Say CHEESE!

Everyone loves one type of cheese or another. Even picky kids enjoy the mild, creaminess of processed cheese slices while their parents with more refined tastes may enjoy a chunk of chevre or perhaps a tangy Maytag bleu cheese.

Cheese can be broken down into two broad categories, fresh and ripened.

Fresh cheeses include cottage cheese, cream cheese and ricotta, a favorite in lasagna and manicotti. Ripe cheeses include Parmesan and cheddar.

Cheese usually begins as milk, either from a cow, sheep or goat. The milk is allowed to thicken, usually after the addition of bacteria. Then it separates into a liquid, whey, and a smattering of semi-solids, called curds.

The whey is drained off and if it’s going to be more than fresh cheese, the curds are cured and a variety of ingredients may be added, depending on the final flavor of cheese. These ingredients may include salt, herbs, spices and, often in the case of cheddar, natural coloring.

After curing, the cheese is subjected to a ripening process. During this process, they may undergo a series of other additions, according to the type of cheese they will eventually become. For example, bleu cheeses may be inoculated with mold spores that allow them to develop their characteristic flavor and brie is sprayed (or dipped) into a bacteria that forms its white, powdery covering.

Ripened cheese may be broken down into smaller categories, aptly named by texture. These categories include hard cheese (Parmesan), semi-firm cheese (cheddar), semi-soft (Jack), soft ripe (Brie) and blue-veined (bleu cheese).

Most cheeses can be stored for several weeks, for example, Parmesan and cheddar.  If a bit of mold appears on the surface, it can be pared off with a sharp knife. I usually will cut an area a little deeper than the mold has penetrated, just because I like to be sure I’ve gotten all of the mold spores.

Some cheeses, like cottage cheese and Brie, should not be eaten after the appearance of mold. These cheeses have a shorter lifespan as well and should only be kept for a couple of weeks at most. Use the expiration date on the carton or package as your guide.

Cheese has been around as food for several centuries. In fact, its origins predate recorded history, although it’s been estimated to exist 5000 years B.C.E. It is valuable for its portability, long life, and high content of fat, protein and calcium. Cheese is more compact and has a longer shelf life than the milk from which it is made.

Cheeses are eaten alone and cooked as part of a larger entrée. Most cheese melts when heated.

Finally, cheese is rich in tryptophan, an amino acid that has been found to relieve stress and induce sleep.

The United States, the biggest world producer of cheese, is a marginal exporter, as most of its production is for the domestic market. France, the country often associated with fine cheese, only exports about 30 percent of its annual cheese production.

Almost everyone who loves cheese has a bit of cheddar in their fridge. Here is a simple recipe for a savory breakfast scone.

Cheddar Cheese Scones

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick butter chilled and cut into a ¼” dice

2/3 cup heavy cream plus 1 tablespoon for brushing

1 cup grated cheese

¼ cup fresh chives

Heat oven to 400°. In a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Stir in the 2/3 cup heavy cream.

Add the cheddar and chives and use your hands to combine. Knead the dough a couple of times until it comes together. Gently pat it into a ball, and then flatten slightly into a 1” thick disk. Transfer to a baking sheet. Slice into quarters, and then cut each quarter in half.

Brush the top of the scone with the remaining cream. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.