Questions about the identification, use, storage, and sometimes production of cheese.

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10
votes
2answers
368 views

Why are my cheese curds not well-knitted after pressing?

I've made several cheeses at home following a cheddar recipe. After I've aged the cheeses and cut them open, I'm usually finding that the cheese has a somewhat spongy, open texture with small visible ...
4
votes
2answers
2k views

Does Domino's use rennet-free cheese?

Does Domino's pizza's use mozzarella cheese for their pizzas? If so,is it also rennet-free?
4
votes
2answers
376 views

Should I store my cheese in brine/whey?

Fresh mozzarella is usually sold floating in whey, and feta cheese is often sold soaking in brine. Once I've opened the container and used part of the cheese, how should I store it in the fridge to ...
8
votes
3answers
5k views

Can I freeze Parmesan?

I am thinking about buying a larger amount of Parmesan and freeze it for later use. Is this possible? How long can I keep it for? How is the taste/texture affected?
6
votes
2answers
1k views

Can you really keep feta for 3 months in a milk bath?

I just came across some instructions on how to store feta cheese, mentioning you can keep it for about 3 months in the fridge in a brine or milk bath: Store the cheese in a brine or milk bath ...
3
votes
3answers
194 views

Sausage made of cheese and meat?

Is there some kind of sausage that blends some kind of cheese with meat? In Brazil we have a kind of cheese that has almost the same shape of a sausage, I guess this could exist.
3
votes
1answer
184 views

How do I prevent filled pretzels from blowing out?

A little while ago I made cream cheese and jalapeno filled pretzels. I used a standard, mall-style, pretzel dough. The filling was cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and minced jalapenos. The dough ...
12
votes
4answers
827 views

What's this “pucker” style hole on my cheese grater for?

Ok, this picture has two sort of weird looking holes, but the one I'm asking about is on the left side of the picture - the metal sort-of puckers up, like it's been punched through from the back ...
5
votes
2answers
415 views

Is Casu Marzu illegal in the United States?

I am having difficulty determining whether Casu Marzu is illegal in the United States. There are reports of it being available, albeit briefly, in New York last year. Also, I have heard that it is ...
4
votes
1answer
399 views

cheese fondue not binding

I am planning on making a cheese fondue this weekend. How ever last time I made it the cheese (Emmental and gruyere) wouldn't fully disolve into the wine base. It basically was a winey sauce with ...
11
votes
9answers
3k views

What cheeses work 'best' in melted cheese sandwich applications?

I enjoy both toasted and grilled cheese sandwiches, but I generally only alternate between havarti and muenster cheese. I would like to branch out but don't know where to start. These are the factors ...
4
votes
1answer
3k views

What is the sign of mozzarella being old?

Short of looking at the "best before" date on the package - how can I tell if my mozzarella is ok to eat? Would it smell bad, or can it be "dangerous" anyway?
10
votes
4answers
795 views

Can you freeze cheese and still keep the flavor when you defrost it?

I was thinking in particular about Brie because of its soft texture...
4
votes
9answers
3k views

What can I do with feta cheese? [closed]

As feta does not really melt, are there any warm dishes based on feta cheese besides some quiches?
4
votes
3answers
2k views

How do I recognize whether a Gorgonzola has gone bad?

Is there any way to know when moldy cheese (in my case, Gorgonzola) is no longer good to eat, without trying it? Mine is about three weeks old and I really can't tell any difference.
3
votes
2answers
2k views

Why does my cheese sauce taste like flour/paste? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: How do I make my roux taste less like flour? I'm trying to make a basic cheese sauce for putting over broccoli, etc. A typical recipe I've tried is: 2 tablespoons ...
6
votes
2answers
878 views

Is cheese or pasta a good source of protein?

I am eating "Wheels & Cheese": As you can see, there's literally nothing but cheese and pasta here. The nutrition facts on the back says that there's 11g of protein in it. I've never heard of ...
0
votes
1answer
1k views

Is it possible to get vegetarian grana padano cheese?

