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Cheese Crystals (2019)

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Re: Cheese Crystals (2019)

#51

Post by colechristensen »

Frotag wrote: post #10

> Actually, all cheese making produces quite a bit of wastage. On average, if a dairy starts with ten-thousand pounds of milk, they’ll end up with only a thousand pounds of cheese. The remaining nine-thousand pounds ends up as whey while the curd is formed. > That’s right: if you run the numbers on cheese manufacturing, the percent yield is only about 10%. Yogurt-making produces a lot of whey too, though probably clo…

>> That’s right: if you run the numbers on cheese manufacturing, the percent yield is only about 10%.

Percent yield is an odd choice of words when the "waste" product is 90-95% water.

Re: Cheese Crystals (2019)

#53

Post by technothrasher »

ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #48
tomcam wrote: post #6

If you like sharp cheddar, the best cheese in the world is "Cougar Gold" from WSU Creamery in eastern Washington, USA, a region not known to be a hotbed of find cheeses. It comes in a can, also not thought of as a delivery vector for a great cheese, but there you have it. Tastes great out of the can or you can age it for a few years in the refrigerator. Five or 6 years is fine. I absolutely love the crystals. No mold…

Hmmm, I'm somewhat doubtful about cheese from the USA as my experience there (only on holiday, mind) was that most cheese seems to be made of plastic. However, I fully acknowledge my lack of knowledge about good/great american cheeses and I'm sure there are small scale producers of quality products. Some of the best cheddars that I've tried are Wyke Farms Cheddar (from Somerset, but not quite in Cheddar itself) and m…

Most of the mainstream cheese that you're going to encounter here in the US is boring and tasteless. Even most of the cheddar we get imported from the UK is terribly mediocre, I've found. It's just what many American's like, apparently. But that doesn't mean you can't get good cheese, both domestic and imported, if you frequent a specialist local cheese shop. There are quite a few farms in Vermont and New Hampshire, and also a couple in Massachusetts, that I've found make really good cheddars, rivaling some of my favorite Somerset cheddars. I'm sure there are good producers outside of New England too, I just know those ones as that's where I am.

Re: Cheese Crystals (2019)

#54

Post by PeterHolzwarth »

tomcam wrote: post #6

If you like sharp cheddar, the best cheese in the world is "Cougar Gold" from WSU Creamery in eastern Washington, USA, a region not known to be a hotbed of find cheeses. It comes in a can, also not thought of as a delivery vector for a great cheese, but there you have it. Tastes great out of the can or you can age it for a few years in the refrigerator. Five or 6 years is fine. I absolutely love the crystals. No mold…

The well known Rainier cherry cultivar similarly comes from Washington State University - quite an ag program they have there!

Re: Cheese Crystals (2019)

#55

Post by Wingman4l7 »

tomcam wrote: post #6

If you like sharp cheddar, the best cheese in the world is "Cougar Gold" from WSU Creamery in eastern Washington, USA, a region not known to be a hotbed of find cheeses. It comes in a can, also not thought of as a delivery vector for a great cheese, but there you have it. Tastes great out of the can or you can age it for a few years in the refrigerator. Five or 6 years is fine. I absolutely love the crystals. No mold…

Not the first time I've seen it organically recommended, and I'm not surprised. A buddy has some of this stuff, he usually ages it for a minimum of a year, ideally 2+, in the fridge. Will sometimes have fantastic crystals, and even if it doesn't it's still exceptional sharp cheddar.

