Cheese Suggestions

Our Master Cheese Maker, Rejean Galipeau, spends a lot of time making sure Balderson cheeses arrive in your kitchen at the peak of quality. Here are some of his suggestions for keeping them that way, plus some other helpful facts about cheese.

• Once you've brought the cheese home, leave it in its original packaging and tightly cover it in plastic wrap. This reduces air circulation, which in turn reduces the possibility of mold. Store in the coldest part of your refrigerator - not on the door.
• You can freeze hard cheese like cheddar, but let it thaw out in the refrigerator for 24 hours before use. Rapid thawing causes a breakdown between the moisture and oils in the cheese. It's best just to buy what you need for each week or two.
• Cheddars are served best a room temperature. This draws out the oils which deliver the flavour. Always keep cheddar covered because it dries out quickly.
• Cheddars are basically white in colour. Orange cheddars have a natural colouring, similar to a ground carrot seed, added to them.
• If you want to know the fat content of cheeses, check the label for a percentage, followed by the letters M.F. (milk fat). With cheddars, the milk fat content is usually 31% M.F. Low Fat natural cheddars are usually 20% M.F.

Like quality meats, Cheddars come in various grade levels. Canada Grade No. l Cheddars like Balderson must have a uniform texture, closed body (no pinholes or cracks), clean aroma and a nice waxy (not wet or oily) exterior finish.

How Much Is A Cup?

1 oz (28g) ungrated = 1/3 cup (75ml) grated
2 oz (56g) ungrated = 3/4 cup (175ml) grated
8 ox (250g) ungrated = 2 1/2 cups (625ml) grated


Rejean's personal tip: Cheese is often served at the end of a meal because it has a tendency to neutralize stomach acids which aids digestion.

Cheddar cheese is not only unique in flavour and texture - it's amazingly versatile. Cheddar can be grated, shredded, crumbled, melted, sliced, cubed, broiled, baked, deep fried, whipped, blended, made into a sauce.well, the list is a long as your favourite cook book.

In fact, cheddar is one of the few foods that works equally well as part of breakfast, snack, lunch, brunch or dinner. And you can find cheddar in every course: from a soup and appetizer, through main course to dessert.

Old and Extra Old Cheddars are the best choices for soups. They both add flavour and enrich the consistency and texture of the soup. Tip: Finely grate cheddars and add slowly to any hot broth. Stir constantly.

Tip: High heats cause the cheese to separate making for an uneven sauce. Use our three-year-old cheddar and get more flavour with less cheese.

Cheddar Cheese is a nutritious and excellent source of calcium, amino acids, and vitamins C, D and E.

Mild and Medium Cheddars are easily cut and cubed. Old and Extra Old Cheddars are best for shredding and grating. Premium Aged Cheddars, two years up to six years, are best crumbled or served in shavings. Tip: Invest in a Cheese Plane. Its the best tool for slicing or shaving cheddars.