Home > Artisan Cheesemaking Definitions & Terms
Artisan Cheesemaking Definitions & Terms
Aging
Often referred to as curing or ripening, aging is the process of holding cheeses in carefully controlled environments to allow the development of micro-organisms that usually accentuate the basic cheese flavors.
Affinage
The curing and maturing of cheeses.
Affineur
A specialist in the curing and maturing of cheeses.
Annatto
A natural vegetable dye used to give many cheese varieties, especially the Cheddars, a yellow-orange hue. Annatto is tasteless and is not a preservative.
Artisan or Artisanal Cheese
The word “artisan” or “artisanal” implies that a cheese is produced primarily by hand, in small batches, with particular attention paid to the tradition of the cheesemaker’s art, and thus using as little mechanization as possible in the production of the cheese. Artisan cheeses may be made from all types of milk and may include various flavorings.
Aroma
A general term for the odor or scent of cheese. Cheese may lack aroma or display aromas, which range from faint to pronounced, depending upon the cheese variety. Aroma is closely allied to flavor, although cheese with a distinct odor may exhibit a mild flavor while cheese lacking odor may present a strong flavor. Aromas may also specify particular tastes or scents, such as fruity, earthy, oily, and nutty. The cheese rind may have a different odor than its interior. The aroma of any cheese is most distinctive when the cheese is first cut into.
Bitter
An unpleasant, biting flavor—usually an after-taste. A bitter aftertaste is sometimes associated with variations in manufacturing and curing or aging procedures. It is more prevalent in cured cheeses having higher moisture contents. Bitterness is often confused with astringency. True bitterness is a sensation that is typified by the aftertaste of grapefruit peel.
Bleu
The French word for blue that is used in reference to the Blue-veined cheese varieties. Blue molds are typically Penicillium roqueforti or Penicillium glaucum. Famous varieties include Bleu, Gorgonzola, and Stilton.
Bloomy Rind
A descriptive term for an edible cheese rind (crust) that is covered with a harmless, flavor-producing growth of white Penicillium mold. The bloomy rind is formed by spraying the cheese surface with spores of Penicillium candidum mold before curing. Occasionally, brown, pink or red specks are interspersed through the white mold as it ages or cures. Bloomy-rind cheeses, such as Brie, Camembert, and some Chevres are classified as soft-ripened.
Blue-veined
A characteristic of cheese varieties that develop blue or green streaks of harmless, flavor-producing mold throughout the interior. Generally, veining gives cheese an assertive and piquant flavor.
Brine
A salt-and-water solution in which some cheese varieties are washed or dipped during the cheesemaking process. Certain cheeses, such as Feta, are packed or stored in brine.
Casein
The principal protein in milk. During the cheesemaking process, casein solidifies, curdles or coagulates into cheese through the action of rennet.
Cheddaring
The process used in making Cheddar whereby piles of small curds, which have been separated from the whey, are knit together and cut into slabs. The slabs are then repeatedly turned over and stacked to help drain additional whey and aid in the development of the proper acidity (pH) and body of the cheese. These slabs are then cut or milled into curds and placed in the cheese forms and pressed.
Coagulation (Curdling)
A step in cheese manufacture when milk’s protein, casein, is clotted by the action of rennet or acids.
Culture (Starter)
A culture that normally consists of varying percentages of lactic acid, bacterial or mold spores, enzymes or other micro-organisms and natural chemicals. Starter cultures speed and control the process of curdling milk during cheesemaking in part by converting lactose to lactic acid. They also lend unique flavor characteristics to the cheese.
Curd
Curdled milk from which cheese is made.
Curing
The method, conditions and treatment from manufacturing to market, such as temperature, humidity and sanitation, that assist in giving the final cheese product the distinction of its variety. Sometimes used synonymously with aging and ripening.
Defect
Any less-than-ideal quality factor in a cheese, often due to improper manufacture, handling or contamination. Defects can refer to packaging, finish, surface, texture or taste.
