Dairy & Milk

Many times, the best way to end a meal is not with something sweet. And luckily, the European trend to serve cheese as dessert is catching on more and more everyday in this country. We see it in restaurants everywhere, but how can you create your own dessert course at home?Read on for some of our favorite after dinner cheeses and the accompaniments we love to serve alongside.The best part about serving cheese for dessert is that it’s fast and easy.

When it comes to cheese, one of the most oft-asked and misunderstood queries is in regards to rind.There are two basic schools of thought when it comes to the question of The Rind. The first argues that the true essence of a cheese lives within the bounty of its rind, and that it’s therefore not to be skipped. The second supports the act of delving solely into the interior paste, and doing away with the disruptive complexity of its crust.Neither theory is exclusively correct, really.

Buttermilk makes the best biscuits and marinade for fried chicken, but it’s hard to find a container smaller than a quart. A specialty grocery store near me used to sell perfect 1-cup portions, but abruptly stopped awhile ago, much to my disappointment. So what should you do after you’re done with that buttermilk recipe but there’s still some left in the carton? Freeze it! Luckily, buttermilk freezes really well so you never have to throw out an half-empty expired carton again.

In all our recent posts on buttermilk and what to do with it, we realized that there’s one topic that we haven’t covered.What, exactly, is buttermilk?!Traditionally, buttermilk is the liquid that is leftover after churning butter. It’s low in fat and contains most of the protein originally in the milk. True buttermilk ferments naturally into a thick, tangy cream.

Sure, we may never go as far as describing cottage cheese as refined, or elegant, or even complex, but deserving of some air time it is. We hereby extoll its simplicity and versatility and deride its mistaken identity solely as a dieter’s delight.Just what is it, though, how is it made, and what are the best ways to enjoy it?Just the visual sight of cottage cheese is actually a good way to understand the cheesemaking process.

Here’s a question from reader L.:I’ve been searching for replacement glass liners for a rectangular covered silver butter dish forever, but haven’t had any luck. Do you know where I can find them?That’s a tricky question, L.! We think your best bet is Replacements.com, a repository of pretty much every china pattern and silver set known to man.

Milk is white, so why is some cheese orange? What is the culprit responsible for this color change in cheese and why would some cheesemakers choose to rob their cheese of its natural tint in the first place? (It’s not as devious as it sounds.)Cheese can be colored with a coloring agent called annatto. It’s a natural food coloring that comes from the Annatto (also known as Achiote) tree, grown in the tropical regions of Central and South America.

Cheese nerds, come hither. Have you ever really thought about why blue cheese is the color that gives it its name? And what’s the key element necessary to activate that blueness?Blue cheeses are unique for many reasons, but most significantly, they stand out from the other families of cheese because of the way they ripen. While most other cheeses are bacteria-ripened, like washed-rind cheeses, blue cheeses ripen from mold activity.

It’s one of the most widely recognized names in the gourmet cheese marketplace. And for good reason. Here, all you’ve ever wanted to know about this Spanish cheese warrior, which has dominated the modern day cheese frontier for a much shorter period of time than it’s actually been around.Characterized by a mildly gamy (think lamb choppy) flavor and a hazelnutty sweetness, Manchego is everywhere.

They’re the stinkiest of any cheese you’ll find behind the counter. They’re the ones that make you search your refrigerator for something that’s gone bad. In this week’s Cheesemonger column, a profile on the washed rind family of cheeses: how to pick them out, some of the best even for the non-converts, and understanding the difference between a bad stink and a good one.

Those are the ingredients for Sara Kate’s Fridge-Clearing Avocado Soup. Maybe not the most seasonal group of ingredients in the middle of February, but it exhibits a very good (and healthy) idea for making creamy, silky soup. The finished product is below… You may only think of yogurt as a garnish, something to plop on top of a soup or stew and slowly stir in as you eat. And it does make a good garnish (we’ve done that here and here).

There’s no official legislation outlawing the presence of fish and cheese on the same plate, but for many Italians — and those of us who would wish to remain in their gastronomic good graces — there is no greater offense. To finish a fish-focused pasta with parmigiano would have many an Italian nonna rising from their graves to deliver a hefty slap on the wrist.

