Cheese,
please.
Most of the
cheeses I use are European styles and may be difficult to obtain
in supermarkets in the US, although it's certainly worth seeking
them out at a Delicatessan. Good cheese is a wondrous thing, and
the reason I could never be a Vegan.
Most cheeses
should be served at room temperature for maximum taste, so take
them out of the fridge an hour or so before you serve them. US versions
are usually far milder than their European counterparts- even the
strongest "tasty" American Cheddar has less bite than
a mild English one. Personally I love a cheese that bites back.
Some of my favourites actually give me ulcers they're so strong
- but I don't mind :)
Many cheeses
contain rennet, which may NOT be vegetarian.
Rennet is a
substance made from the lining of calves stomachs and then more
recently, pigs, has traditionally been used to coagulate cheese
in commerical production.
Over recent
years as this has become more expensive and unpopular. This has
partly been because of the BSE (Mad Cow) scare in Europe, and also
developments in genetic engineering making synthetic rennet inexpensive
to produce. Thankfully, although they weren't specifically developed
for us, many of these alternatives are suitable for vegetarians.
There are literally
hundreds of types of cheese, I've just listed a few common ones
and my personal favourites.
Hard:
Cheddar, Cheshire, Red Leicester, Wensleydale, Parmesan,
Romano, Pecorino, Feta
Rubbery:
Mozzarella,
Bocconcini, Gouda, Edam, Gruyere, Smoked, Havarti
Soft,
unripened:
Ricotta,
Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheeses (eg, Philadelphia, Neufchatel, Mascarpone),
Creme Fraiche, Farmhouse or Curd Cheese
Soft,
ripened:
Camembert,
Brie, Stilton, Danish Blue, Castello, Chevre ("Goat Cheese")
Note: Most cheeses
should be served at room temperature for maximum taste, so take
them out of the fridge an hour or so before you serve them.
There are vegan
(soy) cheeses available, but I have yet to find one that doesn't
taste like rubber.
Unless otherwise
specified, store cheese in the fridge, wrapped in Cling Film or
in an airtight storage container.
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