It is not always easy to navigate among the 1,200 varieties of cheese, not to mention the foreign references. Whether for a simple tasting at home or for the preparation of a beautiful platter for a dinner, it is important to keep in mind a few tips before buying cheese. This advice is all the more valuable when it comes to an online purchase, where the taste and smell are not present, and where you cannot rely on the advice of a professional.
Unearth the Green Labels on the County Wheels
The labels of the county wheels are complicated to see in the supermarket but if you are in the cutting section, still take a look if you can at the pieces of cheese present, either in the display case or in stock behind the sellers. If you manage to find one and it is indeed a PDO cheese, look at the slice: there is a label on it. Choose the right quality Welsh Cheese now.
During manufacture, each county wheel is scored on 20 points with two main criteria: taste and appearance. If the wheel has a green label, it is because it has received a score above 15/20, a guarantee of a product of excellence. If the label is brown, the county wheel score drops to between 12 and 15/20. Cheeses that have received a lower rating are not sold under the appellation but are used in the production of processed cheeses such as the Laughing Cow.
Buy Buffalo Milk Mozzarella Instead Of Cow’s Milk
It is sometimes difficult to navigate between the different mozzarella offered in supermarkets. Take a good look at the packaging and in particular the composition of the milk: if it is cow’s milk, it will of course be cheaper per kilo, but the taste is often poor, the cheese is not very interesting and very elastic. Also generally avoid mozzarella balls made from cow’s milk, sometimes made from powdered milk. On the other hand, look instead for mozzarellas made with buffalo milk on the shelves: the taste is more marked and much better, this milk being richer than that of cows. And if you are looking for the best mozzarella, choose the PDO “Mozzarella di Bufala Campana”. Produced in the Naples region according to precise specifications, it is the guarantee of the best taste.
Keep an Eye Out For Farmhouse or Artisan Cheeses
A farmer’s cheese is a cheese made on a farm by the owner himself. Within the farm itself, the farmer works according to traditional methods, directly after milking his herd. The refining must also be carried out on site. These are cheeses produced in small quantities. They are therefore difficult to find in supermarkets because they are most often sold on the farm directly or in the markets. Keep an eye out anyway to see if a quality regional range is on offer.
An artisan cheese is made by a cheese maker in a small structure of 10 people maximum. The milk can come from his farm or neighboring farms. These are often raw milk cheeses and in season. It’s a little easier to find in supermarkets than farmhouse cheese, but it really depends on how the store is sourced and so it’s pretty hit and misses.
Choose the Best Quality Cheese for Your Tastebuds
It is not always easy to navigate among the 1,200 varieties of cheese, not to mention the foreign references. Whether for a simple tasting at home or for the preparation of a beautiful platter for a dinner, it is important to keep in mind a few tips before buying cheese. This advice is all the more valuable when it comes to an online purchase, where the taste and smell are not present, and where you cannot rely on the advice of a professional.
Unearth the Green Labels on the County Wheels
The labels of the county wheels are complicated to see in the supermarket but if you are in the cutting section, still take a look if you can at the pieces of cheese present, either in the display case or in stock behind the sellers. If you manage to find one and it is indeed a PDO cheese, look at the slice: there is a label on it. Choose the right quality Welsh Cheese now.
During manufacture, each county wheel is scored on 20 points with two main criteria: taste and appearance. If the wheel has a green label, it is because it has received a score above 15/20, a guarantee of a product of excellence. If the label is brown, the county wheel score drops to between 12 and 15/20. Cheeses that have received a lower rating are not sold under the appellation but are used in the production of processed cheeses such as the Laughing Cow.
Buy Buffalo Milk Mozzarella Instead Of Cow’s Milk
It is sometimes difficult to navigate between the different mozzarella offered in supermarkets. Take a good look at the packaging and in particular the composition of the milk: if it is cow’s milk, it will of course be cheaper per kilo, but the taste is often poor, the cheese is not very interesting and very elastic. Also generally avoid mozzarella balls made from cow’s milk, sometimes made from powdered milk. On the other hand, look instead for mozzarellas made with buffalo milk on the shelves: the taste is more marked and much better, this milk being richer than that of cows. And if you are looking for the best mozzarella, choose the PDO “Mozzarella di Bufala Campana”. Produced in the Naples region according to precise specifications, it is the guarantee of the best taste.
Keep an Eye Out For Farmhouse or Artisan Cheeses
A farmer’s cheese is a cheese made on a farm by the owner himself. Within the farm itself, the farmer works according to traditional methods, directly after milking his herd. The refining must also be carried out on site. These are cheeses produced in small quantities. They are therefore difficult to find in supermarkets because they are most often sold on the farm directly or in the markets. Keep an eye out anyway to see if a quality regional range is on offer.
An artisan cheese is made by a cheese maker in a small structure of 10 people maximum. The milk can come from his farm or neighboring farms. These are often raw milk cheeses and in season. It’s a little easier to find in supermarkets than farmhouse cheese, but it really depends on how the store is sourced and so it’s pretty hit and misses.
