Us-Made Cheeses: A Comprehensive Guide To Varieties

The United States is home to a variety of unique cheeses, with some American cheeses even rivalling the best in Europe. While American cheeses may be riffs on European styles, they take on a new life and character when reinvented with American ingenuity and ingredients. Some well-known American cheeses include Baby Swiss, a softer, milder cheese than its Alpine-style counterparts, and Colby, a cheese similar to Cheddar, which was developed in Wisconsin in 1874. Other American-made cheeses include Monterey Jack, cream cheese, and cottage cheese.

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Milk sources: cow, sheep, goat, buffalo, etc

Milk is the star ingredient in cheese, but the type of milk used can differ from cheese to cheese. Here are some common sources of milk used in cheesemaking:

Cow's Milk

Cow's milk is the most commonly used milk for cheesemaking due to its wide availability and optimal fat and protein content. It is used to make popular cheeses such as Swiss, Cheddar, Gouda, and Colby.

Sheep's Milk

Sheep's milk is not commonly consumed as a drink due to its high lactose content. However, it is an excellent base for making cheese. Sheep's milk cheeses include Roquefort, Feta, Petit Basque, and Manchego.

Goat's Milk

Goat's milk lends a distinctive tangy flavour to cheeses. Examples of goat's milk cheeses include Le Chevrot and French Bucheron. Goat's milk cheese is also known as Chevre.

Buffalo Milk

Buffalo milk is not a common ingredient in cheese, but it is traditionally used to make mozzarella.

Other Milk Sources

In some regions, more obscure types of milk are used to make specialty cheeses. For example, camel's milk is used to make Caravane cheese in Mauritania, and some cheeses are made from horse or yak's milk.

Pasteurized vs. Raw Milk

Cheesemakers can use either pasteurized or raw milk, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Pasteurized milk has a longer shelf life and reduces the risk of foodborne illnesses, but it can damage the proteins and enzymes naturally present in raw milk. On the other hand, raw milk contributes to a more complex flavour profile as it ages, but it must be sourced and handled properly to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.

Bacteria and starter cultures

The process of making cheese involves several steps, and one of the most important steps is the addition of bacteria and starter cultures. This step is crucial in determining the cheese's flavour, texture, and overall character.

Cheese is made from milk, and milk contains lactose, which is a natural sugar. To transform milk into cheese, specific bacteria are added to initiate the process of fermentation. These bacteria are known as "starter cultures" and play a vital role in the cheesemaking process. The starter cultures contain living bacteria that feed on the lactose sugar present in the milk, converting it into lactic acid. This process of lactose fermentation not only reduces the sweetness of the milk but also contributes to the development of the cheese's acidity.

Different types of starter cultures are used to create different varieties of cheese. For example, Swiss cheese uses a distinct type of culture, while Brie and Blue cheeses rely on their own unique cultures. The choice of starter culture influences the flavour and texture of the final product. The acidity produced during fermentation, along with the enzymes released by the starter cultures, contribute to the cheese's unique characteristics.

The two most common types of starter cultures are mesophiles and thermophiles. Mesophilic cultures are the preferred choice for most cheeses as they perform optimally at lower to moderate temperatures. On the other hand, thermophilic cultures thrive at higher temperatures. For popular cheeses like Gouda and Cheddar, the starter cultures typically contain mesophilic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that grow best at temperatures ranging from 28°C to 32°C. These LAB species, such as Lactococcus lactis subspecies cremoris and Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis, rapidly produce lactic acid, which is essential for industrial cheese production.

In addition to their role in fermentation, starter cultures also contribute to the ripening process of cheese. During this phase, the number of bacteria decreases due to lactose depletion, but their enzymes continue to play a vital role in proteolysis, lipolysis, and the conversion of amino acids. This activity results in the formation of compounds that directly impact the flavour and texture of the cheese. Furthermore, the use of starter cultures helps ensure the safety of the final product by inhibiting the growth of undesirable microorganisms.

Rennet and other enzymes

Rennet is a complex set of enzymes produced in the stomachs of ruminant mammals. It is a key ingredient in cheesemaking, used to coagulate milk and separate it into solid curds and liquid whey. The curds are then cut and stirred to release the whey, and the curds are then used to form the cheese. Rennet is traditionally derived from the stomachs of calves, but it can also be produced from the stomachs of other mammals or from microbial, plant, and fungal sources.