There are innumerable cheeses that deserve a singular spotlight, the strong, oh-so-uniquely flavored cheeses that don’t like to share the stage with others, so formidable that they’re best enjoyed on their own, without unnecessary, condimental fanfare. But what about a cheese whose merit, more than anything else, lies in its ability to complement other foods? Here, an intro to ricotta salata, the saltier, aged version of its fresher cohort.

Soy MilkSoy milk is probably the most popular, and the most controversial, depending on how you feel about soy in general. It typically has a thicker consistency than rice or almond milks, and lacking a sweet flavor (in non-sweetened varieties) is probably your best bet for cooking in savory dishes. Soy milk is made by soaking dry soybeans and then grinding them with water.

No matter how many times we do it, whipping cream from a liquid into a solid always seems like kitchen magic to us. Just what’s going on in that cup of cream? Let’s take a look!When you first begin whipping cream, millions of tiny air bubbles get whisked into the liquid. The cream becomes frothy and lightens. If you stopped whisking now, the bubbles would eventually work their way out and the cream would become a uniform liquid again.But if you keep whipping, something more happens.

Yesterday, we went shopping for buttermilk for a cake recipe and found two choices: low-fat or Bulgarian. Bulgarian?We tend to shy away from low-fat ingredients when baking, so we bought the Bulgarian. But then we remembered that buttermilk is, in its natural state, low-fat. (It’s the thin liquid left over after you churn butter from cream.) Maybe the Bulgarian is a manufactured “whole milk” version? Had we made a huge mistake?

It’s one of the first tenets of cheese etiquette: don’t eat cheese straight from the fridge. Ever.Cold cheese doesn’t taste like much. But how long should you leave a cheese out? And what’s the one thing not to do when bringing your cheese up to room temperature?Cheese is composed largely of fat. And since fat means flavor, the goal is to amplify it as much as possible. When fat molecules are cold, they contract.

Here’s an interesting question from Victoria. I love to use real butter in my baking, and when I shop I usually buy one salted butter, and one unsalted. But, as unsalted butter isn’t as common in ingredients as salted butter, I’m left with a bunch of sticks of unsalted butter cluttering up my freezer. How much salt do I need to add to make up the difference? Victoria, we are going to answer your question in a roundabout way.

When cooking with cheese, there’s nothing much worse than choosing the wrong cheese for the wrong application. Mozzarella’s not great as a finisher atop pasta in the same way that parmesan is, for example, because it becomes clumpy and stringy, while a harder cheese like parmesan can become a more cohesive element of the dish. Understanding why cheeses melt in different manners can help keep your fontina on your paninis and your fetas in your salads.

It’s hard having a cheesemonger for a daughter. She’s tasted a lot of what’s out there, and (admittedly) can be pretty snobby when it comes to cheese. Take it from my parents, who continually try to impress and please me with new cheeses when I go for visits. (It’s they who have the love affair with Jarlsberg Light, remember that?) But just this week, they made serious progress.

We are huge fans of making butter at home. Making your own butter is so fast and so easy that we often make small batches of table butter for maximum freshness and taste. But we’ve also been making extra-big batches lately, which is easy in the KitchenAid. Here’s how (and why!) we’ve been making butter in the stand mixer.

Many years ago I was invited to a friend’s house for tea. His father is Indian, his mother is French, and my friend was born in England, so their house was this great multicultural mix of traditions. As we sat down for tea, his father slid me a plate of Indian sweets called burfi, and poured me a cup of almond tea. Instead of the usual milk, the creamer contained condensed milk, which he gestured to me to try in my tea. And it was wonderful. Rich, sweet, and milky.

I remember my years behind the cheese counter distinctly. But around the holidays, my days would blur together, with endless hours and perpetual lines of people needing cheese. One question was consistent, anxiety-ridden and almost deja vu-like in its repetitiveness: “I’m flying. I want to bring cheese. But can I?” The simple answer is yes.

Soufflés don’t play the middle ground very well: they’re either good or bad. Your success as creator hinges on the height of the rise (assuming it rises), the fluffiness of that rise, the doneness of the middle, and your ability to feed your guests before the inevitable collapse.With the quaint recipe for one in Judith Jones’ new book, The Pleasures of Cooking for One, you not only evade the perilous task of making a souffle for 6 or 8, you can also make it tonight.

