Free For Cheddar or Worse by Avery Aames Page A

across the property, if you didn’t see it on your way in.” Sheflapped a hand in that direction. “Next, we pour the milk into the vat, we pasteurize it, and then add starter culture to begin the process. We allow the milk to ripen, which means the lactose, a form of sugar, begins turning to lactic acid. When the curds and whey are separated, most of the lactic acid is washed away, which is why most cheese, except fresh cheeses, have little or no lactose and are okay for those who are lactose intolerant. Pretty cool, right? Okay, moving on . . .”
    I knew the next few steps. I imagined many of us did. They are similar among most cheese makers. Rennet is added to coagulate the milk. Once the cheese is of a tofu-like consistency, the cheese maker cuts the curd. Depending on how hard the cheese needs to be dictates how large or small the curd. For example, a soft cheese like Brie, packaged in a six- to eight-ounce box, may be one curd while the curds for a firm cheese like Parmesan will be the size of rice. Then the curds are stirred and left in the whey. Soon after, the whey is drained out, and the curds can be formed into rectangles on either side of the vat. At Emerald Pastures, the rectangles are then
cheddared
, a process that requires the rectangles to be cut into slabs, after which they are stacked, rotated, and stacked again. Next, the slabs are milled into long thin tubes, what some called
fingers
, to increase the surface area so the cheese can be salted. Salt impedes any further action by the starter culture.
    â€œIn general,” Erin said, “three to four ounces of rennet are added to approximately one thousand pounds of milk. When diluting the rennet—”
    â€œExcuse me,” Lara cut in. “Where do you get your water? Is it pure?”
    â€œAbsolutely,” Erin said. “We draw it from a spring on the property. Any impurities that cause the pH to be less than seven—”
    â€œHas the spring been tested for impurities?” Lara asked.
    â€œYes. There’s absolutely no chlorine, either.”
    â€œWhich starter culture do you use?” Ryan said.
    â€œO-culture,” Erin replied. “The optimum growth temperature is typically twenty to thirty degrees centigrade.”
    Shayna said, “Do you ever add a yogurt culture?”
    Lara threw her a scathing look. “Really, Shayna? How naïve are you? A yogurt culture when mixed with the O-culture is best for Camembert or Feta.”
    â€œAmericans don’t make Camembert,” Victor said. “That’s an AOC designation.”
    â€œWrong.” I held up a finger. “The name
Camembert
is not protected. Americans do make Camembert, using pasteurized milk. So do the Italians.”
    Victor frowned. “Yes, but true Camembert—”
    Kandice clapped her hands. “Let’s keep on point, folks. The process that we’re studying is cheddaring. Moving on.”
    We touched on the art of
affinage
. Kandice and Erin deferred to Jordan, since he was the expert. Victor, an obvious
anti
when it came to
affinage
—aging a cheese longer than the time the cheese maker had chosen to age it was a point of contention to him—took Jordan on.
    â€œIf Cheddar is ripened carelessly,” Victor stated, “it can turn sulfuric and rotten-eggy.”
    â€œNothing will spoil on my watch,” Jordan said. “At Pace Hill Farm, we pay attention to what each cheese maker wants. We understand that our clients have a sweet spot.”
Sweet spot
refers to the age where cheese makers think their cheese is perfect; they would prefer to have it consumed at that age. “
Affinage
is about more than letting a few wheels sit until some mystical timer goes off. It is about a series of repetitive procedures: washing, flipping, and brushing—”
    â€œExcept you aren’t in charge any longer, are you?” Victor taunted. “Haven’t you ceded the