Cheese for Cheese Lovers

FACTS

The fat content of Brie type cheeses is the same or slightly less than edam

Cheese, like red wine, tastes better at room temperature

FALLACIES

The blue in blue cheese is melted copper wire!

No idea where that came from. In fact it is a harmless penicillin mould

The rind of Camembert is edible paper!

No it is harmless penicillin mould

Vegetarian cheese is made without animal products!

That would be a challenge! There are non-dairy alternatives to cheese made with soya oil but in fact over 80% of all British cheeses are made with non-animal alternatives to rennet and are therefore suitable for vegetarians yet there is no discernible difference in taste

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Before you go forth and preach the gospel of cheese to friends, family and the philistines who still think cheese is for cooking and the rind of Camembert is edible paper, there are some myths and misconceptions about cheese that need to be dispelled. If you have any questions, email your query to the Cheese Wire and our Master of Cheese, Juliet Harbutt will answer them for you.

What is rennet?
It is an enzyme present in the stomach of all milk fed animals; its purpose is to coagulate mother's milk, in the infant's stomach, into solids and liquid. Cheesemakers have learnt to extract this enzyme and used it to make cheese. The liquid is drained off and the solids or curds are converted into thousands of different cheeses around the world.

What is a vegetarian cheese?
Instead of using rennet some cheesemakers use non-animal alternatives like fig juice, lemon juice, bay leaves, ladies bed straw and thistle however animal rennet is the most effective at ensuring the majority of the solids, protein and fat, are separated out and not left in the whey.

Today many cheesemakers use a laboratory created non-animal rennet, making the cheese suitable for vegetarians.

How do they get the small holes in cheeses like Emmental?
Before rennet is added to the milk, a special starter culture is added that encourages a more active fermentation process than other starters. This heightened activity causes bubbles of CO2 to form and 'burst' inside the cheese while it is maturing - each burst creates another hole.

Is all cheese fattening? No. There are many cheeses with lower fat contents, e.g. Brie has a fat content 1/3 less than cheddar and fromage frais is 1/3 less than Brie. Unfortunately, because cheese is known to be high in fat, it tends to be one of the first things we cut out or cut down on, yet many people find that there is little change in their weight. Why? Because cheese rarely accounts for more than a small percentage of the actual fat eaten in a person's diet.

Instead look for the hidden fats in your diet - bread, muesli, crisps, chips, pastries and biscuits.

If I am allergic to cows' milk cheese can I eat goat or ewes milk cheese?

Many people have found that although they are allergic to cows milk products they have no reaction to goat or ewes' milk products. It is definitely worth discussing with your doctor.

How safe is raw milk cheese?
Figures released in 1996 by the Communicable Disease Surveillance centre showed that of the 516 reported cases of food poisoning in the United Kingdom, only 17 were related to Milk and dairy products. Of these only 10% were from cheese and none were made with raw milk.

By comparison Poultry and Eggs accounted for 147 cases, Desserts 70 and drinking water 17. It would therefore appear that cheese, and in particular raw milk cheese, is one of the safest foods you can eat.

What if I am pregnant, can I eat cheese?
Most of the bad press cheeses receives is sensationalism and hysteria however if you are pregnant or have a weak immune system you should avoid soft cheeses [as well as chicken, pate, cooked meats, prepared salads, sea food and ….], regardless as to whether they are pasteurised or not.