Culture (Starter) A culture that normally consists of Ferme (Fermier) The French term for farm-produced varying percentages of lactic acid, bacterial or mold spores, cheeses. enzymes or other micro-organisms and natural chemicals. Starter cultures speed and control the process of curdling milk Fermented during cheesemaking in part by converting lactose to lactic fermentations. acid. They also lend unique flavor characteristics to the cheese. An aroma reminiscent of alcohol Fresh Cheese Cheese that does not undergo a ripening Curd The solid portion of coagulated or curdled milk. Curdling An early stage in cheesemaking when milk coagulates due to the introduction of rennet, forming curds & whey. period e.g. Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese, Ricotta. Formaggio The Italian word for cheese. Fromage The French word for cheese. Curing Also known as maturing or ageing - the stage in the Grainy A descriptive term for gritty texture which is cheesemaking process when a cheese is left to ripen. desirable in certain hard-grating cheeses, though not to the point of mealiness. Parmesan and Romano exhibit a granular Crumbly The condition of a cheese that breaks away when or grainy texture. cut often applicable to blue veins. Grana The Italian term for hard-grating cheese referring to Double Cream The French term for cheese containing a cheese’s hard granular texture. Parmesan, Romano, Asiago, at least 60 percent butterfat in the cheese solids (dry matter). Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano and Sapsago are among the grana-type cheese varieties. Dry Matter All the components of cheese (solids) excluding moisture (water). Dry matter includes proteins, Grassy A descriptive term for cheese with a weedy taste milkfat, milk sugars and minerals. that is related to the type of feed a cow has consumed prior to milking, such as silage, bitterweed, leeks or onions. Earthy A descriptive term for cheese varieties with rustic, hearty flavors and aromas. Cheese flavor compounds in this Hard Cheese (Firm) Cheese that has been aged, salted, category share qualities with those present in freshly plowed pressed for some time causing it to lose moisture. earth or forest litter. Goat, sheep and monastery type cheeses may be characterized as earthy and exhibit assertive flavor Intense A descriptive term for cheese with strong, and aroma. concentrated aromas and flavors. Eyes The technical name for holes formed in certain cheeses after fermentation, e.g. in Swiss cheeses. Such holes are spherical, equally spaced and about the size of cherry stones. The holes are caused by bacterial activity which generates prioponic acid causing gas to expand within the curd. Kaas The Dutch word for Cheese. Kase The German word for Cheese. Lactose Natural sugar found in milk. Farmstead Describes cheese made solely from milk Lactose Intolerance A physical intolerance and inability to process milk sugars. It should be noted that lactose is consumed by bacteria in the production of cheese Fat Content The fat content of cheese refers to the fat and converted to lactic acid. Most cheeses over 60 days old content in the dry matter of the cheese. It is usually indicated do not contain any lactose, or only contain trace amounts. on the cheese’s packaging. The average is 45 per cent but it Milk allergy is often confused with lactose intolerance. can be as low as 4 percent and as high as 75 percent. produced on the same farm. 128 ~ Fresh Products 2013 - 2014 Annual Catalog