With eggs this pretty you don’t want to futz much. Farm-fresh eggs like these need little enhancement — not much more than some butter and a warm pan, unless you’re like me, in which case the thought of eating eggs without cheese will make you very, very sad. Picking a cheese for your eggs might seem like a no-brainer: choose something with meltability that you have on hand.

So easy. Pretty tasty. Endless variations. Never made cheese before? That could change– tonight, if you’d like– and all you need are three ingredients. And we’d bet you already have them waiting for you at home. The process from start to finish? 15 minutes tops.We’ve made fresh cheese before– paneer, queso fresco, ricotta, mozzarella.

We took a trip to one of our most trusted sources for cheese in Manhattan the other day, looking for a great cheese for beer. What we found did the trick, but it could just as easily stand all by its lonesome, without the aid of any pairing beverage. It’s now officially this cheesemonger’s new favorite cheese. And the story behind it ain’t bad, either.

What’s in a name, anyway? In this case, pecorino is a very general definition of a style of cheese, but it’s one with an incredible range of flavors.Here, a guide to some of the most popular pecorinos, and what to be wary of, too. With a better grasp of the differences among all the types, you can stop wondering about which kind to grab when you’re cooking or snacking.The word “pecorino” comes from “pecora,” meaning sheep, in Italian.

Some say freezing cheese is sacrilege, some think it’s only logical. On what side do you fall? And from a cheese professional’s point of view, what’s the reasoning for taking or not taking the icy plunge? I’m pretty definitive on the issue: Don’t freeze your cheese! But, as in most cheese matters, all rules are up to interpretation. So perhaps I should restate. Don’t freeze fine cheese.

Does your cheese do this? If you’re a big cheese eater, tear-like dew drops on the surface of your cheese probably look pretty familiar, especially if your cheese has been sitting out for awhile. What exactly is happening and is there some way to make your cheese behave? Cheese is made up primarily of coagulated milk solids, or curd.

Nope, this picture isn’t out of focus, the cheese is truly as fuzzy as it looks. The French call it cat fur, or poil de chat. And for good reason, as the mold on this particular family of cheese is pretty reminiscent of the coat of your furry friend. But don’t fear: it’s a mold that belongs to one of the most coveted types of cheese, and without it, there would be many sad cheese lovers, indeed.

It’s stupefying sometimes how salt is so critical to making flavors pop. And if you’re a salt fiend, “critical” is probably an understatement. In essence, salt is a booster of all things delicious.But what if you could boost your food in a different kind of way by varying how your salt makes its way into your food? Like, with cheese.

Last week we covered Pecorino Romano. Great for cooking, but for eating? Not so much. If you love pecorino on the table as much as in the dish, check out this week’s feature. It’s a little trickier to find, but Italian specialty stores should have it. And since it’s the main feature of one of the most classic Roman pasta recipes around, you won’t be sorry to have made an effort to seek it out.

You may be surprised. And the answer might even help justify your spending a lot on really nice cheese; more raw material goes into making cheese than you think. Here’s betting that you’ll start appreciating each morsel just a little bit more. Get the answer, plus other cow, sheep, and goat milk musings, after the jump. 1 pound of cheese requires 10 pounds (or about 5 quarts) of cow or goat milk and about 6 pounds of sheep milk.

The other night, I was laid up with a bad kitchen injury and a dear friend offered to make me dinner. Little did I know that she’d inspire not only a cheese column but also the future of my mac n’ cheese making.My friend’s mac n’ cheese is actually her signature dish, so her skills are already pretty solid. A key element, of course, is high-quality cheese, of which she has a range of trusted picks.

When it comes to cooking, it’s not unusual for Parmigiano Reggiano to factor disproportionately into your arsenal of recipes. Especially now, when everything seems to be gratin-ed, casserole-ed, or pudding-ed, anything that can act as a sub is more than welcome, especially if it comes with not only a lower price tag, but also an equally amazing taste.

I often look through my cheese drawer for cheese column inspiration. If it’s full, I’ve got a lot to draw on. But it’s often the same couple of cheeses that I’ve already written about, my absolute favorites or my personal staples.Last night, I scrounged around, and quickly overlooked a certain cheese that falls into both of those categories, convinced that I’d written about it before.