Earthy
A descriptive term for cheese varieties with rustic, hearty flavors and aromas. Cheese flavor compounds in this category shares qualities with those present in freshly-plowed earth or forest litter. Goat, sheep, and monastery-type cheeses may be characterized as earthy and exhibit assertive flavor and aroma.
Farmstead Cheese
Cheese made with milk from the farmer’s own herd, or flock, on the farm where the animals are raised. Milk used in the production of farmstead cheeses may not be obtained from any outside source. Farmstead cheeses may be made from all types of milk and may include various flavorings.
Flora
Bacteria, specifically the array of naturally occurring bacteria present in milk.
Fresh
A term typically used to classify cheese varieties that have not been cured, such as Mascarpone, Cottage cheese, Cream cheese or Ricotta. Cheeses that have been cured for very short periods, such as Feta, may also be classified as fresh.
Fruity
A descriptive term for the sweet, fragrant aroma or flavor characteristic of certain semi-soft cheeses, such as Pouy De Montagne or American Muenster, and some hard mountain cheese varieties. Baby Swiss and some Cheddars also present a fruity quality.
Grainy
(1) A descriptive term for gritty texture which is desirable in certain hard-grating cheeses, though not to the point of mealiness. Parmesan and Romano exhibit a granular or grainy texture. (2) A flavor term that may be used to describe the grainlike (wheat) flavors that occur as the result of ripening.
Homogenization
A mechanical treatment of the fat globules in milk brought about by passing milk under high pressure through a tiny orifice, which results in a decrease in the average diameter and an increase in number and surface area, of the fat globules. The result being that there is a much reduced tendency for creaming of fat globules.
Lipase
(1) An enzyme found in raw milk, also produced by microorganisms that split fat molecules into fatty acids. (2) Lipase flavor is a term also used to describe rancidity, especially where these flavors are desired in cheeses.
Mold
Fungal species that form on the crust of cheese or form veins within the pate. Some occur naturally and some are artificially introduced.
Moulds
The forms used to hold and shape the curd of cheeses while draining.
Natural Rind
A rind that develops naturally on the cheese exterior through drying while ripening without the aid of ripening agents or washing. Most semi-firm or hard cheeses have natural rinds that may be thin like that of bandaged Cheddar or thick like that of Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, and wheel Swiss (Emmentaler).
Nutty
A descriptive term for cheese with a nut-like flavor, a characteristic of Swiss-types. Cheddars may exhibit a flavor reminiscent of walnuts; fresh Goat cheese and Gruyere are said to resemble the taste of hazelnuts. The flavor blends causing this characteristic are actually found in nuts.
Oily
A descriptive term that may refer to body, aroma, and flavor. Cheese held out of refrigeration for extended periods may also appear oily.
Organic
Foods produced according to strict environmental standards that prohibit the use of chemicals, synthetic hormones and antibiotics. The primary goals of organic production are to optimize the health and productivity of the soil, crops and livestock.
Pasteurization
The process of heating milk to a specific temperature for a specific period of time in order to destroy any disease-producing bacteria, also checking the activity of fermentative bacteria.
Pasture-Grazed
Dairy products made from pastured-grazed (or pasture-fed) animals are crafted from the seasonal milk of animals allowed to grazed and feed only on rich, flavorful fresh pasture grasses, alfalfa and clover. Milk from pasture-grazed animals can yield cheeses that are rich in color and slightly herbaceous in flavor. Studies show grass-fed milk is very high in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a potent cancer fighter.
Pate
Everything that appears within the rind of a cheese, the body of the cheese.
Penicillium
Principal genus of fungi used to develop molds on certain cheese varieties during ripening. Penicillium candidum is used to develop many soft-ripened cheeses such as Brie; Penicillium glaucum or roqueforti are used for Gorgonzola and Roquefort cheeses, respectively.
