What is the flavor quality that makes cheese "sharp"? Are there other seasonings or foods with this "sharp flavor?
I love the flavor of sharp cheese (especially cheddar) and was wondering what exactly it is that makes aged cheese taste sharper. I was also wondering if there are any ingredients that emulate this sharp flavor.
Best Answer
The term/process you are looking for is acidity or acidification. During the cheese making process lactose is broken down into lactic acid. This lowers the pH and creates the tart, sour, or acidic taste you are referring to. Higher acid cheeses (lower pH) present as "sharper", an old cheddar, for example. Ever have a salt and vinegar potato chip? I get a similar flavor perception (minus the lactic, cheese flavors of course). So, other acidic ingredients (vinegar, lemon) can easily get you in the same flavor perception ball park.
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What makes cheese taste sharp?
Cheddar Cheese Sharpness Aging is the only difference between mild and sharp Cheddars. The longer cheese is aged naturally, the sharper and more pronounced the Cheddar flavor becomes. Mild Cheddar cheese is generally aged for 2 to 3 months, whereas an extra sharp might be aged for as long as a year.What determines the flavor of cheese?
Ripening affects flavour and texture Freshly made cheese usually tastes salty and quite bland, as it is the ageing or ripening period that helps develop flavour. As cheese ages, microbes and enzymes break down the casein proteins, changing the texture and intensifying the flavour of the cheese.Why is Sharp cheese so good?
It goes from smooth and creamy to crumbly with salt-like crystals called calcium lactate. Second, the taste gets stronger (or, to borrow a word, sharper). The longer the cheese ages, the more pronounced these effects are.How to Make Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
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Answer 2
Perhaps you are referring to the umami flavor.
Per cooks illustrated:
There’s more than one reason that classic combinations like a burger and cheddar cheese or the Parmesan cheese and anchovies in a Caesar salad taste so good: Not only do such ingredients simply go well together but it turns out that they contain complementary umami boosters that magnify flavor by as much as thirtyfold. More and more food scientists are concluding that when ingredients rich in naturally occurring glutamates are paired with ingredients that contain either one of the nucleotides inosinate or guanylate, the perception of umami, or savoriness, is dramatically
Rich In Glutamates
(MG/100 G)
- Parmesan cheese 1,200-1,600
- Fish Sauce 950-1,383
- Soy sauce 800-1,300
- Tomato paste 680
- Cured ham 337
- Anchovies/sardines 280
- Beef 107
- Cheddar cheese 78
- Worcestershire sauce 34
Rich In Nucleotides
(MG/100 G)
- Anchovies/sardines 193 (inosinate)
- Dried shiitake mushrooms 150 (guanylate)
- Pork 122 (inosinate)
- Beef 107 (inosinate)
- Dried porcini mushrooms 10 (guanylate)
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Andy Kuzma, ROMAN ODINTSOV, Katerina Holmes, Andy Kuzma