Say it: “Yay-toast.” Have you tried this cheese?It’s Norwegian, and although the name translates directly to “goat cheese,” chances are that this cheese tastes just about as far from any you’ve had before. Gjetost is as sweet as caramel, with the texture of a dense, buttery fudge. Until this week, I’d really only thought to use Gjetost as part of a dessert course.

Burrata means “buttered” in Italian. It’s that rich. What it really is, though, is fresh cheese at its best. At first glance, burrata resembles a ball of mozzarella. But upon further scrutiny, it’s clear that this round of cheese is softer, and indeed, when cut, has an interior that spills out, revealing soft, stringy curd and fresh cream. If you’re a lover of mozzarella, ricotta, or really anything that’s straight-up creamy, this cheese is so what you want.

Might you be close-minded to the thought of cheese for dessert? People tend to be pretty split on the matter: either they’re on board, or they’re not. For us believers, there’s nothing better than ending a meal with a hunk of cheese and a sweet accompaniment. All that could improve the scenario would be a pour of some delicious dessert wine or sherry. If you’re a skeptic, though, you may need some more convincing.

First things first: Real goudas — that is, cheeses that are made in Holland, aged for years, and that taste sweet, nutty, and complex — are worth seeking out. They’re different than those red-wax, semi-soft pucks, often of the smoked variety. I’ve had the fortune of witnessing many people taste real gouda for the first time. These are very grateful people.

We talk a lot about what makes a great pairing when it comes to cheese, wine, and food. And since cheese is so rarely— really, too rarely, in our opinion— enjoyed just entirely on its own, it’s especially important to know what foods will heighten your experience of the cheeses you serve. Equally vital is knowing what not to do. (Oranges and carrots, for example, are just a preview of two things that just won’t make your cheese sing.

How’s a cheesemaker to know when a cheese is done aging, without breaking into the entire wheel? To ripen properly — never mind evenly — cheeses need to remain whole, so it’s pretty wasteful to remove an entire test slice for the sole purpose of tasting how it’s coming along.But cheesemaking isn’t guesswork, and sometimes it’s necessary to figure out what’s going on beneath the rind. Luckily, there’s a tool that does just this.

I’ve been proven wrong again. By myself.For some reason, I’ve always — for years — overlooked Grana Padano. I regarded it as a pedestrian, somewhat boring cheese. And maybe it’s because I likened it to a lesser version of Parmigiano Reggiano, which is a cheese that I’ve always felt gets too much attention, anyway.I’ve been just about as wrong as a cheesemonger can be.

Yesterday, I looked in the dairy section of my workplace’s walk-in refrigerator, as I often do, for inspiration for this column. There sat a sad wedge of provolone, and I pulled it out, along with a small knife. Little by little, it began to disappear. (I use the passive voice here in order not to incriminate myself and my weakness for cheese — be it even the pathetic-looking leftovers.

Even though we’ve covered the topic of macaroni and cheese many, many times, the subject is somehow never overdone. (It’s just that tasty.)Two evenings ago, I came across the best I’ve had in recent memory, and it is numbered now among some of the most standout versions I’ve ever tasted. This particular incarnation had three unique elements that could make a difference in the way that you make your mac n’ cheese.

Q: I received a BelGioioso Manteche cheese as part of a gift basket. Manteche is a mild provolone cheese shaped around a block of unsalted butter while the cheese is still warm. Over time, the provolone infuses the butter and thus becomes a deliciously decadent dairy product. The product website suggests that one pair the Manteche with fruit and crackers.

How would you like to give your favorite macaroni and cheese recipe a super-creamy boost? Well, there’s an easy way to make it happen. And in case you were wondering, it does not involve adding extra cheese. It’s a simple trick — maybe you’ve already tried it? Aside from the cheese, a crucial component of really good macaroni and cheese is the pasta — and it’s time to rethink how you’ve been cooking it. Instead of water, cook your pasta in milk!

We all know that cheeses can come in various shades of colors. It’s actually kind of interesting to understand where these hues come from.And what you might not realize is that knowing a bit about a cheese’s color can inform your palate, as well. Herein, a cheat sheet divulging the why’s behind those oranges, whites, blues, and yellows.I remember growing up with a preference for white cheddar.

