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Cheese

People, worldwide, have been making cheese for thousands of years. Legend has it that cheese was first made by accident by a traveling shepherd who carried milk in a pouch made from the stomach of a sheep.

When it came time for him to take a drink, he found that the milk had been transformed into cheese. The legend speculates that the enzyme rennin from the stomach lining of the sheep had caused the formation of the cheese curds. Although, this is only a legend it offers a pretty good explanation of how cheese was first discovered.

Today, different types of enzymes (including rennin) and even acids are added to milk in order to make cheese. These enzymes or acid cause the formation of curds and whey. The curds are coagulated proteins, which are what we know as cheese, and the whey is the liquid that remains from the milk.


So many to choose from and all so good

We can find literally hundreds of different types of cheese. They can range from being fresh, soft, semi-soft, firm, hard or light cheeses. Each offering their own unique flavor, body and texture.

Cheeses make up a very important part of the dairy food group and should be included as part of a well balanced diet. They are a good source of quality protein, calcium, vitamin A, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B12, zinc, phosphorous and magnesium. In fact, 50 grams of firm cheese, such as cheddar or mozzarella contains the same amount of calcium as one glass of milk.

Although some cheeses may be high in fat, this is no reason to cut them out of your diet. If you do, you may be depriving yourself of all those nutrients and not to mention, their great taste. Plus, there are many lower fat cheeses that are now available at the grocery store.

Misconception Does cheese cause constipation? No! Constipation can be caused by a variety of factors but eating cheese is not one of them.

Care and storage

The shelf life will vary depending on the type of cheese. Make sure you always check the best before date.

Most cheeses should be refrigerated between 1-3 C. They can be stored in their original wrapping, plastic wrap, aluminum foil, a sealable plastic bag or a plastic container. Make sure they are carefully covered to prevent drying out.

Mold

Most of the molds that may form on cheese are harmless, but some of these molds can produce toxins that may diffuse into the cheese. These toxins may be harmful.

When mold appears on a semi-soft or firm cheese than you should cut and discard the mold as well as 2.5 cm of the cheese surrounding the mold.

If mold appears on a fresh cheese such as cottage, cream or ricotta than the whole cheese should be thrown out.

Have a look at our selection of cheeses and tasty recipes

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