Pressed Cheese
A descriptive term for cheese whose curd has been placed in a mold and literally pressed to form the intended shape of the finished cheese. Fresh, uncured cheese varieties such as Cream or Feta and cured cheeses such as Brick, Cheddar, Parmesan and Romano are examples of pressed cheese.
Pungent
A descriptive term for cheese with an especially poignant aroma or sharp, penetrating flavor. Limburger cheese aroma is classed as pungent.
Rancid
A term relating to flavors caused by lipase enzymes releasing fatty acids from butterfat. Some cheeses are not supposed to have flavors caused by fatty acids in high concentrations, such as Cheddar, while others, such as Romano, gain much of their flavor from the “rancidity” of fatty acids. In many dairy flavors excessive rancidity is considered a notable defect. See Lipase.
Raw Milk
Milk that has not undergone pasteurization.
Rennet
An extract from the membranes of calves’ stomachs that contains rennin, an enzyme that aids in coagulating milk or separating curds from whey. Rennet-like enzymes, also used commercially, are produced by selected fungi and bacteria.
Rind
The outer surface of cheese. A rind varies in texture, thickness, and color. Cheeses may be rindless, display natural rinds or possess rinds that are produced by harmless mold.
Ripening
The chemical and physical alteration of cheese during the curing process.
Robust
A descriptive term for cheese with a very strong aroma and full flavor.
Salting
A step in the cheesemaking process requiring the addition of salt. Depending upon the cheese variety, salt can be added while the cheese is in curd form or rubbed on the cheese after it is pressed. Salt is used to help preserve cheese as well as to enhance its flavor. Cheese also may be soaked in a salt solution, a process termed brining.
Semi-soft
A wide variety of cheeses made with whole milk. Cheeses in this category include Monterey Jack, Brick, Meunster, Fontina, and Havarti, and melt well when cooked.
Soft-ripened
A classification of cheese based upon body. Brie and Camembert are examples of soft-ripened cheese varieties.
Specialty Cheese
A subjective term used to classify cheeses of exceptional quality, notably unique or produced in limited quantities. Cheeses that are combinations of different cheese types also may be referred to as specialty. For example, Blue/Brie is a soft-ripened specialty cheese with a blue vein mold throughout.
Starter
A culture that normally consists of varying percentages of lactic acid, bacterial or mold spores, enzymes or other micro-organisms and natural chemicals. Starter cultures speed and control the process of curdling milk during cheesemaking in part by converting lactose to lactic acid. They also lend unique flavor characteristics to the cheese.
Surface-ripened
A term referring to cheese that ripens from the exterior when a harmless mold, yeast or bacteria is applied to the surface. Bloomy-rind cheeses like Brie and Camembert and washed-rind cheeses like Limburger are both surface-ripened.
Texture
A general term for the “fabric” or “feel” of cheese when touched, tasted or cut. Characteristics of cheese texture may be smooth, grainy, open or closed, creamy, flaky, dense, crumbly and so forth, depending upon the specific variety.
Triple Cream
The French term for cheese which contains over 72% butterfat in the cheese solids.
Washed-rind
A cheese rind that has been washed periodically with brine, whey, beer, cider, wine, brandy or oil during ripening. The rind is kept moist to encourage the growth of an orange-red bacteria. The bacteria may be scraped off, dried or left to further rind development. Washed-rind and bloomy-rind cheeses compose what is termed the soft-ripening (surfaced-ripened) classification. Limburger is a washed-rind cheese.
Whey
(1) The thin, watery part of milk that separates from the coagulated curds during the first step of the cheesemaking process. It still contains most of the milk sugar or lactose found in milk. (2) A classification of cheeses made predominantly from the whey obtained during the manufacture of other cheeses like Gjetost. Ricotta can be made from whey.
Whole Milk
Milk that is neither skimmed nor enriched with extra cream.
References: Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and the American Cheese Society