I was recently inspired by a Serious Eats roundup of the 13 cheeses they thought everyone should know. I took a quick glance at their list and then abruptly turned away. How many overlaps would there be if I compiled my own collection of must-have cheeses, I wondered? Surprisingly, only FOUR. Thanks to my shamefully pathetic memory, I quickly forgot all of what I saw on the Serious Eats list and promptly started my own. It took all of two minutes to compile.

Q: I picked up a big hunk of Délice de Bourgogne cheese from Costco intending to split it with someone, but didn’t realize how pungent it is! My friend took one taste, did a Mr. Yuck face, and said it was all mine.The cheese is a little strong to eat with just bread or crackers, so I was hoping someone out there might have ideas for recipes. I was thinking of an onion tart, but since this is a Costco buy, I’ll still have a ton left over. Any thoughts?

I was floored when I opened up the April issue of Bon Appétit and read a confession from Andrew Knowlton, the BA Foodist, about his love of one of my own guilty pleasures: cottage cheese with potato chips. It’s a funny little snack that my husband often sets out when he has friends over — and even the most skeptical are always converted.What makes it so good? As I scoop yet another chip into the tub of cottage cheese, I often ask myself that same question.

The combination seems almost obvious now, but even after all these years working with cheese, I only came upon this last week. I’ve already started proselytizing about the merits of this duo, making a convert of a close friend. She served it to raving guests at her own dinner party over the weekend.When it comes to this quick and elegant way to serve blue cheese, it’s pretty easy to become a believer.Blue cheese and blackberries. It’s that simple.

Q: I just bought “bread cheese” at Whole Foods, thinking it would be like halloumi. But after doing a bit of research, I found that maybe it is not like halloumi at all. Does anyone know a great way to use this cheese? Thanks!Sent by XelaEditor: If this is the same cheese I’m thinking of, bread cheese is a Finnish style of fresh cheese. In Finland, it’s called juustoleipa.

There’s a pretty great rule of thumb when it comes to pairing wine with cheese: stick with white wine. It’s safer because whites have significantly lower levels of tannin, and they’re often lighter in body, which complements rather than overwhelms the flavors in cheese.But what if you prefer red wine? Luckily, rules about pairing wine and cheese are meant to be broken. Following are a few tips for choosing the best red for your wedge.This week, I called in for backup.

Frico. Think of it as a cross between a crouton and a cracker. In 100% cheese form. What could be bad about that?(Absolutely nothing.)Frico is an Italian thing. It’s basically a crispy wafer of cheese, or a cheese crisp. Leave it to those genius Italians to come up with something that makes everything taste better, with such little effort.But what you don’t typically see is frico as a garnish, as seen here, for mac n’ cheese.

Perhaps it’s because cheese is so often side-by-side with wine, but grapes always seem to be the most reliable fruit fare to throw on a cheese platter. Trouble is, a grape bunch isn’t the most inspired of additions to a spread of cheese. Update your grape mojo with this elegant and seriously tasty recipe for roasted grapes. It’ll take you less than 40 minutes start to finish, and the result is as equally satisfying as an accompaniment to cheese as on its own.

Q: What’s the best way to slice balls of fresh mozzarella cleanly and neatly? I’m usually able to get a few clean slices with a knife, but then the soft cheese start squishing. Any advice?Sent by JenniferEditor: Ah! A perennial problem! I usually muddle through by holding the sides of the mozzarella as I slice to try and keep everything compact.

Q: I make my own yogurt every week. Regardless of the starter culture I use, once in a while, the yogurt develops a stringy, elastic texture. Can you explain this?Sent by KlaudiaEditor: My guess is that you’re getting either wild yeast or bacteria in your yogurt as it cultures. To prevent this, make sure to heat your yogurt to around 200°F, then cool it to around 115°F before adding the culture. It also helps if you can keep the yogurt above 100°F as it cultures.

Q: My mom accidentally brought home Lactaid whole milk instead of Lactaid 2% and so now I’m trying to find a way to use it up. Can I use Lactaid whole milk in any baking recipe that calls for whole milk or does the fact that it’s Lactaid change its composition enough that it can’t be used the same way?Sent by CarolEditor: Carol, you can use Lactaid milk for in any baking recipe that calls for milk.

