Sargento on left. Processed on right.
What kind of cheese do you use at home? Do you use real cheese such as Sargento or processed cheeses? I was recently asked by the Motherhood to have a cheese tasting party where my guests could try both Sargento cheddar cheese and a processed cheese to decide which they like better. I had a blast prepping for the party. One of my favorite things to do is entertain. I didn’t want them to just have a few slices of cheese to eat so I made baked brie, a fruit plate with dip, tortilla chips with salsa, crackers with fresh bread and hummus and maraschino cherry cake pops.
Everyone that came actually said that they buy real cheeses for most things. Although we were all pretty surprised about the differences in processed and real cheese. Sargento 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.
Processed Cheese …- Is made with 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).
You can see from the picture that the Sargento cheese went well while the processed cheese just sat there. We each had our obligatory slice of processed but we all sat there and munched on the Sargento cheese all evening. We had a great time talking and munching on things. We even had some wine. 🙂 I plan to share the recipe for the maraschino cherry cake pops very soon. I need to take some pictures to add in the post, which means making a third batch. Oh darn! 🙂
How to Taste Cheese:
1. 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?
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I was compensated by The Motherhood on behalf of Sargento in exchange for posting my review and opinion. All opinions are my own.
Oh I love that you cut your cheese into shapes. So fun. And ummm we had the same reaction. In fact, I have a huge pile of processed American cheese food product sitting in my fridge now that will probably never be eaten. Go fig!