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combined develop and define the cheese’s final flavor. Before the ripening begins, the cheese-
maker introduces the microorganisms, and either also adds the enzymes or let those that still
remained in the curd do the work. Together they break down fat, protein and the remaining
lactose (the part not yet converted to lactic acid). Enzymes actually don’t take part in the
ripening process directly but speed up (catalyze) reactions. Without them the process would be
much slower, and the resulting cheese less affordable.
A lot of different flavor compounds contribute to the taste of a good cheese. Some flavors
develop from the action of the fermenting bacteria, some from the action of the enzymes and
some from still other enzymes released by bacteria after they die. The process takes from 2
months to 2 years at an ideal temperature specific for each cheese.
The longer the ripening process, the better and sharper the cheese, and the higher the
price. Compare the amount of flavor in a mild fontina aged for 3 months to that of a sharp
romano that has been aged for at least 8 months. Extra-sharp cheddar is aged for well over a
year, and each extra month of aging adds to the price. This is partly due to the cost of storing, but
cheese also continues to lose moisture and weight, so there’s less to sell. It takes 100 pounds (or
100 kg) of whole milk to produce 9 to 9.5 pounds (or 9 to 9.5 kg) of moderately aged cheese, but
will only produce 8.5 to 8.8 pounds (or 8.5 to 8.8 kg) of a well-aged cheese.
Local and regional preferences dictate how long they let cheeses age. The French, for
example, prefer their cheeses well-aged, the Americans much less so. Cheeses imported into the
U.S. from France are milder than the equivalent cheeses sold there. Regional tradition determines
the color of some cheeses, too. Northeastern U.S. cheese eaters, for instance, prefer their cheddar
white, while the rest of the country eats yellow cheddar. The cheese-maker usually also adds
color. The natural color depends not only on the color of milk but the aging process, and it may
not be acceptable to consumers.
Most unripened cheeses, for example, cream cheese, mozzarella, ricotta and cottage
cheese, are relatively inexpensive because their processing is less extensive and no aging is
involved. The cheese-maker only homogenizes cream cheese, while he washes and creams
cottage cheese and ricotta. There is neither bacteria, nor enzymes in the process.
How they classify cheeses
Finished cheeses are in two broad categories, fresh (or unripened) and aged. Fresh
cheeses contain much more water than aged varieties. For instance, 80 percent of ricotta and
cottage cheese is water. These are the most perishable cheeses, and they need refrigeration at all
times. Generally, the more moisture and less fat in a cheese, the more hospitable the bacteria find
the environment.
Aged cheeses are in four groups:
1
2
3
. Soft, aged by bacteria alone (like feta), by the joint action of bacteria and surface
microorganisms (like liederkrantz) or by surface mold (like brie). These are all high-
moisture, perishable cheeses with water content of 50 to 75 percent.
. Semisoft, aged by bacteria (like gouda), by bacteria and surface microorganisms (like
brick) or by interior mold (like blue cheese). These cheeses are also fairly perishable,
with a 40 to 50 percent water content.
. Hard, with eyes (like Swiss) or without (like Colby), all bacterial aged. The water
content is 30 to 40 percent. These cheeses should be refrigerated, but they are not
nearly as perishable as soft and semisoft varieties.
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