What Cheeses Are Aged
Most experts consider a cheese to be an Aged Cheese if it is cured in a cave or cellar for over 6 months. Aged Cheeses tend to be sharp and hard or firm in texture. Cheeses that lend themselves well to the aging process are Cheddar, Gruyere, Manchego, Gouda and Parmesan-types like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano.
The Perfect Holiday Appetizer For Any Party
Raise your hand if you head straight to the cheese board at every party you attend. Our hand is firmly raised. Weve been known to park ourselves there ALL NIGHT LONG. Snacky and perfect, meat and cheese boards the most irresistible holiday appetizer EVER and pair perfectly with the bubbly that flows oh-so-freely this time of year. Heres how to build the perfect cheese board:
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It Starts Withpremium Milk
We measure milk using our own internal metrics, beginning with a healthy herd. The welfare of our animals comes first, since we depend on them for clean, high quality milk. Tillamook dairy co-op members take a pledge to honor the natural milk production cycles of their animals. That means not using synthetics like rBST and supplying milk with low SCC . You can measure the quality of our cheese against those commitments.
Don’t Store Cheese In The Freezer
It seems like an obvious solution to maintaining cheese would be to throw it in the freezer that makes everything stay fresh longer, right? Well, not everything. Cheese can be frozen, technically, but it just won’t be quite the same if you do, and in that case, is there truly a point in bothering?
“It will change the texture and taste of the cheese,” Jill Allen, Director of Product Excellence at Tillamook and an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional, told Mashed.
However, Allen says it is okay to bake or cook with that cheese after freezing, so throw it in that big casserole of mac and cheese, for sure but it’ll no longer be cheese you want to sit and snack on its own. So, freeze if you want, but manage your expectations about the results you’ll get after you do so. Cheese plates for happy hour may become a no go after the cheese has already been frozen, but a baked brie may be a great backup plan.
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Don’t Store Cheese In The Same Plastic You Purchased It In
It may seem obvious to keep cheese in the same wrapping the cheesemonger originally put it in. If a cheese expert did that, it must be the right way to go, right? Well, once you bring it home, that’s no longer the case, experts say.
Once you’ve opened up the cheese, that original packaging is no longer going to provide the same cheese security, according to Jill Allen, Director of Product Excellence at Tillamook and an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional. “Blocks of cheese are usually vacuum packaged by the manufacturer once that vacuum seal is broken and the cheese is exposed to air, there is an increased risk of mold growth and oxidation,” Allen told Mashed.
So, keep cheese in that original wrapping until you open it up, and then, once you do open the packaging, follow the double-wrapping advice earlier in this story.
Can I Continue To Age Store Bought Cheese
I know that many cheeses are considered to be better when aged. After I’ve purchased a nice block of Parmesan or such, can I continue to age it at home?
Is it practical? Will I get the same result?
Continuing to age a “nice” block of Parmesan is not going to do anything for you. It has already aged for over year and has changed pretty much all it’s going to.
Similarly aging cheap, canned, Parmesan-like product that is aged only a month to cut costs will also not be good because it has too much surface area and will oxidize. It isn’t very good to start with of course.
Where this will work very well is with cheap, young cheese. Buy an inexpensive block of young cheddar that doesn’t have any crazy additives. Cover it and let it sit in the fridge for a month . The bacteria in the cheese will continue to munch on available lactose and turn it into lactic acid. If you ever see mold wipe it off with a paper towel and a little vinegar.
At the end of that time you will have a much sharper and more valuable block of cheese. You’ve traded your time for money which is the trade-off cheese manufacturers always make.
The answer here is yes and no.
Yes, aging cheese at home will often improve its flavor and texture. No, aging at home is not going to turn a block of Joseph Brothers Cheddar into Cheshire or a wedge of Stella “Parmesan” into Reggiano.
You could potentially experiment with covering the cheese in wax yourself, but I don’t have any information on this.
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Create Your Perfect Bite
The nuttier notes in this bold variety pair well with earthy, bitter and mildly sweet flavors. Round out your cheeseboard with cherries, soppressata, dark chocolate or apricot hazelnut crisps. Pair with a chocolate stout or dry cabernet.
Pairs with: Chocolate Stout, Cabernet, Cherries, Soppressata, Dark Chocolate, Apricot Hazelnut Crisps
What Is Makers Reserve
If we havent yet sold you on trying these exceptional cheddar cheeses for yourself, let me tell you a little more about them . For some time now, Tillamook has been maturing a selection of top-notch cheddars, patiently giving each vintage time to develop its own unique profile, and now theyre ready to share those with the world. One of our favorite ways to enjoy them is to do a vertical tastingjust as you would with winemeaning that you taste each vintage side-by-side, so that you can truly notice and enjoy the textural and flavor differences between the vintages.
