once the curds and whey have been separated, the curd is kneaded and stretched while still hot. The cheese is bathed in brine before a wax or plastic rind is added to the outside. It is tied up with rope and hung in the aging cellar.
Proteolysis
This is the process of casein protein breaking down into other compounds including peptides and amino acids, that give cheese flavor.
Pungent
This describes a particularly sharp aroma of cheese.
Happy Halloween from us!
Happy Halloween to all of our wonderfully ghostly customers! We hope you have a very spooky day indeed. We’ve put together a few of our favorite ideas for making Halloween fun.
1. Carving Pumpkins
Of course, pumpkin carving is the classic decoration for Halloween. We absolutely love to make our own designs! Traditional faces are easy to carve, but there are so many online tutorials that can help you to create intricate designs that are sure to impress trick or treaters! Do remember to be careful of any open flames when the pumpkins are lit and to keep the pumpkins away from places where people could injure themselves.
Make sure that you don’t waste the actual pumpkin flesh. It’s delicious roasted as a side dish or cooked into a warming soup for cold evenings. Try using a cookie cutter to cut bread shapes such as ghosts or bats for a fun addition to your soup. You can even roast the seeds with different flavors like salt, chilli, or caramel for a quick crunchy snack. Why not try a pumpkin mac and cheese to warm you up?
2. Spooky Baking
We love to get into the kitchen and create something delicious for Halloween!
Spider Cookies
This recipe is lots of fun to make. Get the whole family involved to create a fantastic treat. Use your favorite cookie recipe or even pre-bought dough to make a big batch of cookies. Melt white chocolate and use it to pipe a web onto the cookies. The easiest way to do this is to pipe on concentric circles and then use a cocktail stick to pull the circles into a web shape. Leave this to set. Then melt milk chocolate and pipe on your creepy spiders. You could even add icing eyes or create your own using candy.
Witch’s Hats
Cut puff pastry or pre-made crescent rolls into the shape of witch’s hats. Decorate with a strip of Colby cheese as a ribbon. You could even use sweet or savory filling to make them into pies. Try pumpkin, cream cheese or melted chocolate for fun seasonal flavors.
3. Decorations
If you want to make sure that trick or treaters visit you, then some decorations will send the message that you are happy to meet them. Of course, your pumpkins will light the way but there are some other ways that you can decorate your home.
Floating witch’s hats
Use fishing line to hang witch’s hats in your porch for a fun decoration that can be seen by your neighbors. You could even use battery powered fairy lights or glow sticks to make them light up so that they can be seen at night. Make sure that they are hung up high so that no-one walks into them!
A Halloween tree
You can now find artificial Christmas trees in a huge range of colors, including black and white. Pick one of these up and decorate it as a Halloween tree. There are lots of spooky ornaments available in the shops and online. Add some cobwebs, skulls, and spiders for a truly creepy tree. You can even get orange tinsel or pull out any dark colored Christmas decorations to add some extra sparkle.
How are you celebrating Halloween? Let us know in the comments below! Have a spooky day!
Cheese Glossary: The Letters N and O
We return to our cheese glossary for the letters N and O!
Natural
A general term for cheese that has been made directly from milk, whether it is pasteurized or unpasteurized. It can also refer to the cheesemaking process itself of coagulating or curdling the
milk, stirring and heating the curd, draining the whey and collecting or pressing the curd.
Natural Rind
A rind that forms naturally on cheese whilst it is drying and ripening. Ripening agents or washing are not used to create the natural rind. Most semi-hard and hard cheeses will have this, including Parmesan and Romano Pecorino.
Nutty
Cheeses with a nut-like flavor, such as Swiss cheeses.
Oily
This can describe the body, flavor or aroma of a cheese.
Open
A term applied to cheese varieties containing small holes that develop during the manufacturing process. These holes may be small or large, densely patterned or randomly scattered, and irregular in shape. Air might be introduced through punctures made with steel pins, such as in the production of blue-veined cheeses. These pin holes are not the same as the open ‘eyes’ that form during fermentation of cheeses such as Swiss cheese.
Organic
Grown without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers.
Overripe
A cheese that has gone past its best. It has likely become too soft.
Ovolini
A ball of fresh mozzarella, weighing approximately four ounces.
Oxidation
This can cause cheese to become bleached or dry, depending on how it has been packaged.
We have come to the halfway point of our cheese glossary and we are really enjoying teaching you all about the different terms associated with cheese. We hope it is helping you to learn more about the cheeses that you love. What would you like to learn about next? Let us know in the comments below and we will make it the focus of our next set of posts!
