The Basic Process

All cheese begins with milk—from cows, goats, sheep, or even buffalo. The fundamental steps are:

1. Milk Selection and Treatment - Raw (unpasteurized) milk: Used for many traditional cheeses, contains natural bacteria - Pasteurized milk: Heated to eliminate potentially harmful bacteria - Thermized milk: Gently heated, a middle ground between raw and pasteurized

2. Acidification - Adding starter cultures (beneficial bacteria) that convert lactose to lactic acid - This process affects flavor, texture, and safety

3. Coagulation - Adding rennet (see below for detailed explanation) to form curds - Temperature and timing are crucial

4. Processing the Curds - Cutting: Smaller pieces for harder cheeses, larger for softer ones - Heating: For certain cheese types - Draining: Removing whey (liquid)

5. Pressing and Shaping - Some cheeses are pressed to remove more moisture - Others drain naturally in molds

6. Salting - Dry salting, brining, or adding salt to curds - Affects flavor and preservation

7. Aging (Affinage) - From days to years - Controlled temperature and humidity - Regular turning, washing, or brushing