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Visiting The Tillamook Cheese Factory
- https://www.roadtripsforfamilies.com/visiting-the-tillamook-cheese-factory/
- Wikipedia cites Tillamook Cheese as the 44th largest dairy producer in the United States, with 110 local farmers in the dairy co-operative. In addition to cheese, Tillamook also produces yogurt, ice cream, sour cream, and butter. Open daily from 8AM-8PM, tours of the facility are self guided and free.
What Pairs With Extra Sharp White Cheddar
Our holiday cheese plate stars Tillamooks 2012 & 2016 Makers Reserve aged cheddar!
Bold, velvety, and nutty flavors define the 2012 vintageand we love its white peppery finish. We compliment its flavor with sharp, sweet sliced apples, and love to wash it down with peppery red wine, like a classic Côtes du Rhône. Meanwhile, the 2016 Makers Reserves more classic salty cheddar flavor is rich with a savory fruitiness, and goes well with dried fruitthink figs, prunes, even dried cherriesand a wee dram of whisky.
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Is Tillamook Cheese Factory Closing
The old visitors center will officially close its doors March 6 to make room for a brand new facility set to debut in 2018. Itll feature a new cafe, wood fire pizza , an ice cream counter, a coffee counter, a new retail area, an interactive research and development workplace and a small private event room.
Tillamook County Creamery Association Releases Makers Reserve 2010
Tillamook, OR Tillamook County Creamery Association, the 111-year-old farmer-owned dairy coop, is proud to announce the release of Makers Reserve 2010, the oldest vintage in its aged cheddar program.
Rich, velvety and adecade in the making, Makers Reserve 2010 has been patiently aging. Due tolimited quantities, the last time it was seen on the market was seven yearsago, when it took first place in its category at the U.S. Championship CheeseContest. The first vintage in the Makers Reserve program to reach its 10-yearanniversary, this exceptional cheese is full of the sweetness of strawberriesand the earthy notes of autumns orange-fleshed squashes and chanterellemushrooms. Full of crystals and caramel notes, this award-winning cheddar isbold yet balanced.
Available only in bulk sizes or 40-pound or 10-poundblocks, Tillamook partnered with Nugget Market in Northern California, Marketof Choice in Oregon, and Gelsons in Southern California to do regional,first-to-market releases. This coming July, the Makers Reserve 2010 will beavailable for all retailers, as long as supplies last.
Makers Reserve Vintage is therefore a representation ofour very best 40lb chunks that have been aged over time to capture the uniqueflavors.
More information about Makers Reserve can be found at Tillamook.com/MakersReserve.
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What Happens If Tillamook Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese Block Is Out Of Stock And I Need To Give Specific Instructions
- Find Best Match: By default, your shopper will use their best judgement to pick a replacement for your item.
- Pick Specific Replacement: You can pick a specific alternative for the shopper to purchase if your first choice is out-of-stock.
- Don’t Replace: For items you’d rather not replace, choose “Don’t replace” to get a refund if the item is out of stock.
Tillamook Creamery Specialty Cheese 4 Varieties
Tillamook Creamery Specialty Cheese Assortment is made here close to home using milk from our local dairies. These cheeses are made, hand cut and packed at the Tillamook Creamery.
Morning Star Extra Sharp Cheddar – A very special long-aged cheddar in celebration of 110 years of award winning cheddar.
Trask Mountain Smoked Extra Sharp White Cheddar – Aged for over 15 months and cold smoked over real hickory chips
Smoked Black Pepper White Cheddar – A unique combination of white cheddar, blended with crushed smoked black peppercorns.
Cape Mears Cheddar Cheese – Slightly Sweet And Creamy aged English style cheddar aged for over one year.
The Tillamook creamery is the local producer that as producers, we can all look up to, and admire. They started in our backyard and they are are an important piece of our community both economically and historically. Farmer owned. Est 1909 Oregon.
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Tillamook Is The Official Cheese And Butter Brand For This Season Of Bravo’s Top Chef In Portland
TILLAMOOK, Ore., April 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today, Tillamook County Creamery Association , the 112-year-old farmer-owned dairy co-operative and quintessential Oregon brand, announced it is the Official Cheese and Butter brand for this season of Bravo’s “Top Chef” in Portland, produced by Magical Elves. The fifteen new cheftestants vying for the title of “Top Chef” will have the opportunity to cook with award-winning Tillamook® products all season long.
“The shared passion for food, joy and obsession with being able to turn a simple meal into something extraordinary is why fans love Tillamook and love ‘Top Chef,'” explains TCCA’s VP of Marketing, Sue Kapllani. “We’ve transformed from being known as a local Oregon dairy brand to becoming the fastest growing dairy wall natural cheese brand nationally. It will be a hallmark moment for those that grew up with Tillamook to watch this season’s contestants cook up some extra flavorful dishes using our bold and beloved products.”
