La Montanita Co-op Cheese Information

Cheese is an exceptional food, providing proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals. By weight cheese contains more protein than meat, eggs or fish. Dairy products provide one of the most important minerals: calcium.

The vitamins available in cheese are A, B1, B2, C and niacin. (Vitamin D is added to milk to increase its nutritional value. We can naturally synthesize Vitamin D through exposure to sunshine.) Cheese such as Emmental or Gruyere (pressed cheeses) have the highest concentration of these nutrients, but also the highest number of calories.

Fat content is related, in part, to the caloric value of cheese; generally the higher the fat, the higher the calories. Because fat is expressed in terms of dry matter, a high moisture cheese can have less fat than the same amount of a lower moisture cheese. So, comparing the same amounts of Emmental and Camembert, Emmental will actually have a higher fat content because it has less moisture. Go figure! But parmesan, for example, is high in nutrients and low in fats. The same is true of any cheeses made from skimmed milk.

The Cheese Department at La Montanita Co-op strives to be the finest cheese department in our area, with the best selection of specialty cheeses and very competitive price structure.

We actively search out handmade cheeses from small farmers, cheeses that are unique and distinctive. We stay clear of processed cheeses, hormones and unsafe additives in cheese.

We seek to service a wide range of customers: those looking for the finest cheese in the world, families looking for reasonably priced, "clean" everyday cheese, goat and sheep cheese lovers, raw milk cheese aficianados, rennet-free cheese lovers, low-fat and alter- native cheese eaters.

We are here to serve you, our members and customers.

Fresh Cheeses:
Uncooked and unripened curd, moist and mild, usually with a pleasant tartness. Includes farmer cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheeses, ricotta (fresh style), fromage blanc, fresh goat cheeses, and Italian mascarpone.

Soft-Ripened or Bloomy Rind Cheeses:
Semisoft consistency, surface ripened, sprayed with molds so that they ripen from the outside in. Crusts are thin, white, and have a velvety bloom. Includes French Brie, Camembert, triple cremes such as Saint Andre, Chaouce Lincet, and Italian Paglia-style and Toma cheeses.

Washed Rind Cheeses:
Rinds are usually orange hued, have been washed or Tubbed during the ripening process with a solution of brine, wine, beer, or grape brandy to promote a desirable exterior mold. Includes French Livarot and PontI'Eveque, Italian Taleggio, Spanish Mahon, Limburger (German and domestic), and most Trappist or monastery-style cheeses (Port Salut, Oka).

Natural Rind:
Self-formed rinds, denser in texture than other cheeses and usually aged longer. Includes English Stilton, Lancashire, French Tomme de Savoie, and Spanish Roncal.

Blue Veined Cheeses:
Blue-green mold is shown when these cheeses are cut open. Includes American Maytag blue, Amish blue and gorgonzola, English Stilton, French Roquefort, Italian Gorgonzola, Spanish Cabrales, and Danish Blue.

Uncooked, Pressed Cheeses:
Made from curd that has not been heated, they are pressed to complete the drainage of whey and to achieve a firm texture. Includes English Cheddar, French Morbier and Tomme de Savoie, and Spanish Manchego.

Cooked, Pressed Cheeses:
Heating the cheese before pressing the curd, this category includes our goudas (Medium, Aged Old Dutch Masters, Very Aged Mona Lisa), English Cheshire, French Gruyere de Comte and Swiss Gruyere, Swiss and French Emmentals, Italian Parmiagiano-Reggiano and Grana Parmesan.

Whey Cheese:
Usually made as a by-product of other cheeses, Gjetost and Italian ricotta are whey cheeses.

Processed Cheeses:
Made by blending one or more natural cheeses with other ingredients. Usually high in sodium, supermarkets carry many versions of this, including "American cheese" and many others. Our smoked Gouda is a processed cheese.

Alternative Cheeses:
Made with non-animal milks, these include rice cheese, almond cheese, soy cheese, and nut cheeses. All of these cheeses are lactose free, but only a few are casein free (Veganrella, Soymage singles, and Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese). There are copies of popular cheeses such as Pepper Jack, Mozzarella, Cheddar, cream cheeses, and grated parmesans