The key component of rennet is the enzyme chymosin, which curdles the casein in milk. Chymosin is also known as rennin. Calf rennet typically contains about 90% chymosin and 10% pepsin, another enzyme. However, the amount of chymosin in rennet decreases as the calf gets older, and older calves may produce rennet with no chymosin but high levels of pepsin. This type of rennet can only be used for certain types of milk and cheeses. Different species of mammals produce different types of rennet, each suited to curdling the milk of their own species. For example, kid goat rennet is used for goat's milk, and lamb rennet is used for sheep's milk.

Because rennet is derived from animal stomachs, cheese made with animal rennet is not suitable for vegetarians. However, chymosin can also be derived from non-animal sources, and over 80% of cheese consumed in North America is made using these non-animal sources. Fermentation-produced chymosin (FPC) is commonly used in industrial cheesemaking in North America and Europe because it is less expensive than animal rennet. FPC is also suitable for the production of vegan cheese, as long as no animal-based ingredients are used. Other non-animal sources of enzymes for cheesemaking include several species of Galium, dried caper leaves, nettles, thistles, mallow, Withania coagulans, and ground ivy. Some traditional cheesemaking in the Mediterranean uses enzymes from thistle or Cynara (artichokes and cardoons).

The use of rennet in cheesemaking dates back to at least Roman times. Today, most cheese is made using chymosin derived from bacterial sources, and less than 5% of cheese in the United States is made using animal rennet. The amount of rennet used in cheesemaking is very small; one kilogram of cheese contains about 0.0003 grams of rennet enzymes.

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Salt and other ingredients

Salt is added to most cheeses to enhance their flavour and regulate moisture content, which affects the texture of the cheese. It also controls bacteria growth and helps preserve the cheese. The type of salt used matters; cheesemakers typically use non-iodized salt or cheese salt to make their cheese. The lack of iodine is important, as iodine can affect the cheese's flavour and texture.

The salt content in American cheese is regulated by federal laws, which mandate that it be labelled as "pasteurized process American cheese" if it is made from more than one cheese. This type of cheese must be entirely cheese, except for an emulsifying agent, salt, colouring, acidifying agents, and optional dairy fat sources (but not more than 5% of the total weight). If it is at least 51% cheese but includes other specific dairy ingredients, it is labelled as "pasteurized process American cheese food".

Salt is added to American cheese to enhance its flavour and texture. It is also used to control the growth of bacteria and to preserve the cheese. The specific type of salt used in American cheese is typically non-iodized salt or cheese salt, as the lack of iodine in these types of salt is important for maintaining the desired flavour and texture of the cheese.

In addition to salt, American cheese typically contains other ingredients such as sodium citrate, which allows the cheese to be pasteurized without its components separating. It is also commonly made with Cheddar cheese, washed curd cheese, Colby cheese, and granular cheese, among other ingredients. The combination of these ingredients gives American cheese its characteristic mild, creamy texture and salty flavour, as well as its medium-firm consistency and low melting point.

Ripening and ageing

Ripening, or ageing, is one of the most important elements of the cheese-making process. It is responsible for the distinct flavour of cheese and, through the modification of "ripening agents", determines the features that define many different varieties of cheese, such as taste, texture, and body. The process is complex and involves a series of physical, chemical, and microbiological changes that incorporate the agents of bacteria, enzymes, lactic culture, rennet, lipases, added moulds or yeases, and environmental contaminants.

The ripening process affects the cheese differently depending on the type of cheese. For example, some cheeses are surface ripened by moulds, such as Camembert and Brie, while others ripen internally, such as Stilton. The growth of Brevibacterium linens, for example, creates an orange coat on certain cheeses. The ripening process can also be influenced by yeasts, which contribute to flavour and coat texture.

The length of the ripening process varies depending on the type of cheese. Some cheeses are fresh and require no ageing time, such as cottage cheese or ricotta, while others are cured and considered semi-soft, requiring little to no ageing time, such as Monterey Jack, Colby, and Havarti. On the other hand, semi-hard and hard cheeses like sharp cheddar, Swiss, or Parmesan require a longer period of time to achieve their desired texture, flavour, and aroma. The longer the cheese ages, the more intense the flavour becomes.

The ripening process can be influenced by various factors, including the cheese's water content, temperature, salt content, and more. For example, the amount of salt in the cheese affects the rate of proteolysis, which influences the breakdown of milk proteins and the growth of bacteria. By carefully controlling the temperature and relative humidity, cheesemakers can allow the surface mould to grow and the mould ripening of the cheese by fungi to occur.

Frequently asked questions