What about that hormone, rBGH

1. What is rennet and what's all the fuss about?

2. What about raw milk and pasteurized milk?

3.What about that hormone, rBGH?

4. Is goat cheese really so differently from cow's mik, & why is it so expensive?

5. Can I eat the rind?

6. How long will cheese keep?

Q. What about raw milk and pasteurized milk?

A. There are actually three categories for the milk: it can be raw ('completely unheated), unpasteurized (heated, but not high enough for pasteurization) and pasteurized (144 degrees Fahrenheit). Raw milk is traditional for many of the world's great cheeses and retains the most flavor and some would say, the most health benefits, as most pasteurization kills beneficial nutrients along with the potentially harmful microorganisms. Raw milk cheese can be sold in the U.S. if it has been aged at least 60 days, and it has been proven that most microorganisms in milk are destroyed during the cheesemaking process itself. In any case, we fully encourage raw milk cheeses, and only lament that we will never be able to taste a true French Brie or Camembert in all its unpasteurized splendor!

Q. What about that hormone, rBGH?

A. We have always made an extra effort to check on the "cleanliness" of our cheeses regarding the genetically engineered growth hormone, rBGH. To the best of our knowledge our current and on-going research indicates that all our cheeses are rBGH free except Polly-O and Alta-Dena, which will not guarantee their cheeses. Europe has never used rBGH; therefore, we guarantee all our European imported cheeses are rBGH free as well as all our Certified Organic and alternative cheeses.

Q. Is goat cheese really so differently from cow's mik, & why is it so expensive?

A. Goat cheese is high in fat, but free from many of the pathogens found in cow's milk cheese. It is easier for many people to digest, but generally more expensive as goats produce far less milk than cows.

Q. Can I eat the rind?

A. Well, some cheese comes surrounded by wax, so it's a good idea to avoid that. Otherwise, it's a matter of common sense and taste. Stilton has a clearly inedible rind; some people eat the rind of Bries and Camemberts and some don't.

Q. How long will cheese keep?

A. The harder the cheese, the longer it will keep. Very soft fresh cheeses will keep for a week or so, semisoft cheeses for several weeks, and very hard grating cheeses will keep a long time, past a month often. If you do find a little mold on the outside, trim it off and likely the rest will be fine. Remember, cheese is "spoiled" to start with, so don't be afraid of it aging.

Annato:
A West Indian plant that produces a commonly-used dye.

Bloom:
S oft, downey mold growth on the surface of cheese, e.g. Brie.

Blue:
Blue-veined cheeses with internal molds, usually blue or green.

Brine:
Salt water (e.g., covering feta).

Casein:
Calcium caseinate, a milk protein.

Coagulation:
Method whereby milk is clotted, making cheese.

Curds:
Milk solids left after the liquids (whey) are extracted.

Fresh:
Unripened or not aged.

Kosher:
Rennet from kosher animal, ritually slaughtered under rabbinical supervision.

Lactic acid:
Acid produced when milk sours; coagulates milk into cheese.

Lactose:
Milk sugar.

Microbial enzymes:
A cultured strain of bacteria that digests protein, used to coagulate milk into cheese instead of rennet.

Mold:
Bacterial growth on or in cheese, can be trimmed or eaten.

Organic:
Certified organic requires three consecutive years of treating the cow without antibiotics, hormones or steroids, and feeding certified organic grass or grains.

Pasteurized:
Partially sterilizing milk by heating.

Penicillums:
Candidum fungus responsible for white surface molds or "bloom;" glaucum: responsible for veining (Gorgonzola); roquefortii: responsible for veining (Roquefort).

Processed:
Blending one or more natural cheeses with other ingredients (oils, emulsifiers, flavorings, etc.).

Propionic acid:
Used to create tile holes in cheese, e.g., Swiss.

Raw milk:
Milk which has not been heated. Cheese must be aged 60 days to be sold in the U.S. Many European cheeses have traditionally been raw milk.

rBGH:
Synthetic hormone used to increase milk production in cows calves.

Rennet:
Sometimes called rennin, chymosin or rennase, and used to coagulate milk into cheese.

Skim milk:
Milk from which cream has been removed, lowering fat content.

Unpasteurized:
Heated above raw milk temperature, but not to the point of sterilization.

Vegetable enzyme:
Plant extracts which coagulate milk into cheese.

Whey:
Liquid separated from curds in cheesemaking.

Whole Milk:
Not skimmed, with all fats intact.