Making cheese has never been an easily regulated, scientific process. Quality cheese is often the sign of an experienced, and perhaps a very lucky cheese maker determined to make flavorful cheese. Although following analytical tests of cheese characteristics may produce a good cheese, traditional cheese making has always been an endeavor of luck.

It can be difficult to create standards for cheese because each kind has a unique range of characteristics, and a cheese that does not meet the requirement will not taste good and will be inferior. For example, cheddar cheese is low in moisture and pH content, while a good soft blue cheese is the total opposite.

Regulations exist in order to assure the consumer that the cheese he will purchase is authentic. France, one of the pioneers in making natural cheeses, started granting certain regions monopolies on the production of certain kinds of cheeses. And because cheese is made for human consumption, extreme care is taken to make sure that the raw materials are of the highest quality, all the more if the cheese is intended for export it must meet particularly stringent quality control standards.

The Appellation of Controlled Origin or appellation d’origine controlee is a label that indicates that an agricultural product is from a specific region, maintaining a certain set of standards local to that region. Typically, food from a certain region must also be produced in a particular way to qualify for the appellation label there are national inspectors who will make sure that the food producers comply with the standards and maintain quality.

However, not all products in the market have the appellation of controlled origin label. Qualifying for such title implies that the government is confident that the product is made with the best raw materials and production standards possible. This label has been established so that consumers can be sure that the products that they buy are not cheap counterfeits or knockoff versions.

Wines and cheeses are usually the items labeled with an appellation of controlled origin, and one particular type of cheese that has this distinct mark is the Gruyere Cheese. It is a creamy, pale cheese that has small holes and with a slight granular taste. Unlike most Swiss cheeses, the holes found on Gruyere cheese are about the size of a pea and are widely immersed within the cheese. Its taste is also different from other Swiss cheeses, but is not strong or overpowering. That means that the Gruyere cheese makes a very good ingredient for quiches, soups, salads, and pastas. You can have it sliced or grated, depending on your desired effect.

Next time you feel like throwing a cheese and wine party, look for the kind of cheese that passes production and state standards. You would not want to serve your guests run of the mill cheese, right?. Check for the appellation of controlled origin seal. Order Gruyere cheese today!

Read more articles on Gruyere Cheese.

Did you know that regular cheddar cheese is more dangerous to our health than beef and butter? Yes, I am talking about the exact same cheese that we happily put on our sandwiches and salads every day. The same cheese puts us at great risk for heart attack. And no, this is not a joke.

According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), cheese is giving Americans heart attack each day. And according to the same research, most of the fat that Americans get is from the cheese in their food.

One type of cheese that is getting the attention of the health conscious is goat cheese. Goat cheese is known for its tangy flavor, but what most people do not know is that it is much healthier than the regular cheddar cheese.

Try the Cappello del Mago cheese fast.

One type of goat cheese is the Capello del Mago cheese. It is made by the Giancula family in a small town in Peidmont, Italy. Every piece of the Capello del Mago is considered as a work of art. A bit crumby and creamy, this cheese is so full of flavor. Plus, it tastes perfectly in the mouth with the right balance of flavor and acidity.

The Cappello del Mago cheese is shaped like a drum and is sold in per-pound wheel. Its natural mold rind has a lot of healthy yellow mold in it. The Cappello del Mago cheese is neatly wrapped in straw and brown paper, sealed nicely by wax. Because it is considered as one of the best goat cheeses, the Cappello del Mago cheese received awards in Valsesina and Piedmont in 2008.

The Cappello del Mago cheese is a great alternative to regular cheese because it has low calorie and fat content. Goat cheese only has 80g of fat and 6g of calories per ounce, while regular cheddar cheese has 100g of calories and 10g of fat per ounce. From that alone, you can tell that the Cappello del Mago cheese is the healthier choice.

Aside from having less fat and calorie content, the Cappello del Mago cheese is also a good alternative for people who are lactose intolerant. Since fat molecules in goat cheese are much shorter, they are more digestible and lighter to the stomach. But even when the Cappello del Mago cheese is low in fat and calories, it is still very high in calcium and other minerals.

With lower fat, lower calories, and high calcium, doesn’t that make the Cappello del Mago cheese a much healthier choice? What do you think?

Read more about the Cappello del Mago cheese.