Do You Like Cheese?

One of the main ways we use cheese in America is on our sandwiches that we love, and there are numerous great recipes using cheese. Cheese-making is a process that has been around for hundreds of years, although no one knows for sure where cheese originated. Cheese was being consumed throughout Europe by the time of the Roman Empire. Greek mythology also mentions cheese. Parmesan, Gouda and Cheddar are newer cheeses and have only been around for approximately 500 years.

It is possible to make cheese at home. There are kits available for purchase that are affordable and allow you to make a variety of cheeses and yogurt. Low fat or whole milk may be used.instructions can be found on several internet sites.

There are numerous varieties of cheeses to fit any sandwich. American yellow cheese is a processed cheese with a firm consistency, which melts easily. This cheese has been modified to include Colby and Cheddar cheeses. It comes in square packages with each slice individually wrapped for longer freshness. Cheese can be frozen and will keep well if tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.

Cheese is a great source of protein, calcium and vitamin A, however, depending on the type many are high in cholesterol and saturated fat. For instance, 1 cup of cheddar cheese has 532 calories, 44 grams of fat with 28 grams being saturated, 139 grams of cholesterol, but Calcium is 95%, vitamin A is 26% and iron is 5%.

Now if you choose part-skim mozzarella cheese, 1 cup is 72 calories, saturated fat is2.9 grams, protein is 6.9 grams, calcium 22%, and Vitamin A 3% There are many cheeses on the market that are made with skim or fat-free milk.

There is an American Cheese Society founded in1983, by Dr. Frank Kosikowski of Cornell University, which has1200 members from a variety of occupations. They have annual competitions for cheese makers in 7 different categories. They also do educational classes and send our newsletters about cheese. They keep the community updated about new products and different happenings in the cheese communities. For instance, one of their articles discussed the return of the Black Sheep Creamery after they had been almost completely wiped out in a flood.

So yes, there are some good cheeses made from sheep’s milk. Chevron (which is the French word for goat) is the common name for goat’s cheese in America. The Accidental Farmer in Quebec is one of the best-known goat cheese makers. Their most popular product is called La Petite Folie, which is a soft unripened cheese similar to cream cheese in texture. You can get this cheese plain or with added roasted red pepper or black peppercorns marinated in oil. They also make sheep’s milk feta, a brie type of cheese.

Sandwiches are a staple in America and they can be as simple as the grilled cheese sandwich or having a slice of cheese on a hamburger or a piece of ham. These are often made with American cheese. Swiss cheese and cheddar cheese are other favorites for sandwiches. It is hard to beat a Reuben sandwich which is usually loaded with Swiss cheese and this is one of my favorites. Corned beef sandwich is another one that uses Swiss cheese for a great sandwich, not to mention the traditional ham and cheese. Cheddar is good with ham, and just about any other lunch meat or just as a toasted sandwich.

Provolone cheese is a nice mild cheese that works well on many sandwiches. I particularly like it on a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. You will see provolone or maybe mozzarella used on Italian meatball sandwiches also. Then, there is the hot turkey sandwich which often has provolone but other cheeses will work. I have seen provolone on a grilled pork panini which will get your mouth watering.

When you walk into a sub shop you will find a huge variety of cheeses to go along with their lunch meats and breads. Monterey Jack cheese is also a favorite that tastes good on any type of sandwich. Pepper jack cheese is a derivative of Monterey Jack which includes peppers for more flavor. It is a semi-soft cheese with a slightly tart flavor. This cheese is a good alternative cheese to use on dishes like quesadillas and it just plain good on crackers

Wine and cheese is also very popular. Gourmet cheese is loved by many people and a gourmet gift basket is a much appreciated gift or a wine and country gift basket.

Another common cheese particularly popular in the south is Pimento cheese spread and it is typically used on many types of sandwiches or spread on celery or crackers. It is another cheese often used on a ham sandwich. There are many soft cheeses used in cooking such as ricotta, Roquefort Scottish and Dutch cheeses, and Parmesan just to name a few.

To conclude, there are many types of cheese I didn’t mention but many flavors are very popular, and it seems everyone has their favorites. America does seem to have a love affair with the sandwich, which is why I focused on some of the more common types of cheeses. Of course in America, Wisconsin is thought of as the cheese state, and they make 600 varieties of cheese. A lot of cheese is also made in California also, and a large amount is imported from France, and other European countries. People love cheese!