Cheese

dairy · food science · cooking

Made from milk. Cheese starts with milk from cows, goats, sheep, or even water buffalo. Enzymes called rennet are added to make the milk proteins clump together into curds.

Curds and whey. The curds (solid parts) are separated from the whey (liquid parts) and pressed together to create cheese. This same process inspired the nursery rhyme about Miss Muffet!

Endless varieties. By changing the milk type, aging time, and techniques, cheesemakers create thousands of different cheeses with unique flavors and textures, from soft mozzarella to hard cheddar.

Moldy masterpieces. Some fancy cheeses like blue cheese and brie have special molds growing on them that give them their distinctive taste and appearance, it's delicious, not dangerous!