Reg wrote:

> Provolone vs cheddar is as an excellent example. Provolone is
> a "pasta filata" cheese that's made by melting and stretching cheese
> curds, then aging it. Technique here.
>
> Cheddar is made by cutting the cheese curds a specific way, then
> stacking and flipping them at timed intervals. This technique
> for modifying the texture, moisture content, and pH is called
> "cheddaring". So here we have type of cheese that's actually named
> after a specific cheesemaking technique. It's a testament to how
> important technique is to the whole process.

> You have to add in the "pasta filata" melting and stretching technique
> (same as is used in making provolone) before you begin to have a
> complete recipe. You often can't tell what a cheese is just by the
> ingredient list.


Thanks. I worked in a wine and cheese shop for 2 years but had never
run across the term "pasta filata" before. I googled and liked this
article:

http://www.cheesereporter.com/Nevill...lle.may.31.htm


This one describes the different cheeses with different textures made
with the method:

http://www.recipezaar.com/library/getentry.zsp?id=914


Here are pictures of the cheeses:

http://www.murrayscheese.com/searchp...volone&x=0&y=0


When I think of provolone now, I think of Provolone Buonatavola because
that was a favorite when I was working in the shop. It's a hard cheese,
gratable, not stretchy. I started using it on pasta instead of parmesan.


That Murray's page is a good one to look around because the cheeses are
categorized by type, country of origin, milk type, pasteurization,
rennet. There are other ways to categorize, but that's a good
introduction to how one cheese can be categorized different ways and how
there can be many differences between cheeses.


--Lia