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APRIL
1998
What
Put California Cuisine On the Map
Food service professionals
know that the most exciting dishes start with the
highest quality ingredients. That's why California
with its agricultural abundance, has set the style
for creative cuisine. And nothing complements the
richness and diversity of this cooking more than Real
California Cheese.
Only 100 percent natural California-made cheese produced
in a clean, controlled environment, with high-quality
California milk and with no preservatives added, qualifies
for this special mark.
This agricultural and
cheesemaking tradition goes back more than 200 years,
beginning with the chain of Spanish Missions that
still exist along the California coastline. The foundation
for the state's commercial cheese industry was established
by nineteenth century settlers, who re-created the
cheese of their homeland. California had its pioneers
too. Monterey Jack, the delicious, creamy variety
that is today one of the country's most popular cheeses,
is named after David Jacks who began marketing it
commercially in 1882. Teleme, another noted cheese
variety, is also a California original.
California is now the
nation's leading dairy state, producing more milk
that any other. Much of this production goes to the
more than 50 cheesemakers throughout the state, who
combine advanced technology with modern quality standards
to produce more than 70 varieties of cheese from cows
milk. There is Real California Cheese for every taste
and every foodservice application, as evidenced by
the overwhelming national and International recognition
it receives.
Compliments of California
Milk Advisory Board
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California
Ranch Omelet with Mild Cheddar
Some of the most popular
cheese varieties, including Cheddar, Mozzarella and
Monterey Jack are included in this category. These
cheeses contain less moisture than soft and soft-ripened
types, and hold their shape better. They Include a
broad range of textures, from semi-firm to very firm.
Cheddar, Typically orange in color, can be mild
to medium sharp, and even comes in a white variety.
Colby and Longhorn are names, which describe different
styles of Cheddar.
Fresh
Tomato Pizza with Mozzarella
Semi-hard and hard cheeses
from California include Italian styles like Mozzarella,
Provolone and Fontina, along with other popular favorite
like string cheese, Edam and some types of Swiss.
Specialty cheeses in this category feature Middle
Eastern types such as Feta, String and Ackawi. There
is also a range of Hispanic-style cheeses, including
Cotija, Manchego, Enchilado, Menonita and Queso Blanco.
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Maffaletta
Sandwich with Monterey Jack
Monterey Jack is generally
semi firm and creamy, though there is also and aged,
firmer Dry Jack. Recently, California cheesmakers
have begun producing low and reduced fat cheese for
those concerned with reducing the calories from fat
in their diet. Reduced fat or low fat Monterey Jack
and Cheddar are typical of this trend. The wide range
of cheeses offers unparalleled flexibility in foodservice.
They can be served as part of appetizer plates and
salads, offered as dessert course, and make great
sandwiches either alone or combined with meats and
vegetables. Most melt well and can be used as ingredients
in omelets, quiches and other specialties. They can
also be grated or chopped and used to top pastas,
Mexican specialties and other dishes.
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Cobb
Salad with Jalapeno Jack and
Black Bean Soup with Grated Cotija
Also called Grating Cheeses,
these very hard cheeses have low moisture
Content and can be stored for longer periods of time.
Parmesan, Romano and Asiago are popular cheeses are
also very dry and crumbly. Dry Monterey Jack a California
original, is aged for 7 months or more and has a unique,
mellow nutty flavor. Spiced and flavored cheeses are
a growing specialty of California cheesemakers. Cheddar
and Jack are used most often, but here are also flavored
Feta, Brie and other types. Natural flavorings may
include pesto, garlic Jalpeno pepper, onion, black
pepper, sun-dried tomatoes and others. These make
great appetizers, and can be used in recipes to add
special flavor signature dishes.
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Fresh
Fruit with Ricotta and
Baked Brie with Almonds
 
Fresh cheeses are young
cheeses which have not been allowed to age, or Ripen.
Available in a wide range of styles, they retain much
of the flavor of fresh milk and must be stored refrigerated.
Ricotta and Mascarpone are two popular fresh cheeses
used widely in foodservice. There are also fresh forms
of Mozzarella (Water Mozzarella )and String Cheese,
along with Hispanic-Style fresh cheese like Panela,
Queso Fresco, Queso Blanco,Requerson and some forms
of Asadero. Fresh cheeses are delicious in salads
and desserts, or combined with vegetables, potatoes,
pasta or polenta.
Soft-ripened cheeses
are allowed to mature, or ripen, inside a fluffy white
rind. Popular examples are Brie and Camenbert, which
are mild when young, but develop a fuller, creamer
flavor when aged. Soft cheeses are similar to the
Soft-ripened, but without the rind. Teleme is very
popular California soft cheese with a tangy flavor.
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 Classic
Lemon Shortbread
1 cup (2 sticks) butter,
softened
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon lemon extract rind
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal
¼ teaspoon salt
Lemon Glaze (recipe follows)
Colored sugar, cinnamon candies,
Multi-colored sprinkles, etc.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat butter until fluffy in a large bowl; beat in
sugar, egg, lemon extract and lemon rind. Combine
flour, cornmeal and salt. Gradually add flour mixture
to butter ingredients. Shape dough into logs about
2 inches in diameter; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate
until firm, about 2-3 hours.
Cut dough into ¼ inch
slices. Bake on greased cookie sheets until cookies
begin to brown at the edges, about 10 minutes. Cool
on wire rack. Frost cookies with Lemon Glaze or colored
Decorating Frosting; let stand until frosting is dry.
Place colored frostings in pastry bags fitted with
small plain or decorative tips; pipe holiday decorations
on cookies, sprinkle with colored sugar or other candy
decorations, if desired. Makes about 4 dozen.
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Cooking
Tips
Real California Cheese
makes a delicious and versatile ingredient for a variety
of foodservice recipes. Here are a few tips for working
with cheese:
· Small pieces assist even blending. Shred, grate
or cut cheese into small pieces before cooking
- When cooking, use
low to medium temperatures for a short time, just
enough to melt the cheese and blend with other ingredients.
High heat and long cooking times can make cheese
stringy and tough.
- To use as a topping,
add cheese at the end of the baking or broiling,
and heat just long enough to melt.
- Weight is the best
method to measure cheese for recipes. 1 pound of
natural cheese equals 4 cups of shredded cheese.
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Handling
and Storage
Natural Cheese is a living
food, produced by introducing favorable bacteria or
other microbes to fresh milk. It can change in flavor
and texture over its useful life, so special handling
is necessary to preserve flavor and appearance.
- Always refrigerate
cheese immediately on arrival, to preserve freshness.
- Fresh unripened cheeses
should be stored could and tightly covered.
- Soft and soft-ripened
cheeses can be stored in warmer places in the refrigerator,
in the original wrappers, or food storage containers.
Higher humidity encourages the growth of white rind,
and blue cheese mold. Keep these types separate
from other cheese.
- Hare and semi-hard
cheeses are best stored in a cooler part of the
refrigerator than soft cheeses Keep in the original
wrappers, or use food storage containers.
- Very hard cheeses
keep best when the outer surface is fairly dry,
and they can breathe. Store in a cold but not too
humid part of the refrigerator in original packaging
or food storage containers.
- Freezing is not the
best method of storing cheese, but may be acceptable
for hard and very hard cheeses.
- Mold which develops
on natural aged cheese is harmless. Cut away the
affected parts, and use remaining cheese as soon
as possible.
Compliments of California
Milk Advisory Board
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