From the signature Tillamook Baby Loaf® of bold cheddar to Farmstyle Thick Cut Shreds and Slices, chefs will be able to select from the best cheeses that range from traditional and flavored cheddars to the award-winning Tillamook Maker’s Reserve Aged Cheddars, and more. In addition to Tillamook cheese and butter, cheftestants will also have access to Tillamook yogurt, sour cream and cream cheese spreads.
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Organic Valley Raw Sharp Cheddar
This cheese falls in line with the nutrition of other cheeses on this list, but it stands out because of its “raw” label. It’s important to clarify the difference between raw milk and raw milk cheese. Raw milk has not been pasteurized to kill off the good or bad bacteria, so drinking raw milk is dicey. However, when it comes to making raw cheese, the microorganisms in raw milk are a welcome taste and aroma variable for cheesemakers. In the US, cheese made from raw milk has to be aged for at least 60 days to decrease the risk of pathogens, and cheesemakers are required to follow specific FDA food safety protocols and conduct testing throughout the production process. Those who are immunocompromised in any way should probably skip the raw cheese options like this one.
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Store Cheese In The Coldest Part Of Your Fridge
It might seem like once cheese is safely refrigerated, it’s in good hands. However, while it’s true that cheese should be refrigerated, how and where it’s stored in that fridge makes a big difference.
Ultimately, the rule of thumb cheese experts go by is to store cheese in the coldest part of the refrigerator. This should be “between 35 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit and away from the freezer,” Jill Allen, Director of Product Excellence at Tillamook and an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional, told Mashed.
Cheese or crisper drawers also work well, as those drawers are made to have stable cold temperatures, according to Portland Food and Drink. And not only do you want to keep your cheese cold, you’ll also want to be sure not to dry it out, so you can enjoy it longer. To sum it up, you want your cheese to have consistent temperature and humidity to keep it from spoiling faster or getting dull.
Product Development Spotlight: Tasting Good Doing Right
Product development is essential to the brand strategy of Tillamook County Creamery Association, Tillamook, Ore., says Sue Kapllani, vice president, marketing. The cooperative strives to create irrational devotion to its brand through innovation and consumer insights.
Our innovation strategy begins with understanding and obsessing the role that Tillamook plays in consumers lives, she remarks. We look to deepen our connection with consumers by developing new flavors, line extensions, packaging solutions or brand experiences.
According to Patrick Criteser, president and CEO, Tillamook looks into potential product expansion in terms of where it can add value.
And where we think we can add something, we get into motion on efforts and try to put something in the marketplace that will give people a new exciting option, he says.
The product development at Tillamook starts with the category management team, says Kapllani. The team looks at gaps in the companys portfolio and the marketplace, food trends and the competitive landscape to determine what new offerings to pursue.
Consumer insights also are crucial, Criteser explains. The cooperative performs quantitative and qualitative research on consumers behavior, expectations and needs, and also larger societal trends.
Any products that make it through prototyping move into the scaling and commercialization phase, Kapllani says.
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Is It Okay To Serve Room Temperature Cheese
Yes! In fact, your cheese will have a lot more flavor if you set it out for 30 minutes before serving it to your guests. This means that not only are cheese platters a crowd-pleasing appetizer, theyre also ideal for making ahead! We often prep our cheese plate a few hours before our guests come. Then, well set it in the fridge and pull it out sometime in the hour before guests arrive to warm to room temperature. Pro tip: make sure you set the platter well out of pet-and-kid reach. We speak from experience.
Patiently Aged: John Valls And Beautiful Cheese For Tillamook Creamery
Oregon-based photographer John Valls is known for his extensive portfolio of food photography. Having worked with many restaurants, wineries, farms, and artisan producers, John has worked in various areas of the industry over the years. In his latest work for Tillamook Creamery, he takes on aged cheese.
Johns images for Tillamook straddle the line between commercial and editorial, creating natural but elegant cheese pairing vignettes for their new line of Makers Reserve Aged cheddar cheeses.
Tillamook Creamery, established in 1909, has been a farmer-owned cooperative since its inception. Their long history in cheesemaking means theyve had time to perfect their recipes and with aging, time and patience are key. The makers reserve cheddar is aged over three years, and each year, they release a new vintage of what theyre calling patiently aged white cheddar.
John first worked with Tillamook to create some hero images to release the line of Makers Reserve cheddar cheeses and later shot flavor pairings for each cheese that would be used to promote the products on the website and in a brochure for the product line.
The photos of the cheesemaker in the denim apron were part of the launch concept. The flavor pairing shots were later created to help promote the different vintages.
Being able to share our captures while were on live feed with our client is every bit as good as being together in person.
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