You'd have to be crazy or lactose intolerant not to like cheese. Even those that are lactose intolerant probably like cheese, they just suffer the consequences or find a have a medical solution to limit the effects. For the rest of us, cheese is an essential part of a large majority of meals. Americans put cheese on EVERYTHING - cheesy eggs, cheesy grits, cheese omelette, cheeseburger, cheese sandwich, philly cheesesteak, cheesy potatoes, cheesy vegetables, cheese and crackers, cheesy popcorn, cheese puffs, nachos, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, etc. I'm sure you get the picture.
The history of cheese is actually older than recorded history itself. Estimates range from 8000 BCE to 3000 BCE, around the time that sheep were domesticated in the Middle East. Because animal skins and stomachs were the preferred containment vessels it was just a matter of leaving sheep's milk in one of these vessels a little too long and presto - they had cheese. Cheese made in the Middle East and Egypt were quite salty and sour, similar to feta cheese, because of the need to preserve the cheese in the warm climate. As cheese making made it's way north into Europe less salt was needed which allowed beneficial microbes to invade cheese and create some wonderfully complex textures and flavors.
Cheese is fairly simple to make. Make sour milk by adding vinegar or a starter bacteria to convert milk sugars into lactic acid, then add rennet to curdle the milk. Rennet is a natural complex of enzymes produced the stomachs of mammals in order to digest their mother's milk. Rennet coagulates the milk leaving the curd and whey. For soft cheese, this is the end of the process. The whey is usually poured off and the cheese is salted and packaged. For harder cheeses he whey is poured off and the curd is formed and pressed. Varying the pressure or applying heat changes the final product. The addition of salt or microorganisms such as bacteria or mold also alter the end result. One of the most important parts of cheese making is the aging process. This adds an incredibly complex element to the process and creates some of the most amazing cheeses. The possibilities are endless which is the most exciting thing in my book. There are literally thousands of different kinds of cheese ranging from soft and spreadable cheese like goat cheese and brie to hard and rocks parmesan and romano. So without further ado, I give you my top five favorite cheeses (in no particular order, of course):
1. Camembert - this soft, creamy french cheese is possibly my favorite cheese of all time. Enjoy this with a full bodied Cabernet or Merlot and I promise your taste-buds will thank you.
2. Sharp White Cheddar - The sharper, the better in my opinion. I love that strong flavor of an aged white cheddar. Vermont is well known for this style of cheese but there are also excellent white cheddars made in England, where cheddaring was invented (in the town of Cheddar). Cracker Barrel White Cheddar is a great, cheap, version of this cheese that you can find at most mega marts. I like to eat this with a hearty cracker like a wheat thin.
3. Feta Cheese - this sour, salty Greek cheese is incredible on salads but it is even better as a chicken stuffing. I've eaten this cheese plain as well, but your breath may not be suitable for the public if you take this route.
4. Gruyére - This swiss made cheese is another phenomenal cheese that I could not live without. It has a very strong smell but a slightly sweet, nutty, earthy taste. It is a great melting cheese that goes great with French Onion soup and fondu but it is also great all by itself.
5. Cottage Cheese - Ok, some of you may not consider this to be a cheese in the traditional sense (you can't slice it and put it on a cracker) but it is still cheese to me. I've eaten tub and tub of this delicious stuff. Occasionally I'll add onions or pineapple but by and large this is a dish best served plain. Michigan Small curd Cottage Cheese is some of the best I've ever had and the large curd is also quite good.
There are so many different types of cheese that this top 5 barely even scratches the surface of cheese. Post your favorites in the comments or critique my choices if you must.
Cheers!
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