Re: Cheese Crystals (2019)

#56

Post by carabiner »

ndsipa_pomu wrote: post #48
tomcam wrote: post #6

If you like sharp cheddar, the best cheese in the world is "Cougar Gold" from WSU Creamery in eastern Washington, USA, a region not known to be a hotbed of find cheeses. It comes in a can, also not thought of as a delivery vector for a great cheese, but there you have it. Tastes great out of the can or you can age it for a few years in the refrigerator. Five or 6 years is fine. I absolutely love the crystals. No mold…

Hmmm, I'm somewhat doubtful about cheese from the USA as my experience there (only on holiday, mind) was that most cheese seems to be made of plastic. However, I fully acknowledge my lack of knowledge about good/great american cheeses and I'm sure there are small scale producers of quality products. Some of the best cheddars that I've tried are Wyke Farms Cheddar (from Somerset, but not quite in Cheddar itself) and m…

Isn't McDonalds massively successful in Paris? Here's one artisanal creamery in the US: https://www.cascadiacreamery.com/photo_gallery.html

There are hundreds of these across the country, but you have to seek them out. You can also get raw milk cheeses in the US.

Re: Cheese Crystals (2019)

#57

Post by omnicognate »

noir_lord wrote: post #35
omnicognate wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd love to try that but the only site I can see selling it here in the UK wants 85 quid a tin. There are plenty of extra mature cheddars with crystals here, though. Marks & Spencer have a 2 year aged one called Cornish Cruncher that I'm partial to.

Not like we are short of Cheddars in the UK tbf.

Indeed, including a cave aged one actually made in Cheddar (which is amazing). Godminster and Black Bomber are both very nice, and are wax sealed so might be similar to the canned stuff. And that's before you get into the unpasteurised stuff you're not even allowed to sell in the states. (Edit: I'm wrong about that - you can if it's aged more than 60 days.)

I'd really like to try this Cougar Gold, though. People get nationalistic about cheese, but good is good wherever it's made. If England can have the best brie I know of (Baron Bigod) there's no reason in principle the US couldn't have the best cheddar. Canada makes rather nice cheddar too, which you can buy in UK supermarkets.

The US terminology is odd, though. Sharp isn't how I'd characterise most extra mature cheddar.

Re: Cheese Crystals (2019)

#58

Post by tomcam »

peterldowns wrote: post #42
tomcam wrote: post #6

If you like sharp cheddar, the best cheese in the world is "Cougar Gold" from WSU Creamery in eastern Washington, USA, a region not known to be a hotbed of find cheeses. It comes in a can, also not thought of as a delivery vector for a great cheese, but there you have it. Tastes great out of the can or you can age it for a few years in the refrigerator. Five or 6 years is fine. I absolutely love the crystals. No mold…

I just ordered two cans of the cougar gold, one of the viking, and one of the mild cheddar. If it's not good I will blame you. The archaic checkout system and the fact that this is a Washington State school agricultural product make me think that this will be the best cheese I've ever eaten in my life. Quite fond of their apples!

The responsibility weighs heavy on my shoulders

Re: Cheese Crystals (2019)

#59

Post by carlob »

FuriouslyAdrift wrote: post #18
Frotag wrote: post #10

> Actually, all cheese making produces quite a bit of wastage. On average, if a dairy starts with ten-thousand pounds of milk, they’ll end up with only a thousand pounds of cheese. The remaining nine-thousand pounds ends up as whey while the curd is formed. > That’s right: if you run the numbers on cheese manufacturing, the percent yield is only about 10%. Yogurt-making produces a lot of whey too, though probably clo…

Whey goes to make protein powder, whey butter, animal feed, etc. The Ag industry is so competitive that usually every little bit gets used for something.

And ricotta, how can you forget ricotta!

Re: Cheese Crystals (2019)

#60

Post by bfkwlfkjf »

nlawalker wrote: post #5
jhaile wrote: post #3

I enjoyed reading the article, but really wish it had photos to help educate the reader on how to distinguish between crystals and mold.

Totally agree - interesting info but nothing of practical use, especially because white spots can be mold. See https://www.eatortoss.com/how-to-tell-if-white-stuff-on-chee... , https://www.eatortoss.com/aged-cheddar-with-a-crusty-white-s... .

To my untrained eye: not sure about the first one,but the second one is obviously good. Correct?
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