The Cupboard
Cheese
Fall is the beginning of the long season for entertaining and one sure thing to appear on every menu are the delectable flavors of cheeses. From hard to soft, from savory to sweet, there are as many cheeses available today as there are tastes. Over the past decade, the availability of gourmet cheeses has become very commonplace and where once only stocked at specialty stores, you can now find available as near as your favorite supermarket.
So turn on the creative culinary flair in you and explore the wonderful world of cheese. To get you started, here are some descriptions of some interesting varieties.
Feta — made from sheep’s or goat’s milk, it is typically block in shape and white with a tangy, salty flavor. The texture is soft and crumbly.
Mascarpone — made from cow’s milk and or cream, is soft, pale yellow. The flavor is buttery and slightly tangy with a soft and smooth texture.
Brie — whole or skim cow’s or goats milk, sometimes cream, comes in a disk with a light yellow color. The flavor is buttery to pungent with a soft, smooth and edible rind.
Stilton — made from whole cow’s milk, comes in a cylinder and is medium yellow with blue-green marbling. Has a piquant, but mild flavor and is hard and crumbly.
Camembert — made from raw or pasteurized whole or skim cow or goat’s milk, comes in a disk and is light yellow in color. It has a slightly tangy flavor is soft and creamy with an edible rind.
Edam — made from whole or part skim cow’s milk and comes in a loaf or sphere, typically coated with wax. Has a mild to tangy flavor (depending on age) and is elastic, slightly crumbly with holes.