When choosing fontina cheese, examine its appearance for uniform color and no mold, feel for even ripeness, smell for a delicate odor, and taste for the desired flavor.
When selecting a fontina cheese, a customer should pay attention to all the qualities of the cheese. The cheese should be visually examined to ensure that the color is uniform and that there is no mold. Handling the cheese can help determine if it’s ripened evenly. If possible, the cheese should also be smelled and tasted before being purchased as the quality of fontina is based primarily on its flavour.
A buyer should check the appearance of the cheese before purchasing. Fontina cheese is usually light yellow or cream in color in the center, with a more pronounced yellow tint towards the rind, which is usually a medium shade of orange-brown. There shouldn’t be any blue or green spots on the cheese, which would indicate that it has mold. Small holes in the cheese can be ignored as they commonly form when air bubbles become trapped in the fermenting cheese.
Texture is another important consideration when choosing a fontina cheese. In its softest form, fontina should give when mashed but shouldn’t be so soft that it falls apart. In its firmest form, fontina will be stiff to the touch, though it’s usually not as firm as a dry jack or Parmesan. The texture should be similar throughout the cheese, with no soft or hard spots.
The smell of cheese should also be taken into account when choosing a cheese. In general, young fontina cheese, which is still soft, has a delicate odor but shouldn’t be too pungent. Older cheese can have a pronounced odor. Fontina cheese will ripen if left at room temperature, causing the intensity of the odor to increase.
Finally, the most important factor in selecting fontina cheese is the flavor of the cheese. Whenever possible, cheese should be sampled before purchase, a common practice in cheese boutiques and even some modern grocery stores. The younger cheese is light and creamy, but the aged fontina has a drier and more complex taste. By tasting the cheese first, the customer is able to ensure that he is buying a cheese that he will appreciate. A person should choose a fontina cheese that will have the type of flavor that will best complement its intended use.
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