Cheese is made from milk! Different cheeses are created by using different types of bacteria or adding fruits, nuts, and spices. Cheese can be soft or hard and come in a variety of flavors, colors, and shapes.
Cheese has been made since ancient times, but it wasn’t until the Middle Ages that people figured out how to make different types of cheese. Eating cheese can provide important vitamins and minerals like calcium, protein, and phosphorus.
Cheese Facts for Kids
- Cheese is made from milk.
- Different animals give different kinds of milk for cheese.
- Cheese can be soft or hard.
- Some cheeses are aged for months or even years.
- Cheese can be flavored with herbs, spices, or fruits.
- Cheese is a good source of protein and calcium.
Cheese is an intricate food, distinguished by form, texture, color, and flavor. These factors depend on the milk used (cow or goat), whether it’s pasteurized or not, the butterfat content, and bacteria or mold quantities. Crafting the cheese further lends to its character, while age can also affect those details.
History of Cheese
Cheese has been a popular culinary staple since ancient times. Its precise origins, however, remain shrouded in mystery. We do know that by 4000 BC, it was being enjoyed by the Sumerians.
This creamy treat enjoyed immense popularity throughout history, as evidenced by its continuous presence within and across cultures all over the world. Cheese is an integral part of sumptuous cuisine even today.
How cheese is made
Milk from cows, goats, and sheep is most commonly used in cheese-making. Other animals like buffalo, camel, donkey, and hippopotamus also offer milk for the same. Cooked in large pots, bacteria usually acidifies milk sugars into lactic acid. Salt and rennet from young cows’ stomachs curdle and solidify the cheese.
Makers have alternatives to rennet, too; starters derived from a fungus called Mucor miehei or other species of the Cynara thistle family can be employed instead. Additional ingredients are then added, aging the cheese for different periods before it’s ready for consumption.
Classifications of cheese
Cheese can be classified in several ways. First, there’s aging: long-aged or short-aged? The second is texture: hard, soft, or softer. Third is production: natural or manmade? Fourth is the milk source: cow, sheep, or goat. And fifth is fat content and color.
Man-made food substitutes are also available should you want that instead of cheese. However, they lack the flavor, richness, and unique taste of the real thing – a factor that often makes all the difference in culinary arts. Plus, some substitutes come with added preservatives which could potentially cause more harm than good in the long run.
Different types of cheese include
Cream cheese
Cream cheese is like a dreamy white spread packed with deliciousness. It’s creamy and super yummy on top of bagels, toast, and English muffins. This soft and smooth cheese is perfect for dolloping onto almost anything and makes an amazing topping for pancakes too.
Kids will love how it enhances the flavor of all their favorite dishes. They can also try using it to make awesome dips or even scrumptious desserts – it tastes just as good savory, or sweet! With a taste so unique, cream cheese adds layers of flavor that both adults and kids are sure to appreciate.
Processed cheese
Processed cheese is just like any other cheese – it starts with milk. But there’s more: it has preservatives, emulsifiers, and colorings added to ensure each bite tastes the same. It’s convenient, too – no carving or slicing needed!
Kids love processed cheese because it comes in tasty, playful shapes and colorful packages they can open themselves. It melts easily when put in a sandwich or on top of a casserole, making it easier to prepare family meals while encouraging kids to help out in the kitchen.
Processed cheese is also an excellent source of nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, zinc, and Vitamins A & B12, which help growing kids with healthy bones and teeth.
Blue cheese
Blue cheese is a type of cheese that can be strong, sometimes even stinky. It looks like any other cheese, but when it’s cut open, you’ll see that its texture is crumbly and breakable. This is why it’s so special!
Blue cheese contains a special kind of bacterium, or germ that gives it its blue or green marbled streaks. When this bacteria grows in the cheese, its flavor intensifies over time, giving Blue cheese an intense salty taste that most kids love. So the trick with Blue cheese is to give it even more time to mature and get yummier. It’s like a tasty surprise waiting for you!
