|
Why does Swiss Cheese have holes?
|
|
Eyes (the holes) in cheese develop during the curing process when gas forms during the fermentation stage expands. The release of this gas causes air pockets to form and eventually pop, leaving behind holes. Contrary to popular belief, the cheese with more holes does not taste any different than the cheese with fewer holes. The number and size of the eye formations is part of the very difficult and technical "recipe" for a specific kind of Swiss style cheese.
|
|
|
|
How long is it safe to keep cheese?
|
|
Soft cheeses should be served soon after purchasing. As a general rule, the harder the cheese the longer it will remain fresh.
- Cheese will continue to ripen.
- Hard cheeses will generally keep for several months.
- Cheddars and Swiss cheeses will keep for several weeks.
- Blue cheeses keep for between 1-4 weeks.
- Soft cheeses will keep one to two weeks.
|
|
|
|
How should I store my cheese when I bring it home?
|
|
Cheese should be refrigerated at temperatures of 35-45 degrees. It is best to store most cheeses in waxed butcher paper or waxed pastry paper so it can breathe.
|
|
|
|
I'm having a party this weekend. How many cheeses should I serve on my cheeseboard?
|
|
Ideally, there should be three cheese types on a cheese platter/board. Select cheeses that vary in shape, color and texture. You could also theme the board by country or by type of milk. For example, one cow milk (Piave) one sheep's milk (Manchego) and one goat milk (Montchevre honey goat Cheese) or Themed by country (Pecorino Toscano, Asiago Mezzanno and Gorgonzola Dolce). *Suggest that your guests start with the mildest cheese and end with a stronger cheese.
* Suggest that your guests start with the mildest cheese and end with a stronger cheese.
|
|
|
|
What accompaniments go well with cheese?
|
|
Wine is always an excellent pairing with cheese. Generally the more robust the cheese the more full bodied and robust the wine. Fresh crusty breads and crackers are a perfect compliment along with fresh grapes, pears and apples. The sweet flavors of premium fruit preserves and honey also marry well with the salty flavors of most cheesess.
|
|
|
|
At what temperature is it best to serve cheese?
|
|
Always remove your cheese from the refrigerator about an hour before serving. Cheese needs to soften up to room temperature so the flavors can open up.
|
|
|
|
What is the natural color of cheese?
|
|
The natural cheese color is off-white with a yellow tint. The orange color is caused by the addition of anotto seed extract which is a natural coloring.
|
|
|
|
What does the term A.O.C. mean?
|
|
A.O.C. translates as "controlled designation of origin." This is the French certification granted to cheeses and wines that meet strict requirements:
- The product has been produced consistently in the traditional manner
- The produce was produced and partially aged in a specific geographical area
- Production was strictly regulated by an A.O.C. standards commission
|
|
|
|
What does D.O.C. mean?
|
|
Denominazione Di Origine Controllata (Also D.O.P. or P.D.O.). Italy is also known for its labeling system that protects regionally controlled cheeses. The number of Italian cheeses are labeled D.O.C. is very small but as traditional recipes are certified by the Italian trade commission, that list will grow. Parmigiano Reggiano is one of these cheeses.
|
|
|
What is the most expensive cheese that Giant Eagle® carries?
|
|
In most Giant Eagle® stores the most expensive cheese that we carry is Roquefort. Roquefort is an A.O.C. Cheese from France. It is made the same way today as it has for generations and is stilll aged in traditional limestone caverns. It is a rare and wonderful cheese with a complexity of flavor that millions of people all across the world love. At Giant Eagle Market District® they carry many small artisan produced cheeses that are also rare and wonderful, and priced accordingly.
|
|
|
|
Is moose milk cheese worth over $500/lb?
|
|
From a nutritional standpoint, no. Most people can comfortably survive two whole months on $500 worth of standard groceries. Few people can survive 60 days with just a pound of moose milk cheese. However, if you have money to burn and you really like the taste...
|
|
|
|
When was cheese invented?
|
Cheese is an ancient food whose origins predate recorded history. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, either in Europe, Central Asia or the Middle East, but the practice had spread within Europe prior to Roman times and, according to Pliny the Elder, had become a sophisticated enterprise by the time the Roman Empire came into being.
Proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE (when sheep were first domesticated) to around 3000 BCE. The first cheese may have been made by people in the Middle East or by nomadic Turkic tribes in Central Asia. Since animal skins and inflated internal organs have, since ancient times, provided storage vessels for a range of foodstuffs, it is probable that the process of cheese making was discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, resulting in the milk being turned to curd and whey by the rennet from the stomach. There is a legend with variations about the discovery of cheese by an Arab trader who used this method of storing milk.
|
|
|