{really bad iPhone pic – oh, beloved camera, where did you go?}

But I’m not bitter ;-)

Last week I invited a few of my groovy local friends over to drink wine and taste the difference between “natural” and “processed” cheeses. Sargento generously supplied two kinds of cheese – their sliced sharp cheddar and another brand (which shall remain anonymous) of processed American, plus some dried fruit and crackers. I supplied some extras – after all, you can never have enough cheese! I also made a quick balsamic reduction and put out some fresh cherries. One of my favorite cheese-tray-tricks is to soak dried cherries in balsamic vinegar; it plumps up the cherries and served on a cracker with blue or brie it’s fantastic. The fresh cherries didn’t pack quite enough punch as the dried, but they were still a nice addition.

Sargento wanted us to taste-test their natural cheese to see how it compares, both in taste and texture, to processed sliced cheeses. Here are a few facts we learned throughout the process:

Natural Cheese…
- Is never made with processed ingredients.
Contains only natural ingredients: milk,
cheese cultures, enzymes and salt.
- Is naturally aged to perfection.
- Is tested by professional cheese graders to
ensure the highest quality cheese
- Is cut directly and simply from real block
cheese and packaged immediately for
your enjoyment. It is never melted while
it’s being made (although it tastes great
melted on lasagna, pizza, enchiladas and
many other dishes).
- Needs to be refrigerated.
- A 21 gram slice of Sargento Cheddar has
130 Milligrams of Sodium.
- IS REAL CHEESE (what a concept!)

Processed cheese…
Is made from added emulsifiers, such as
Calcium Phosphate, Sodium Citrate, and
Sodium Phosphate. It also typically has
preservatives such as Sorbic Acid.
- Is typically heated to about 180 degrees
and cooked with direct steam which
strips out delicate flavors
- Some processed cheeses sit on a store
shelf for months without refrigeration
before being sold
- Often is pumped into plastic packaging
and run over a series of rollers to form a
slice
- Is cooked into a liquid before being
formed into a slice
- A 19 gram slice of Processed Cheese
typically has 250 Milligrams of Sodium
- Is MADE FROM cheese (and other ingredients)

I was already turned off just from reading that. ugh…who wants all that processed junk in their food? I’m going to stop myself from going on a tangent, but seriously – how is that possibly appealing? When did we stop eating “real” food?

Okay, moving on…

Sargento also gave us some suggestions for how to taste the cheeses, which surprisingly is similar to how you’d taste wine:
How to Taste Cheese
1. Look at the cheeses. Natural cheeses, like cheddar, come in many different
colors, but in general an understated and non-glossy appearance. Processed
cheeses, however, have a luster or shine to them, even after their plastic is
removed. What do you see as you observe these cheeses?
2. Touch the cheese and feel its texture. Bend the cheeses. Natural cheese
texture can vary by cheese variety, but will normally break in an authentic
fashion when you do this. Processed cheese is characterized by a smooth,
rubbery and artificially pliable texture, and often can bend and fold without
breaking (again – remember to remove its individual plastic wrapping before
you feel it!). It can sometimes even feel “mushy.” What do you feel when you
touch the different cheeses?
3. Smell the cheeses like you’d smell a glass of wine. Natural cheeses’ aroma will
vary by cheese type, and the range of smells span adjectives like earthy, nutty,
and fruity. Processed cheese is usually lacking in a strong aroma, but can have
cooked milk notes due to its heating process. What aromas do you pick up
when you smell the cheeses?
4. Taste the cheese. Natural cheeses have an incredible array of flavors – from
savory to fruity to spicy and sharp. The dominant characteristic in processed
cheese is often described as salty. Take note of the characteristics of the
cheese, the intensity of the flavor, the saltiness, sharpness or fruitiness of the
cheese. How does it finish? Does the taste linger?

Everyone at our gathering overwhelmingly preferred the natural cheese by Sargento. The difference in texture between the natural and processed cheese was incredible; the processed cheese was waxy and went limp when you held it, while the natural held firm and sort of crumbled naturally. Same with the flavor – it was simply no contest.

But if actions truly do speak louder than words, then check out these pics of my friend Connie. Here she is trying the processed cheese:

And then the Sargento natural cheese:

I wasn’t one to buy processed cheese before, and our cheese tasting assured me that I’ve been making the right choice all along. This was a really fun night and a great way to get together with friends. Why not try it and see the difference for yourself?

Cheers,