Frequently Asked Questions

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1. Why is artisan cheese so expensive?
Most cheese is made with the same basic ingredients – milk, bacterial culture, rennet and salt – so how come some artisan cheese sells for $80/kilogram...or more. Well, it’s not because the cheesemaker is getting rich (artisan cheesemaking is a labour of love). It's because behind every wedge of artisan cheese is a significant investment of time, talent, labour and money. Here’s are some facts: 
  • It takes a lot of milk to make a little cheese. In fact, depending on the type of milk and the season, it can take 10 kilograms of milk to make one kilogram of cheese.
  • Artisan cheese requires quality milk sourced from local producers. In the case of a farmstead cheese, that milk is produced right on the farm where the cheese is made. Factory-made cheese, on the other hand, is often made with modified milk ingredients (milk products which have an altered chemical state from that which is naturally found in milk). Modified milk ingredients are cheaper to use than real milk, but they don't always have the same nutritional value or taste as the real thing.
  • Making artisan cheese is time-consuming and labour intensive. According to Paul Kindstedt, author of American Farmstead Cheese: The Complete Guide to Making and Selling Aritsan Cheese, there are eight basic steps to making cheese: 1) setting the milk 2) cutting the curd 3) cooking the curd 4) draining the whey 5) knitting the curds 6) pressing the curds 7) salting the curds, and 8) special applications. Each of these eight steps can involve several smaller steps. In a factory setting, many of the steps are mechanized, but in artisan cheesemaking, most are done by hand.
  • Many artisan cheeses are aged, some for several years. During that time, the cheese has to be stored in a temperature and humidity controlled environment. It also has to be cared for. In some cases, that means turning, washing and/or brushing the cheese on a regular basis. This extended aging period means a continued investment of time, labour and money.
  • Artisan cheesemaking is a real skill – one that balances both science and art. To ensure consistency and quality, a good artisan cheesemaker needs to understand variations in milk composition by animal type and breed, seasonal variations in milk composition, the role and impact of different starter cultures, the impact of changing pH levels...and a whole lot more.
  • Cheesemaking requires a significant investment. Milk, equipment (pasteurizer, storage tanks, vats and other specialized technology), temperature and humidity controlled storage, labour, electricity, insurance and distribution network. Ka-ching. It all adds up. And then there is “shrinkage” – cheese that ends up in the garbage bin because it doesn’t turn out.

As with most things in life, when it comes to cheese you get what you pay for. Sure, you can buy shrink-wrapped, factory-made cheddar that will fill the hole for $20 a kilogram. But if you want something that tantalizes the taste buds, you are probably going to have to dig a little deeper into your pocket and splurge for a wedge of delicious artisan cheese.
2. What is raw milk cheese?
Raw milk cheese is cheese made from milk that has not been heated above 40 degrees Celsius, the body temperature of animals.
3. Isn’t cheese made from raw milk illegal?
No. Federal government regulations allow for the production and sale of raw-milk cheeses that have been aged at least 60 days. In 2008, the Quebec government introduced stringent new rules that allow for the production of raw milk cheese aged less than 60 days.
4. Is cheese made from raw milk safe to eat?
Yes, if it has been produced and handled properly. Eating cheese made from raw milk is much safer than drinking raw milk. This is because cheese has various substances that develop and/or are introduced during the cheesemaking process – acids, salts, bacteria, moulds, etc. – that have a preservative effect; they banish pathogens (aka bad bacteria) and promote the “bennies” (aka beneficial bacteria). That said, Health Canada maintains that pregnant women, children, older adults and people with a weakened immune system should avoid eating raw milk cheese, especially soft and semi-soft cheeses (e.g., Brie, Camembert and blue-veined cheeses) – even though there is a growing body of literature to suggest that raw milk cheeses that have been properly produced and handled pose no more threat than other cheeses, especially if they have been aged for at least 60 days.
5. Does raw milk cheese taste better?
Most cheese connoisseurs would argue yes. Pasteurization kills off microflora that contributes to the flavour and aroma profile of a cheese. Raw milk cheeses often tend to have more fruity, grassy and barnyardy flavours, which are the result of “bennies” (aka beneficial bacteria). 
6. What is the difference between cheeses made from cow, goat and sheep’s milk?
The are a number of differences. In a nutshell:
     
  • Cow’s milk has roughly equal amounts of protein, lactose and butterfat. The cheese curds made from cow’s milk are strong and easy to handle and allow for the production of large pressed cheeses suitable for long aging. The cheeses made from the unpasteurized milk of grazing cows often express complex, layered flavours.
  • Goat’s milk contains a similar amount of fat, lactose and protein as cow’s milk. However, goat’s milk has more acidity and a more delicate curd structure, making it suitable for fresh and quick-ripening cheeses. Goat  cheeses tend to be quite white and, if made from raw milk, tend to have a pronounced aroma and peppery pungency.
  • Sheep’s milk has twice the fat content and protein as cow’s milk cheese. Like goat’s  milk, sheep’s milk cheese is aromatic, often with notes of wool or lamb’s fat. Properly aged sheep’s milk cheeses tend toward sweet, caramelized flavours.
7. What is an organic cheese?
An organic cheese is a cheese that, by weight, is made from 95% organic materials. In other words, it is made from organic milk. This means the milk used to make the cheese must meet the standards for organic production. The animals that produce the milk must be treated humanely, fed organically produced feed, and not be subjected to any growth hormones or non-therapeutic medicine.  The milk
supplier must also use sustainable soil fertility practices.
8. Does organic cheese taste better?
Making organic cheeses is a positive step, but it’s no guarantee of a better tasting cheese. That said, content and happy animals produce better quality milk. So given that one of the key requirements of
organic production is the humane treatment of animals, one would expect that the animals used in organic milk production will be happier and more content. 
9. What is a washed rind cheese?
These are cheeses that have been washed in brine – in some cases brine with added alcohol or juice. The process discourages mould, but allows sticky, orange surface colonies of bennies (aka beneficial bacteria) to flourish. Washed rind cheeses often have a pungent aroma, but a mild flavour on the palate.
10. What is a bloomy rind cheese?
These are cheeses that have been treated with penicillium candidum, the classic white bloomy mould. The mould creates a somewhat sturdy – but edible – protective rind within which the cheese softens and gains flavour. An example of a bloomy rind cheese would be Brie.
11. Is it safe to eat mouldy cheese?
It depends on the mould. There are “happy” moulds and “not-so-happy” moulds. In fact, some moulds are intentional -- they are added during the cheesemaking process to add flavour or help protect the cheese. For example, penicillium candidum is added to the curd or sprayed onto the outside of “bloomy rind” cheeses to help create a sturdy – but edible – rind within which the cheese softens and gains flavour. Similarly, penicillium roqueforti is added to cheese curd to make blue cheeses. Moulds also form on cheeses unintentionally. These are referred to as opportunistic moulds. If the mould is white, it is generally fine to eat – although you may want to trim it off, depending on your preference. If, however, the mould is red, pink, orange or black, you are probably best to throw it out.
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A cheese may disappoint. It may be dull, it may be naive, it may be over sophisticated.  Yet it remains, cheese, milk’s leap toward immortality.

Clifton Fadiman,
American writer and editor
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