Here's the second part of our series, this time focusing on frequently asked questions about cheese.   Read through and learn more.  If you have any additional questions, feel free to message us through our Contact Us page and we’d gladly reply to you.  

After reading through all of this, why not apply into cooking?  Browse through our recipe pages to get new and delicious recipes.

Is cheese nutritious?
Dairy products in general are a great source of many nutrients, vitamins and minerals that are necessary to help keep us healthy. Therefore, it is felt that they should be part of our daily diet.
The main nutrients found in cheese: calcium, zinc, riboflavin, vitamin B12, and vitamin A.

How many varieties of cheeses exist?
No one knows exactly, but it is estimated that more than 1,000 varieties of natural cheeses and at least the same number of processed cheeses.

Do all cheeses keep for the same amount of time?
No. Hard (firm) cheese last much longer than fresh, soft (or white) cheese.

What is Processed Cheese? Is it real or only an imitation cheese?
Processed Cheese is generally real cheese. It largely consists of a mix of natural cheeses, which have been treated with colour and emulsifiers to stabilize its development, and to produce a flavour and consistent texture. Other ingredients can be added to give it flavour. It is artificial or imitation processed cheese if vegetable fat is added in place of dairy fat.

What is the mould that appears in cheese? Is it dangerous?
With time, mould can form on the surface of the cheese. The majority of these are not harmful, but to be safe it is better to cut at least a centimetre around the mouldy area; then use the rest of the cheese as soon as possible.

Can the formation of mould be prevented?
You can prevent or minimize the problem by keeping the cheese well packed and always in refrigeration. It is important to keep moldy cheeses (blue, brie, etc) separate from cheeses that do not contain mould, as bacteria travels easily in the air.

Which cheeses are good for cooking?
Generally, Gouda, Edam and/or Cheddar are recommended: although obviously some cheeses have a more specialized application for cooking (for example: Parmesan for Italian dishes, Swiss cheese for fondues and Mozzarella for pizzas, etc.)

What is the best way of melting cheese?
First, grate or cut the cheese into small pieces. If adding the cheese to a recipe, cook at a low temperature, if not, it goes hard. If preparing a cheese-based sauce, add the cheese last and heat until melted.

When trying to grate mature Cheddar cheese, it crumbles instead of grates.
When hard or firm cheeses are maturing, its texture becomes more crumbly therefore making it difficult to grate. To make grating easier, put the cheese in the freezer 30 minutes before grating.

Is it true that cheese is fattening?
For whichever food to be fattening, you would have to eat substantial amounts of it. Taken in moderation, cheese is not fattening. In fact, cheese provides many of the vitamins and minerals that your body needs to keep it in shape.

Can cheese be frozen?
Most hard cheeses can be frozen, however, there will be changes in texture. For this reason, thawed cheese is best used crumbled or shredded, in salads or as toppings, or in uncooked dishes.

How long is it safe to keep cheese?
Soft cheeses should be eaten soon after purchasing. As a general rule, the harder the cheese, the longer it will remain fresh.   Cheese will continue to ripen, no matter how carefully it is stored. Hard cheeses will generally keep for several months, whereas softer cheeses will keep from one to three weeks after opening, if stored in an air-tight container. In addition, large pieces of cheese tend to keep longer than shredded cheese.

Can lactose intolerant people eat cheese?
Most of the lactose found in milk is removed with the whey during the cheese making process. As a result, most ripened cheeses, such as Cheddar and Swiss, contain about 95% less lactose than whole milk. Additionally, aged cheeses contain almost no lactose and processed cheeses contain only a slight amount more.

Why do some Swiss cheese have holes?
These holes, also called "eyes", are caused by the expansion of gas produced by the starter bacteria within the cheese during the ripening.

Why does Cheddar Block color when exposed to the light  (either sun light or fluorescence light) change its color?
Cheese contains beta-carotene which causes the yellow colour.  When exposed to light the beta-carotene is oxidised into colourless compounds, which reduces the yellow colour.

What is the age of different flavours of Cheddar Cheese?  How long does it take to make Cheddar.
These are typical age values for cheese at shipment. Tasty Cheddar is 7-12 months old, Mild Cheddar is 2-8 months old,  Vintage is 13-18 months old.  This is the curing time when the cheeses are stored to develop flavor.  The actual manufacture takes a few hours.

What is the age of Parmesan Wheel and Grated Parmesan?  
A parmesan wheel is dried for 30 to 40 days then cured for 12-18 months.  This is then grated and dried to make grated Parmesan, so the Parmesan wheel and grated Parmesan are at least 1 year old.  

Why is our Parmesan Wheel flavour not as strong as European's Parmesan
NZ Parmesan flavour is not as strong as European because unpasteurized milk is often used in Europe, but is also a less consistent manufacturing process.
European cows eat grain. That also contributes to a stronger flavour as opposed to our cows eating grass.