Swiss cheese
Swiss cheese is a type of cheese with holes in it. It’s made from cow’s milk and has a strong smell and creamy yellow color. Kids love Swiss cheese – it’s delicious, easy to recognize, and lots of fun for snacking!
The holes are actually created by tiny bubbles of carbon dioxide that are left in the cheese as it ages. These bubbles can’t be seen, but they give the cheese its unique texture and flavor. The name “Swiss” comes from its origin – Switzerland – where this kind of cheese was first invented centuries ago.
It makes an excellent snack on its own or when added to a dish like macaroni and cheese. The flavor is strong, so a little bit goes a long way – perfect for kids who may not enjoy subtle flavors. Plus, if your children are picky eaters, the small holes make for a much more interesting appearance!
Mozzarella Cheese
Mozzarella cheese is a popular choice for pizza, salads, and more. Kids love its smooth, creamy texture and mild flavor. It’s one of the most versatile cheeses around and adds a delicious cheesy goodness to nearly any dish.
Plus, it melts quickly when added to any hot dish – making it ideal for baking, grilling, or topping dishes with melted cheese. Mozzarella also boasts essential nutrients like calcium, magnesium, zinc, and protein – perfect for growing bodies and busy minds. When it comes to kid-friendly cooking, mozzarella is the way to go.
Parmesan cheese
Parmesan cheese is a type of hard, aged cheese. It has a distinctively sharp and nutty flavor that can elevate any dish.
Kids may be familiar with the cheese as it is topped on many Italian dishes, like pizza or lasagna. Parmesan is also popular in salads and sauces and is grated on top of many dishes. A small amount of shredded Parmesan can add immense depth and richness to a dish.
Parmesan’s sharpness comes from the ripening period of over 18 months. During this time, natural bacteria feed on the milk protein. This change in chemical composition produces a complex, intense aroma and flavorsome taste similar to hazelnuts and caramel that become more pronounced over time!
Limburger cheese
Limburger cheese is an acquired taste, but it’s worth trying! It’s a strong-smelling cheese with a pungent aroma and creamy texture. It gets its signature smell because it’s made with bacteria called Brevibacterium linens.
This bacteria breaks down the proteins in the cheese, producing that unique odor. But don’t be fooled by its powerful scent – kids will find Limburger delicious! Wrapped in waxed paper or spread on crackers, this semi-soft cheese has a salty, tangy flavor that’ll make them beg for more!
Brie cheese
Brie is a soft, mild cow’s cheese made from cream that has a slightly buttery and mushroom-like flavor. It has an edible white or yellow rind or coating that grows with age and should be cut away before serving. Brie cheese pairs well with crusty bread, sliced apples, pears, dried fruit, and nuts.
Kids will enjoy the rich, creamy taste of Brie on their favorite crackers. Spread some brie over crackers topped with ham or turkey slices for a great lunch. Other accompaniments like jams and preserves can also add more flavors to your Brie dish. A fun way to eat Brie is with fresh fruits like strawberries and raspberries – they make a delicious addition to the soft cheese!
Gouda cheese
Gouda is a delectable Dutch delicacy that’s been beloved for centuries. It’s made with alpine cows’ milk and has a sweet, nutty flavor that kids can’t resist. A firm cheese, Gouda has a golden, slightly elastic texture and smooth, creamy finish.
Gouda can be enjoyed in its simplest form, in snacks or on sandwiches. Or it can be melted and used as a rich topping for steamed vegetables, macaroni, cheese, or quesadillas – perfect for young taste buds! Try adding crunchy delights like walnuts and apricots for additional complexity.
Cheddar cheese
Cheesy, delicious, and full of flavor, cheddar cheese is a popular favorite. From flavourful sandwiches to epic mac and cheese, its versatility makes it perfect for lots of different dishes.
But where does this savory treat come from? Cheddar cheese originally came from the village of Cheddar in Somerset, England, over 900 years ago. After discovering special cave conditions were able to produce a special kind of cheese, the farmers there became some of the first people to ever make cheddar-style cheese. Today’s cheddar cheese is available all over the world in a range of flavors and sizes!
