Few food ingredients will inspire your cooking as much as cheese will. Annually, over five million cheese tons are consumed in the US alone. On smaller scales, almost all dishes contain some variety of cheese to match various traditions.
Incorporating cheese into your dishes is sure to transform them from simple into gourmet meals. It is, however, not easy to benefit from the flavor of cheese in your cooking. The key to getting this right primarily lies in shopping from the best cheese shops in Wisconsin and getting the right variety for your dish.
Learning the right types of cheese for your culinary use will open up endless cooking possibilities for you. Here are the popular cheese types you should incorporate into your cooking.
Cheddar
This varies from other varieties in that it undergoes a process known as cheddaring. Here, cheese is formed into slabs from curds then piled up and repeatedly flipped. This generates a dense cheese and releases its whey.
The curds formed will then go through mills to reduce them into an appropriate size and press them into molds. Cheddar cheese is classified according to its cooking properties, tastes, and age. The flavor of this cheese will become tangier and sharper with time.
Mild cheddar cheese is hence aged for 2–3 months that with a sharp taste stays for 6–9 months and that with an extra sharp taste, ages for 18–24 months.
Sharp and mild cheddar cheese is ideal for grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, and omelets. Aged cheddar cheese, on the other hand, suffices for sprinkling on dishes to get a tangy flavor.
Swiss
This is considered the American version of Emmenthal cheese and is famous for its holes. Swiss cheese is also primarily available in large round shapes since cheese makers prefer this to minimize taxes.
This cheese variety is the perfect choice for corned beef or turkey sandwiches. It is also delicious when melted and used in frittata or omelets.
Goat
Goat cheese is tangy and creamy. It adds a complex and sophisticated flavor to several dishes. The aged French log is the most common variety of goat cheese. It is coated in edible ash that prevents its drying and aged for weeks to break down its proteins and fats, resulting in a delicious aroma and soft texture.
Goat cheese is the perfect choice in salads when mixed with walnuts and beets. You can also use it in classic recipes like cheesecake or macaroni and cheese.
Feta
This is a soft white briny cheese made using sheep’s milk and often blended with goat milk. Feta is generally aged for 2–12 months. Longer aging periods generate brinier tastes. This cheese pairs well with pasta, lamb, and vegetables like broccoli and zucchini.
These cheese varieties also have sub-classes. Do not be afraid of getting all the sub-classes for your ideal cheese and trying them in your recommended dishes.
Be adventurous so that you can benefit from the different flavor profiles of cheese in the same class. The packaging of your cheese will often have flavor cues. You can use these to determine if the flavor the cheese will have pairs with your dish’s profile.