Q: I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect mac and cheese recipe and have tried 5 different recipes, but I keep running into the same problems: the cheese separates, the dish is too oily, and there is no creamy texture. Most recipes I’ve tried use a roux-based cheese sauce. Is that the issue?Is there a fail proof recipe out there?

You don’t think much about it, probably because you just accept it as a fact: Some cheeses have holes. But why? Cue cheese science.Ask Miss Muffet. Cheese is made up of curds. Whey — that liquidy, non-fat, non-curd component of milk, is the other by-product of cheesemaking, drained off and dumped. The curds, in contrast — that is, the protein and fatty solids in milk — join together and turn into cheese.But how does this happen?

For the past few weeks, I’ve been making a lot of ricotta for a project at my full-time job. As a result, there’s been a lot of whey floating around. When faced with my first windfall, a coworker told me that dumping the whey is a sin, and that I should throw some on ice and drink up. And now, I’ve got a big problem.Consider this my official plea to cheesemakers: Forget about cheese. Start selling whey.I’m beginning to panic a bit.

Get ready for it. Today is Squeaky Cheese Day, or at least it is according to Tillamook Cheese, which celebrates its 104th birthday by offering their cheddar cheese curds for the very first time to curd enthusiasts.Typically, Tillamook only offers their curds at their factory in Oregon. 104 is a big birthday, though, and so if you get your order in on time, you, too, can partake. Apparently there’s a limited number of curds available. Hot commodity alert.

When I used to work behind a cheese counter, I could count on a variety of cheese knives to get the cutting done: huge, double-handled cleavers, large chef knives, and slender, sharp slicers. For the most part, it’s not a problem if you don’t personally own tons of different knives; once you get smaller portions of cheese home, you can use a pretty standard knife on nearly anything.

A ploughman’s lunch doesn’t have to be something that’s only done in England. Because really, shouldn’t making cheese the centerpiece of a meal be a universal concept? Think of it as a deconstructed sandwich.A ploughman’s lunch is a simple template: pair cheese with some bread, chutney, and maybe some meat or pickles or hard-boiled egg, and call it a lunch. But what about getting a little creative with it?

Fresh goat cheese, fresh ricotta, and cream cheese. They all serve a purpose, and each has its place. There’s one cheese that I believe combines the best elements of each of these three fresh cheeses. It can sometimes be a bit elusive, but it’s so worth the hunt. It’s my go-to cheese this time of year: all at once light, tangy, and creamy, like no other cheese around.

Sent by KellynEditor: Kellyn, here are a couple ideas for both sweet and savory ways to use mascarpone:→ Easy Dessert Secret Weapon: Mascarpone→ Recipe: Spaghetti with Mascarpone, Meyer Lemon, Spinach, and HazelnutsReaders, do you have any suggestions for using mascarpone cheese?

This week, a continued conversation about the best kind of cracker for cheese. Since I prefer serving cheese with bread, a cracker’s got to carry a certain kind of special quality if I’m going that route. And these most certainly do. Surprisingly, though, I passed them by for years, not knowing exactly what they were all about.Would you ever think that a Carr’s brand cracker could blow your mind?

I’m not sure what other country would release a special cheese solely to commemorate the birth of a new member of the royal family. But somehow, it seems appropriate for England to do just this. Perhaps it’s their strong tradition in cheesemaking. It just feels classy. And proper. And so, for a limited time, find this special edition cheddar stateside, to honor the new addition across the pond.There’s one conundrum, though. The cheese has been aged for a year.

If you’re into cheese, you’ve likely heard of — and love — Humboldt Fog. The same creamery, Northern California’s Cypress Grove, offers another great goat, in a fresher style, and peppered with some pretty tasty embellishments. Purple Haze is easy to find, super bright-tasting and creamy, and pretty much perfect for this time of year.What makes this cheese unique is the addition of lavender and wild fennel pollen. Lavender can be a polarizing flavor.

Is ricotta one of your favorite things ever? Do you ever devise recipes centered solely around the incorporation of ricotta? If you’ve ever faced the disappointment of an underwhelming, grainy, tasteless, version, then you might wonder why some ricotta is better — so much better — than others. There’s really nothing worse than opening up a package of ricotta and discovering a grainy — nearly sandy, sometimes! — texture beneath the lid.