Cheese: Difference between revisions
| Line 165: | Line 165: | ||
== Cooking and eating == | == Cooking and eating == | ||
[[File:Saganaki at the Parthenon Restaurant in Chicago.MOV.webm|thumb|right|200px|[[Saganaki]], lit on fire, served in Chicago]] | [[File:Saganaki at the Parthenon Restaurant in Chicago.MOV.webm|thumb|right|200px|[[Wikipedia:Saganaki|Saganaki]], lit on fire, served in Chicago]] | ||
At [[refrigerator]] temperatures, the fat in a piece of cheese is as hard as unsoftened butter, and its protein structure is stiff as well. Flavor and odor compounds are less easily liberated when cold. For improvements in flavor and texture, it is widely advised that cheeses be allowed to warm up to [[room temperature]] before eating. If the cheese is further warmed, to {{convert|26|–|32|C|F}}, the fats will begin to "sweat out" as they go beyond soft to fully liquid. | At [[Wikipedia:refrigerator|refrigerator]] temperatures, the fat in a piece of cheese is as hard as unsoftened butter, and its protein structure is stiff as well. Flavor and odor compounds are less easily liberated when cold. For improvements in flavor and texture, it is widely advised that cheeses be allowed to warm up to [[Wikipedia:room temperature|room temperature]] before eating. If the cheese is further warmed, to {{convert|26|–|32|C|F}}, the fats will begin to "sweat out" as they go beyond soft to fully liquid. | ||
Above room temperatures, most hard cheeses melt. Rennet-curdled cheeses have a [[gel]]-like protein matrix that is broken down by heat. When enough protein bonds are broken, the cheese itself turns from a solid to a viscous liquid. Soft, high-moisture cheeses will melt at around {{convert|55|C}}, while hard, low-moisture cheeses such as Parmesan remain solid until they reach about {{convert|82|C}}. | Above room temperatures, most hard cheeses melt. Rennet-curdled cheeses have a [[Wikipedia:gel|gel]]-like protein matrix that is broken down by heat. When enough protein bonds are broken, the cheese itself turns from a solid to a viscous liquid. Soft, high-moisture cheeses will melt at around {{convert|55|C}}, while hard, low-moisture cheeses such as Parmesan remain solid until they reach about {{convert|82|C}}. Acid-set cheeses, including [[halloumi cheese|halloumi]], [[paneer]], some whey cheeses and many varieties of fresh [[goat cheese]], have a protein structure that remains intact at high temperatures. When cooked, these cheeses just get firmer as water evaporates. | ||
Some cheeses, like [[raclette]], melt smoothly; many tend to become stringy or suffer from a separation of their fats. Many of these can be coaxed into melting smoothly in the presence of acids or [[starch]]. [[Fondue]], with wine providing the acidity, is a good example of a smoothly melted cheese dish. | Some cheeses, like [[raclette]], melt smoothly; many tend to become stringy or suffer from a separation of their fats. Many of these can be coaxed into melting smoothly in the presence of acids or [[Wikipedia:starch|starch]]. [[Wikipedia:Fondue|Fondue]], with wine providing the acidity, is a good example of a smoothly melted cheese dish. Elastic stringiness is a quality that is sometimes enjoyed, in dishes including [[Wikipedia:pizza|pizza]] and [[Wikipedia:Welsh rarebit|Welsh rarebit]]. Even a melted cheese eventually turns solid again, after enough moisture is cooked off. The saying "you can't melt cheese twice" (meaning "some things can only be done once") refers to the fact that oils leach out during the first melting and are gone, leaving the non-meltable solids behind. | ||
As its temperature continues to rise, cheese will [[Non-enzymatic browning|brown]] and eventually burn. Browned, partially burned cheese has a particular distinct flavor of its own and is frequently used in cooking (e.g., sprinkling atop items before baking them). | As its temperature continues to rise, cheese will [[:en:Non-enzymatic browning|brown]] and eventually burn. Browned, partially burned cheese has a particular distinct flavor of its own and is frequently used in cooking (e.g., sprinkling atop items before baking them). | ||
=== Cheeseboard === | === Cheeseboard === | ||
| Line 179: | Line 179: | ||
[[File:Cheese, wine and bread in a sidewalk cafe in Paris, June 2015.jpg|thumb|Various cheeses on a cheeseboard served with wine for lunch]] | [[File:Cheese, wine and bread in a sidewalk cafe in Paris, June 2015.jpg|thumb|Various cheeses on a cheeseboard served with wine for lunch]] | ||
A '''cheeseboard''' (or [[cheese course]]) may be served at the end of a meal before or following dessert, or replacing the last course. The British tradition is to have cheese after dessert, accompanied by sweet wines like [[Port wine|Port]]. In France, cheese is consumed before dessert, with robust red wine. | A '''cheeseboard''' (or [[cheese course]]) may be served at the end of a meal before or following dessert, or replacing the last course. The British tradition is to have cheese after dessert, accompanied by sweet wines like [[:en:Port wine|Port]]. In France, cheese is consumed before dessert, with robust red wine. A cheeseboard typically has contrasting cheeses with accompaniments, such as crackers, biscuits, grapes, nuts, [[celery]] or [[chutney]]. A typical cheeseboard may contain four to six cheeses, for example: Mature [[Cheddar cheese|Cheddar]] or [[Comté cheese|Comté]] (hard: cow's milk cheeses); [[Brie]] or [[Camembert]] (soft: cow's milk); a blue cheese such as [[Stilton cheese|Stilton]] (hard: cow's milk), [[Roquefort]] (medium: ewe's milk) or [[Bleu d'Auvergne]] (medium-soft cow's milk); a soft/medium-soft goat's cheese (e.g. [[Sainte-Maure de Touraine]], [[Pantysgawn]], [[Crottin de Chavignol]]). | ||
A cheeseboard {{convert|70|ft|m}} long was used to feature the variety of cheeses manufactured in [[Wisconsin]], | A cheeseboard {{convert|70|ft|m}} long was used to feature the variety of cheeses manufactured in [[Wikipedia:Wisconsin|Wisconsin]], where the [[:en:Wisconsin State Legislature|state legislature]] recognizes a "[[cheesehead]]" hat as a state symbol. | ||
== Nutrition and health == | == Nutrition and health == | ||