26. Each of the European countries has originated its own peculiar kind
of cheese, which remains representative of a certain people or locality.
The majority of these cheeses have met with so much favor in the United
States that large quantities of them are continually imported. A few of
them have been copied here with success, but others have not been
successfully made. While these are not in such common use as the
domestic cheeses, it is well for every one to know their names and the
characteristics by which they can be identified.
27. ENGLISH CHEESE.--Chief among the kinds of cheeses made in England is
CHEDDAR CHEESE, which is illustrated at _a_, Fig. 4. It is rich,
double-thick cream cheese, ranging from a pale to a dark yellow,
although when uncolored it may be white. Such cheese, when fresh, has a
milk flavor, but when it is well ripened it has a characteristic sharp
taste. New Cheddar cheese is soft, but not waxy, in texture and may
readily be shaved or broken into small pieces; when it is well ripened,
it may be grated. English Cheddar cheese is not unlike AMERICAN CHEDDAR
CHEESE, or, as it is commonly called, _American cream cheese_, which is
shown by _b_. In fact the American variety is made according to the
method used for the English. Owing to its characteristics, flavor, and
abundance, Cheddar cheese, both English and American, is the kind that
is used most extensively in the United States.
ENGLISH DAIRY CHEESE, shown at _d_, is similar to Cheddar cheese,
although it has a reddish color and, on account of the method of
manufacture, it is harder. This kind of cheese lends itself well to
cooking, as it may be easily grated.
CHESHIRE CHEESE, a well-known English variety, is a dry cream cheese
made from whole cow's milk. It is deep yellow or red in color, similar
in flavor to Cheddar cheese, and is used in much the same manner.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
STILTON CHEESE, shown at _m_, is a hard cheese made from cow's milk to
which cream has been added and which is coagulated with rennet. Mold
is introduced into this cheese, so that it resembles Roquefort cheese,
which is shown at _j_.
28. HOLLAND CHEESE.--The variety of cheese shown at _e_, Fig. 4, is
known as EDAM CHEESE. It is a hard rennet cheese of a red color and is
mild in flavor. This kind of cheese is molded into the shape of a ball,
the outside of which is usually dyed red, and will keep for a long
period of time. Edam cheese is one of the important products of the
Netherlands, and while it is seldom used in cookery in the homes of this
country, it is served at the table. Usually a section of the top is cut
off to serve as a lid while the inside is scooped out as needed.
Sometimes, after most of the cheese has been removed, the hollow shell
is stuffed with macaroni or rice that has been cooked and seasoned and
the food then baked in the shell.
29. FRENCH CHEESES.--Among the French cheeses, the variety called
GRUYERE CHEESE, which is shown at _f_, Fig. 4, is well liked. It is
usually made of skim milk, has a yellow color and a mild, sweetish
flavor, and contains large holes like those found in Swiss and Emmenthal
cheeses, varieties that are very similar to it. Like these cheeses,
Gruyere cheese may be used in cooking or served without cooking, being
used considerably in the making of sandwiches.
BRIE CHEESE is a French variety of very soft cheese, with a strong
flavor and odor. It is made from whole or partly skimmed cow's milk
coagulated by means of rennet. This kind of cheese is used mostly as an
accompaniment to other foods.
CAMEMBERT CHEESE, which is shown at _h_, is also a soft cheese. It is
made by practically the same process as Brie cheese and is used in the
same way. This cheese has a typical odor. Its rind is thick and dry, but
its center is very soft, being sometimes almost liquid.
NEUFCHATEL CHEESE, which is shown at _i_, is a soft rennet cheese made
from cow's milk. It is made at Neufchatel-en-Bray, France, and not at
Neufchatel, Switzerland. This variety of cheese is wrapped in tin-foil
and sold in small packages. It is used chiefly for salads, sandwiches,
etc. As it does not keep well after the package is opened, the entire
contents should be used at one time.
ROQUEFORT CHEESE, which is shown at _j_, is a hard, highly flavored
cheese made from sheep's milk coagulated with rennet. It has a marbled
appearance, which is due to a greenish mold that is introduced.
Roquefort cheese is frequently served with crackers at the end of a
meal, and is well liked by many persons.
30. ITALIAN CHEESES.--From Italy is imported a cheese, called PARMESAN
CHEESE, that is used extensively for flavoring soups and macaroni
dishes. This cheese, which is shown at _g_, Fig. 4, is very hard and
granular and, provided it is well made, it will keep for years. Owing to
its characteristics, it may be easily grated. It can be bought by the
pound and grated as it is needed, or it can be secured already grated
in bottles.
GORGONZOLA, another Italian cheese, is shown at _k_. It is not unlike
Roquefort in appearance and in use, but it is made from whole cow's milk
coagulated with rennet. Into this cheese is also introduced a mold that
gives its center a streaked or mottled appearance.
31. SWISS CHEESES.--Possibly the best known cheese imported from
Switzerland is the variety known as SWISS, or SWITZER, CHEESE. This kind
of cheese has different names, depending on the district of Switzerland
in which it is made. Nevertheless all of them are similar and have a
mild, sweet flavor. Swiss cheese may be readily recognized by its pale
yellow color and the presence of large holes, although it resembles
Gruyere cheese very closely.
EMMENTHAL CHEESE is a variety of fairly hard cheese that originated in
Switzerland, but is now made in many other countries. It is similar to
Swiss cheese, being made from whole cow's milk and characterized by
large holes about 3 inches apart.
SAPSAGO CHEESE, shown at _n_, Fig. 4, is a skim-milk cheese made in
Switzerland. It is a very hard cheese, and therefore suitable for
grating. In the process of making this cheese, melilot, a clover-like
herb, is added, and this gives the cheese a green color and a
peculiar flavor.
32. BELGIAN CHEESE.--A cheese that originated in Belgium, but is now
manufactured in other countries, is the variety known as LIMBURG, or
LIMBURGER, CHEESE, cheese, which is shown at _l_, Fig. 4. It is a soft
rennet cheese made from whole cow's milk. It is very strong in taste and
smell, due to putrefactive germs that are added to the milk in its
manufacture.