Search Results for: swiss cheese
Featured Gift Box: Amish Cheese and Goodies
As we enter the season of Holiday Cheer, I first want to encourage you all to sign up for our email list! Yes, that little pop up…Right there! Our emails will give you exclusive deals on shipping and sale items throughout the holiday season. Secondly, I want to start to highlight some of the tasty selections offered in the Gift Boxes at Shisler’s so you can get a head start on stocking the house for Thanksgiving or holiday gift giving!
Guggisberg Baby Swiss – A Brief History
If you have spent much time in North Eastern Ohio, you likely have tried some of the world-famous cheeses offered in the area. One name that rings notoriety in the region is Guggisberg Baby Swiss.
Cheese of the Month: Havarti
We are continuing our Cheese of the Month posts today! We will share with you some of our favorite cheeses to eat throughout the seasons, some ideas for eating them and even wine pairings so that you can make a party of it.
February’s cheese of the month is…
Havarti!
What is Havarti Cheese?
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. It can be sharp in the stronger varieties, resembling Swiss cheese.
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.
How is Havarti Cheese made?
Havarti cheese was initially created by Hanne Nielsen who operated an experimental farm called Havarthigaard, in Øverød, north of Copenhagen, in the mid-19th century. It is made like most cheeses, by introducing rennet to milk to cause curdling. The curds are pressed into cheese molds which are drained, and then the cheese is aged. Havarti is a washed curd cheese, which contributes to the subtle flavor of the cheese.
It will usually be aged for around three months. As it ages it becomes saltier and nuttier.
How should I eat it?
Havarti is a table cheese that is suitable for slicing, grilling, or melting. When left at room temperature the cheese tends to soften quickly so it is great on a cheeseboard alongside hard cheeses.
It is delicious melted into pasta dishes including macaroni cheese or incorporated into a grilled cheese sandwich. Havarti even works well when grated onto a pizza with mozzarella. You can make an excellent cheese sauce with it that will pair well with grilled chicken and vegetables.
Because of its creaminess, it stands up well to spice. You can use it in recipes that call for chilies and it also pairs very well with the heat of horseradish. Try Havarti with Dill in cauliflower dishes for a fun combination of tastes.
If you are serving it as part of a cheeseboard, slice a few thin slices off the block to show your guests that this is a fantastic way to enjoy it. Serve it with fresh fruits and honey, as well as savory crackers and cured meats. Try our Streb Meats Fresh Smoked Sausage as a starting point.
What should I drink with this cheese?
The smooth, creamy flavor of Havarti goes well against most red wines. It can stand up to the high alcohol flavors of Zinfandel or Shiraz, but it is subtle enough to enjoy with a soft Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon. If you prefer white wine, try a Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling, as the fruity flavors of both will complement the butteriness of the cheese. You could even try it with a light weiss beer or saison.
Do you like Havarti Cheese? Let us know in the comments!
Cheese of the Month: Raclette
To get 2020 off to a fun, cheesy start we have decided to introduce a Cheese of the Month blog post!
We will share with you some of our favorite cheeses to eat throughout the seasons, some ideas for eating them and even wine pairings so that you can make a party of it.
January’s Cheese of the Month is…
Raclette
What is 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. It’s the perfect cozy cheese for the colder winter months!
What is the history of Raclette?
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. Can you think of anything more delicious than a meal of melted cheese on the top of a mountain? We certainly can’t!
Don’t worry though, you don’t need to climb a mountain to enjoy this incredible cheese.
There are a few options for serving raclette at home. You can invest in, or borrow, an electric table-top grill. These have small pans that make the job of melting the cheese easy and fun. Each person fills their small pan, known as a coupelles, with cheese and melts it before adding it to their plate.
If you have a fire pit outside, and don’t mind standing in the cold, or an indoor open fireplace, then you can actually heat the cheese next to this, just like the cowherds! Scrape the rind off the cheese and put it on a heatproof plate or stone. Then place the cut edge next to the flames until it is soft and gooey. Using oven gloves, carefully pick up the cheese and use a knife or spatula to scrape the gooey layer to push melted cheese over boiled potatoes. Do this on a big serving dish if you are serving guests and then everyone can help themselves to this.
Alternatively, you can use your oven. Cut the cheese into fairly thick slices (around 3/4 inch) and arrange the slices in a baking tray on top of boiled potatoes. Pop the whole thing in the oven and bake until the cheese is completely melted.
However you’ve melted your cheese, you should now have a plate of cheese and potatoes. The traditional accompaniments are fresh bread, cornichons, and small pickled onions, as well as a good seasoning with salt and pepper. You can serve yours in your own way, though! Try it with meats, other cheeses and a variety of chopped vegetables, especially if you’re looking to make this into the whole meal.
Serve this all with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir or a light wheat ale.
Have you tried raclette? What’s your favorite way to serve it? Let us know in the comments below!
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?
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!
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 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!
Cheese Glossary: The Letter L
It’s time to return to the cheese glossary. Onto the letter L!
Lactose
A type of sugar found naturally in milk.
Lacy Swiss
Lacy Swiss was invented by Alpine Lace Brands in 1985 in response to the growing need for healthier alternatives. This cheese is closely related to Swiss cheese, but the whole milk used to produce swiss cheese is replaced with low fat milk to provide a healthier alternative with a lower fat content. It gets its name from the lacy appearance of the slices, which usually have a creamy, ivory color to them. It has a delightfully light and nutty flavor. If you follow a lactose-free diet, then this cheese is naturally free of lactose.
Lacy Baby Swiss
Lacy Baby Swiss is a young, semi-soft cheese distinguishable by its myriad of small holes. Baby Swiss is made by substituting water for the milk’s whey to slow bacterial action compared to a traditional Swiss Cheese. The Lacy version has smaller holes and a milder flavor, as well as the lower fat and sodium content found in Lacy Swiss.
Limburger
Limburger is rated as one of the stinkiest cheeses in the world! It is a spreadable cheese with an almost bitter flavor. A rind washed cheese, it has a distinct brown-colored rind with semi-soft, ivory cheese inside. It can be quite mild but it also has a distinct grassy and mushroom taste. The aftertaste has a tang to it.
The bacteria Brevibacterium linens causes the odor and the maturing process which creates Limburger. When it is young it has a firm, crumbly texture with a salty flavor, like feta. At six weeks, the edges soften but the center stays firm. By two months it is almost all smooth and creamy and by three months it develops its intense smell and flavor. Limburger originated in the historical Duchy of Limburg, which is now divided between modern-day Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. However, most Limburger today comes from Germany. Only one company in the United States still makes it, the Chalet Cheese Cooperative of Monroe, Wisconsin. We’re proud to source our Limburger Cheese from Wisconsin.
Lipolysis
This refers to a process that takes place during cheesemaking. Milk contains a fat (or lipid) called triglyceride. Using enzymes called lipases, the fatty acids in triglyceride are separate from the glycerol. They become free fatty acids that have taste and aroma. Without this process, cheese would be incredibly bland.
Lucerne
Lucerne Cheese is a young, semi-soft cheese with small holes, somewhat similar to Baby Swiss. It has a very mild flavor that is both light and smooth. It’s also lower in fat and sodium than Swiss cheese, making it a delicious favorite for those counting calories or watching their sodium intake.
Is there anything else you would like us to define in the cheese glossary? Let us know in the comments!
Cheese Glossary: The Letter H
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.
