Soft cheeses are gifts from the cheese gods. This blog entry is the second installment in my Intro to Cheese Primer. There's much to cover, so let's begin with fresh cheese vs. soft-ripened cheese. Is there a difference? Yes!
Mascarpone, cream cheese, and ricotta are fresh cheeses. They are curds that aren't pressed or aged and contain at least 33% fat and 55% or less moisture. Mascarpone and ricotta are different in their additives. Cheesemakers add an acid to make mascarpone and leftover whey to make ricotta. Fresh cheese examples include quark, Fromage blanc, farmers, burrata, and fresh mozzarella.
Cheesemakers spray mold (Penicillium candidum, camemberti, or glaucum varieties) on soft-ripened cheeses. This mold forms a white bloomy rind. The ripening process stops once the first cut is made into its fresh bloomy rind. What does this mean? The cheese will not continue to soften to that mature phase we love. Examples of bloomy rind or soft-ripened cheeses are Brie de Meaux, Camembert, Mt. Tam, and Humboldt Fog.
Cheese storage musts:
- When storing your newly bought cheeses, keep Bries and Blues separate from others cheeses.
- Try not to let your other cheeses touch any Bries or blues since mold transfer can occur to your non-Bries and non-Blues, causing them to turn moldy the wrong way!
- To prevent mold transfer, cut Bries and Blues last, or spray your counter and cheese utensils with distilled vinegar.
- The food-safe vinegar will kill the mold.
Pasteurized vs. Non-pasteurized:
Does pasteurized brie exist? Yes! The States makes the only pasteurized raw milk brie available. Since the FDA won't approve raw milk after a specific time of maturity, purchase a ticket to France. The French love their cheese, and it's the only way you will ever get authentic Camembert.
Disclaimer:
Pregnant women are at significant risk of a harmful pregnancy if they ingest Penicillium or raw milk cheeses. I'm not a doctor, but I don't advise eating them since Listeria is a possibility that can spring up at any moment. I would listen to your doctor first to prevent any injury.