Edam cheese
Cheese lovers the world over adore Edam cheese. But why? This beloved Dutch cheese has a unique flavor and texture, offering delightful notes of butter and salt for an especially appetizing treat.
To understand why it’s so delicious, you only need to understand its process. The taste of Edam comes from natural ingredients produced in Holland; creams and milk made from cows, sheep, and goats. These are mixed together with extra care before curing and pressing takes place. The result is an irresistible cheese that’s sure to please any palate!
Wensleydale cheese
Wensleydale cheese isn’t your ordinary cheese. It’s a unique, traditional cheese with a crumbly texture and creamy taste that comes from a special part of northern England.
For kids, its origin is especially interesting. It has been made in the Wensleydale area of Yorkshire for centuries, following techniques passed down over generations. Today, it’s still desired all over the world because of its distinctive flavor: the combination of nuttiness, saltiness, and sweet creaminess. Not to mention the iconic blue veins running through it!
Besides tasting good on its own or in a sandwich, many culinary artists love using Wensleydale in their recipes for added zest – pies, salads, and soups are just some of the dishes people are using this delicious cheese on. Whether you’re new to food or an expert cook, try introducing some Wensleydale into your kitchen and see what amazing flavors you can create!
Goat’s milk cheese
Goat’s milk cheese is delicious and has a distinctive taste. It’s made by adding special cultures to goat’s milk, which then helps it to curdle and form lumps that are pressed together. The lumps are then formed into different shapes, such as logs or rounds, before aging in brine.
To make this cheese even tastier, many different flavorings can be added, such as herbs and spices. These ingredients bring out the tangy yet creamy flavor cheese-making them exciting and enjoyable for younger palates. Children who enjoy trying new foods will quickly discover why goat’s milk cheese is so popular!
Emmental cheese
Cheese is a food that has been around for centuries, and it’s no surprise that over time different types of cheese have been invented. Emmental cheese is one such type of cheese that kids would recognize and enjoy.
Emmental cheese is a type of Swiss cheese made with cow’s milk and hailing from the Emme Valley in Switzerland, giving it its name. It has a mild yet distinct flavor, with a distinct wax-yellow color and small regular holes throughout. Its texture is smooth and dense but slightly elastic, making it perfect for slicing or grating over dishes like pasta and pizzas.
Perhaps best of all, this cheese makes a great snack as it melts easily on toast or can be enjoyed inside sandwiches. Kids will love its creamy texture when melted in their favorite recipes!
Camembert cheese
Camembert cheese is an iconic French cheese full of wonder and delight. Made with rich cream and natural cultures, it’s a creamy, soft-ripened marvel. Kids love it because its flavor is mild yet tangy, and while the texture is firm on the outside, it’s wonderfully gooey on the inside.
To enjoy Camembert cheese to its fullest, grab a loaf of crusty French bread and spread it with just the right amount of butter. Cut open the cheese wheel to release its smell – there’s nothing like it! Let kids pull off large chunks of tasty cheese for their sandwiches – that’s about as close to a childhood delicacy as you can get! Serve up some bubbly apple juice for an extra special treat; together, they make the perfect snack.
How is cheese made explanation for kids?
The cheese-making process starts with combining milk proteins, rennet, and salt to form a curd. This is then cut and heated in order to separate the whey from the curd. The cheese is then transferred into molds, where it takes its shape.
The cheesemakers shape the cheese into blocks, wheels, or any other shape they can think of before adding salty water called brine to help it keep longer. Then the cheese is aged for weeks, months, or even years! During this time, natural cultures are added, which develop their distinctive flavor as well as their inviting aroma. Different temperatures and humidities are used too in order to control the maturing process depending on what kind of cheese is desired by producers.
Cheesemakers monitor their creations throughout the aging process until they reach the desired flavors, textures, and aromas achieved by determining how much moisture needs to be in the particular cheese variety. The final stage is packing, where labels are applied, and the finished product is ready for market!
