Brick cheese
Brick cheese is a cheese originating in Wisconsin, United States,[1] made in brick-shaped form due to (originally) using actual bricks to form the shape.[2] The color ranges from pale yellow to white with an orange rind. When unaged, this cheese has a sweet, mild flavor and is suitable for melting; after aging it has a stronger smell and a more nutty taste.[3]
Origins
Brick cheese was originally produced in Wisconsin beginning in 1877.[4] The cheese-making process was derived from white American Cheddar that is cultured at a slightly higher temperature, which results in a marginally higher fat content and a slightly altered protein structure. The resultant "brick cheese" has a slightly softer texture.
Culturing
Brevibacterium linens grows on the surface of brick cheese, making it surface-ripened. Brevibacterium linens is also the bacterium responsible for the aging of Limburger cheese and many French cheese varieties. Cheesemakers often refer to the growth of the bacteria as a smear and this process is known as smear-ripening.[3] This is reflected in the Brevibacterium's species name linens which is Latin for 'besmearing'.
The cheese is placed on wooden shelves, then gets washed with a whey and water mixture and turned. It can stay in cold storage up to five months, and is considered ready for consumption after two weeks have passed.[3]
Regulations
The US Code of Federal Regulations defines what the fat and moisture content of brick cheese must be. This
Applications
Brick cheese is the traditional cheese for Detroit-style pizza.[6][7]
See also
References
- ^ Wisconsin Cheese Makers' Association (1912). Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers' Association: Report. Democrat Printing Company, State Printer. p. xix. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
- ^ "Brick Cheese | Wisconsin Cheese".
- ^ a b c "What Is Brick Cheese?". The Spruce Eats.
- ^ "Story of Brick Cheese | Widmer's Cheese Cellar | (888) 878-1107".
- ^ "CFR - Code of Federal Regulations Title 21". www.accessdata.fda.gov.
- ^ Houck, Brenna (April 9, 2019). "Detroit-Style Pizza Is Having a Moment. But Are Its Originators Getting Left Behind?". Eater. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
- ^ López-Alt, J. Kenji (February 28, 2017). "Detroit-Style Pizza Is the Best Thing You're Gonna Make This Year | The Food Lab". Serious Eats. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.