Cheese

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Oregon Cheese... Simply Irresistible

Almost everyone loves one type of cheese or another and Oregon produces some of the finest cheese in the world. Whether grated, shredded, or melted, on pizza, spread on crackers or enjoyed on the run, cheese is a highly versatile and nutritious food for men, women and children of all ages to enjoy. Although Oregon may be known for award-winning cheddar, more than 400 varieties of delicious, nutritious cheese are available on the market today. Cheese has the power to jazz up any meal it accompanies and, with little more than an ounce, provides an easy way to get 20% of your daily calcium needs. Treat yourself to a slice of heavenly cheddar, spicy pepper jack or creamy brie and imagine the many different ways you can cook with it, pair it with fruits and vegetables, or simply savor the flavor by itself.

Although all cheese begins as milk, different manufacturing and aging processes are used to produce the array of cheeses available in the marketplace today. Cheese is made by coagulating or curdling milk, stirring and heating the curd, draining off the whey (the watery part of milk), collecting and pressing the curd, and in some cases, aging the final product to perfection. Cheese can be made from whole, 2% reduced fat, 1% low-fat or fat-free milk, or combinations of these milks. Cheese is a nutrient dense food that provides high quality protein; vitamins such as A, riboflavin and B12; and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus and zinc.

For more information on the many varieties of cheese, check out the following website: www.ilovecheese.com.

Most Frequently Asked Questions About Cheese:

How is cheese made?
Using only the highest quality of milk, cheese is made by heating the milk until it forms curds, draining off the whey from the curd and then pressing the curds together to form a solid block. From this solid block, various sizes of cheese are cut. In some cases, cheese needs to be aged for a period of time to alter the flavor. It takes approximately ten pounds of fresh, creamy milk to make one pound of nutrient-dense cheese.

Can I freeze cheese?
Cheese can be frozen, but may become crumbly when thawed. For best results, freeze pieces of cheese in sizes of 1/2 pound or less; package in moisture-proof, airtight wrapping; freeze quickly and store at 0ºF or lower; thaw cheese in the refrigerator; use as soon as possible after thawing. Grated cheese should not be frozen because when thawed, condensation forms inside the container, causing the cheese to lump together.

I've been reading that cheese is fattening and isn't healthy. Is this true?
With today's consumer being health-conscious and label savvy, Oregon's food processors offer many delicious and low-fat varieties of cheese. Low-fat cheese has 3 grams of fat or less per ounce while reduced-fat cheese has 25% less fat per ounce than regular cheese. The fabulous news is that by giving up fat, you don't have to give up the nutritional benefits of cheese. One ounce of cheese offers high protein, riboflavin, phosphorous, vitamin A, zinc and 20% of your daily calcium need. Fat-free cheese contains less than 1/2 gram of fat per ounce. These choices mean you can maintain a healthy lifestyle without giving up delectable and highly nutritional cheese! Cooking with fat-free or low-fat cheese can add flavor to any dish and is also a great way to meet your daily calcium needs.

Should cheese with mold be discarded?
Most molds on cheeses are harmless. Properly wrapping the cheese can help to prevent the development of undesirable mold. However, if mold develops, remove all visible molds as well as an additional 1/2 inch of cheese on all sides of the mold to be safe (except for mold-ripened cheeses such as Roquefort and blue).

Can I still enjoy cheese if I'm lactose intolerant?
Yes! Yes! Yes! Even if you are lactose intolerant, you can still enjoy the tasty benefits of your favorite cheese. Many aged cheeses like Cheddar and Swiss contain very little, if any, lactose. During the cheese-making process, most of the lactose is removed. Aged cheeses like cheddar generally have less lactose than unripened cheese (like cream cheese). Cheese is an ideal source of calcium for people with lactose intolerance!