My wife is vegetarian and, since meeting her, I've come to realise that all Grana Padano seems to be non-vegetarian. Is this really the case, or are my local supermarkets just not stocking the veggie ...
10
votes
4answers
388 views

Ultimate Grilled Cheese : Keeping it together

Maybe it's called something else, but to me a grilled cheese sandwich with extra stuff in it is an "ultimate". The extra stuff I'm referring to is generally tomato, onion (thin sliced raw or grilled) ...
4
votes
2answers
807 views

How can I stop my cheese seizing?

Quite a few recipes require tossing cheese with some hot ingredient until it melts (like pasta), or melting cheese into something (sauce, soup, etc.). Usually this works fine, but sometimes the ...
3
votes
2answers
278 views

Can meat and cheese be stored together?

My husband is constantly storing opened blocks of cheese in the same container as his summer sausage, also opened. He insists that they don't need to be separated and that I am being paranoid. I say ...
11
votes
3answers
2k views

Can I continue to age store bought cheese?

I know that many cheeses are considered to be better when aged. After I've purchased a nice block of Parmesan or such, can I continue to age it at home? Is it practical? Will I get the same ...
2
votes
4answers
348 views

how to create gratin with _thin_ cheese skin

Several years ago I knew a place where they served ragout fin au gratin in small bowls with a very thin cheese skin. I'd like to create these myself. I tried several approaches, mostly by putting ...
-2
votes
1answer
1k views

Safe to eat mac 'n' cheese the next day? [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: How long can I store a food in the pantry, refrigerator, or freezer? I've made mac and cheese. If I put it in the fridge (not freezer) in the original baking dish, ...
3
votes
2answers
998 views

Mixing mozzarella without clumping

Whenever I use mozarella in a pasta dish, and attempt to mix it in like you would cheddar or anything else, I end up with one giant clump of mozzarella. Ex) I cook some pasta, and add the cheese/milk ...
0
votes
1answer
158 views

Is it okay to prepare “Cannelloni with Spinach” recipe and put it in fridge BEFORE baking?

I'm working on this "Cannelloni with Spinach & Ricotta": http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/pasta-recipes/awesome-spinach-ricotta-cannelloni The last step is bake it for 20-25 minutes. Is it okay ...
2
votes
0answers
33 views

substuting cottage cheese for cream cheese in a cheesecake [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Can I use cottage cheese instead of cream cheese when making a cheesecake? Can I use cottage cheese and ricotta cheese together for a cheesecake which needs to be baked. ...
3
votes
2answers
680 views

Why did this fondue become grainy and lumpy?

We made some fondue the other night, and instead of being a nice smooth dippable fondue texture, it came out grainy and lumpy. What went wrong? Here's the recipe that we used: 1 clove garlic 3/4 ...
3
votes
2answers
679 views

Romano vs Parmesan in Cacio e Pepe?

I've tried making Cacio e Pepe a few times, using a recipe from America's Test Kitchen. In Cacio e Pepe, you boil pasta in a limited amount of water, then mix some of the hot starchy water with grated ...
0
votes
2answers
10k views

Parmesan Cheese Substitute [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: Cheaper alternative to parmesan cheese? What cheese tastes most similar to Parmesan Cheese? Note: I am not looking for a fake-cheese substitute, just a real cheese that ...
17
votes
5answers
13k views

How long can hard cheeses last in a refrigerator?

I had chunks of various hard cheeses, mostly parmesan, in my refrigerator for varying lengths of time. Some as long as 3+ months. I've never seen any obvious signs of spoilage and have never been ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views

Why do stuffed shells recipes include eggs?

I'm making stuffed shells, but I don't have any eggs. All the recipes I can find call for one or two eggs. What is the reason and can I get away without eggs?
5
votes
1answer
595 views

Are mascarpone and clotted cream the same thing?

When serving some mascarpone with French toast to my mother, she exclaimed: "Oh, this is the clotted cream I had when I was a little girl!" Are mascarpone and clotted cream the same thing? If not, ...
2
votes
4answers
152 views

Can cheese be sculpted?

Could anyone offer some tips on how to sculpt or mold a large piece of cheddar into a knight of the realm. I have tried on a smaller piece but the cheese tends to crumple and doesn't seem sculpt in ...
7
votes
1answer
448 views

What happens to cheese as it ages?

