Cheese is often served as an appetizer with wine.
Cheese is a dairy product often served as an appetizer but it is also used in many entrees and is a favorite ingredient in Italian cuisine. Cheese is made from a combination of salt, enzymes, bacteria, heat, time and milk. It is commonly made from cow, sheep, or goat milk and comes in a variety of forms and colors. There are several types of white cheeses available for the consumer.
Brie
Brie is made into a round shape. It has a hard exterior but an interior that is soft and can easily be spread onto crackers. Brie has a naturally rustic smell similar to fresh mushrooms and is enhanced by an almost buttery quality and strong savory flavor.
Camembert
Camembert is soft with a slight firmness in the center.
Another soft, white cheese, Camembert is into a round with a slight firmness in the center. It has a mild sweet taste with a slight salty and nut-like flavor.
Cottage cheese a low-fat food option for dieters.
Cottage cheese has the consistency of small, white curds with a creamy texture. It is thought that it's name came from farmhouse cottages where the cheese was first processed. It is a low-fat cheese and dieters often eat it as one of their guilty pleasures.
Marscapone
This cheese has a similar texture as the above cottage cheese but is better known as a dessert cheese as it is often used in tiramasu, cheesecake and can even be topped on many dessert dishes. It was first made in Northen Italy and is still found in some pasta dishes today.
Feta
Feta usually has a crumbly texture, but Danish feta is creamy.
Feta cheese comes in a variety of types such as Greek, Danish, goats and marinated. Feta is often known for it's strong, salty taste and it's crumbly texture but Danish feta, unlike the typical Greek, has more of a . Marinated feta is often fused with oils and spices or added with peppercorns, olives or sun-dried tomatoes.
Goat Cheese
Often used to spread on toast or crackers, goat cheese has a creamy consistency with a sharp tangy flavor. Goat cheese is also often flavored with various herbs and spices such as garlic or peppercorns and comes in several different shapes and sizes.
Mozzarella
Mozzarella has a soft springy texture.
The first fresh mozzarella was made from buffalo's milk and has a soft, springy consistency which can even be torn into playful strings of cheese. It is often served melted on breads and in pastas. It can also be made as a more firm cheese and sold in blocks or slices.
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