Description

Fresh Cheese (unaged)- Mozzarella, Ricotta, Cottage Cheese, Feta

Also called bloomy rind cheeses, these cheeses have been aged for a few weeks to allow molds on the exterior to age the cheese from the outside in. Molds known as Penicillium candidum or Penicillium camemberti are added to the milk or sprayed on the surface of the cheese, giving the cheese its distinct white and fuzzy rind.

Unlike other cheeses, soft-ripened cheeses get softer as they age as the mold breaks down the cheese and softens it into a pudding. The parts of the cheese closest to the mold rind soften first, followed by the interior.

As the mold works on the cheese, it converts fats in the cheese into fragrant compounds called ketones, enhancing the intensity of the flavor. Furthermore, the white mold prevents unwanted mold growth.

Cheeses labeled “double cream” or “triple cream” mean cream was added to the whole milk during the cheesemaking process. For all cheeses, and especially soft-ripened cheeses, they are best served warm or at room temperature.

Looks: a snowy or ashy rind with a creamy yellow inside.

Feels: soft and oozy or dense and cakey depending on the ripeness.

Smells: earthy and buttery with hints of ammonia (that grow stronger when ripe).

Tastes: vegetal, mushroomy, and creamy.