An answer* on another one of my questions sparked this: What is actually happening to the cheese on a molecular and chemical level as it ages? What processes are going on and why is there an upper ...
37
votes
7answers
9k views

Is it safe to eat moldy cheese if you slice off the edges?

Whenever my cheese gets too old and has a bit of blue/white mold on the side, I'm not sure whether I should throw it completely out or not. Is it safe to eat if I cut off the edge? Should I cut a bit ...
0
votes
3answers
939 views

What actual effect does a Parmesean rind added to soup have?

The answers to this question state that adding a Parmesan rind to a cooking soup will add a cheesy flavor to the soup. How much flavor does a rind really add? Does it flavor the soup to a degree ...
1
vote
1answer
785 views

What is the origin of cheese dip?

I want to know where cheese dip was invented. Based on this article it was invented in Arkansas. This documentary goes into more detail about it being from Mexico Chiquito, a restaurant in Arkansas. ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views

How Do I Fix Curdled Marscarpone Cheese?

I made a marscarpone mix for a Jamie Oliver cheesecake and it has curdled. The ingredients I added to the mixture include: full cream milk, vanilla essence, and icing sugar. Why would this ...
6
votes
1answer
966 views

How do you tell if a cheese rind is edible?

When I buy a cheese from a type I don't know, I usually discard the rind, just because I'm not sure it is edible. Is there a way to tell if it is edible, other than researching the cheese type?
10
votes
10answers
2k views

Fondue without Gruyere cheese

Can you give me some good tips how to prepare Fondue without Gruyere/Racclete cheese? Do you know good recipes based on Gouda or other cheeses?
6
votes
2answers
3k views

When can I not substitute Romano for Parmesan?

I noticed that good Romano costs 1/3 as much as good Parmesan. I know that Romano is aged much less than Parmesan is and that accounts for the difference in cost. However, the flavors of the two are ...
6
votes
1answer
719 views

Can I eat cheese which has been “infected” with blue cheese mold?

Recently, I bought two pieces of cheese - St. Agur and Pyrenean cheese. They were cut from wheels, not pre-packaged. At home, I removed the foil and placed them in the same plastic container in the ...
5
votes
1answer
1k views

Are the white crystals on my American Cheese safe to eat?

I have some American Cheese with fine white crystals on the outside of each slice. They have a gritty texture. Is this a sign that the cheese is spoiled, or just lactic acid salts like aged cheese ...
5
votes
2answers
524 views

How are mozzarella cheese sticks (string cheese) formed?

I love string cheese. I have had some success making homemade mozzarella but I am not particularly skilled yet at kneading the curd. My mozzarella balls sometimes end up with an uneven texture. How ...
5
votes
1answer
290 views

Why does feta taste so terribly salty when grilled?

I love feta cheese, and I can't get enough of it, just like my family. But unlike them, I only eat it raw. I can't stand the grilled feta sandwiches my mother eats every morning for breakfast, and the ...
6
votes
1answer
343 views

What role does alcoholic liquid play in cheese fondue recipes?

Pretty much every recipe I've seen for cheese fondue includes either white wine (sometimes alongside kirsch/brandy) or some kind of beer in the delicious cheesy sauce. Why is the added liquid ...
7
votes
1answer
126 views

What does the rind say about a cheese?

There is a lot of variation in the rind of cheese, I dare say perhaps even more than in the cheeses themselves. Does the colour, texture, hardness etc. reveal anything about how the cheese was made, ...
-1
votes
1answer
186 views

what are some good Pecorino Romano combinations? (see food intolerances inside, please) [closed]

I bought this cheese thinking I'd be able to eat it straight, and I like the smell, but I can't stand the taste. So I'm thinking I should use combine it with something else. One combo that I ...
1
vote
1answer
266 views

Best cut of meat to pair with Gorgonzola?

I've often enjoyed lightly seasoned beef or venison steaks paired with Gorgonzola cheese. Is there any cut of meat that goes particularly well with that particular cheese, or does it not particularly ...