Everything you need to know about fresh cheeses

With their milky notes which offer beautiful sensations of freshness, these immaculate little dairy products see their popularity skyrocket as soon as the temperatures rise. In savory or sweet mode, invite them to the table!

What is fresh cheese?

Fresh cheeses? These are those uniformly white cheeses that have not been matured. Ultra-soft cheeses, as opposed to hard cheeses, which age in cellars. This is the first level of cheese, this coagulated lactic food that is refined for a longer or shorter time to preserve it better. This process – simply curdled or fermented milk – has existed since ancient times. It is also one of the easiest to (re)produce. After slow draining, the coagulated milk can take different shapes: puck, log, truncated cone, ball, etc. Its texture varies in appearance, from smooth and fine to lumpy and thick. Taste-wise, the common point, despite the parameters (type and quality of milk, manufacturing process), is this milky sensation. And a sweetness on the palate that appeals to the whole family, starting with children.

How to use fresh cheese in culinary preparations?

Tender and easily malleable, they are also very playful. It is used to brighten up glasses, to refresh a pasta dish, to bring an impression of lightness, or on the contrary to add a more delicious texture to vegetarian preparations. They can be served hot, cold, in savory, sweet or spicy versions, and their adaptability makes them inexpensive and very popular kitchen companions as summer approaches. The only downside is that they are (necessarily) eaten ultra-fresh, preferably within two or three days. No matter, they have so many attractions that we slip them into all our dishes. The proof in recipes!

The Fontainebleau

This airy foam invented in the 18th century in the town of the same name hides its role well since it is not that light! And this, whatever its school, the original recipe having never been found. Two options remain: that of crème fraîche full of air bubbles (hence this impression of lightness) or that of a mixture of drained fromage blanc and whipped cream. Whether it is one or the other version, this particularly fragile milky delight (to be consumed within two days) is unanimously appreciated, whether accompanied by fresh herbs or red fruits.

The labneh

Its name (labneh, labné or even lebné) is a journey in itself! Typical of Middle Eastern countries, this concentrated fermented milk is similar to thick yogurt. Traditionally prepared with goat's or sheep's milk, it is now available in a cow's milk version, or even in several mixed milks. This companion to Lebanese mezze has a thick texture, almost pasty, but easily spreadable. Easy to make at home – by draining yogurt for a long time – this good dough is often eaten salty, drizzled with olive oil, seasoned with a touch of salt and zaatar, with pita bread or vegetables to dip . For a sweet version, opt for honey!

Ricotta

Ricotta – recooked in French – refers to this Italian fresh cheese with a grainy texture. The whey (sheep, buffalo, goat or cow), recovered after the manufacture of other cheeses, is cooked a second time, then formed into lumps in truncated cone-shaped molds. In its country of origin, only two PDOs exist – ricotta romana and ricotta di bufala campana – but multiple more or less legitimate variants coexist throughout the world, the traditional appellation having never been registered. Its very mild taste invites other ingredients with more pronounced flavors to enhance stuffings or sauces with spinach, sugar, lemon… The good point? It is naturally low in fat.

Cottage cheese

This granular curd is the first grade of cheese: it is whole, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, simply coagulated by contact with an acidic liquid or with rennet, then drained but not pressed. With its delicate taste, its richness in protein and its low fat content, it displays undeniable healthy potential. It is invariably enjoyed sweet or savory and is available, particularly in Anglo-Saxon countries where it is very popular, in numerous flavored variations.

The little Swiss

The original recipe is said to have been developed in the Middle Ages in the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, but it is in Normandy where petit-suisse is mainly made today. Very popular in the 1970s and 1980s, this cheese presented in small corrugated plastic pots and surrounded by a strip of paper remains appreciated, and not just by cherubs. The reason ? This mixture of cow's milk and cream which makes it so creamy, the paper which surrounds it also allows it to keep this characteristic consistency). Whether you like it savory with herbs, sweet with jam, or use it to prevent certain meats from drying out when cooking, it remains very popular.

Fresh goat cheese

It is a simply unripened goat's milk cheese. Whatever its form, its region of origin, its milk (raw or pasteurized) or its method of production (farmer's or industrial), fresh goat's cheese is generally completely white, tender, without rind and still full of moisture (up to 'to 70% of its mass). It retains its fresh and milky side until eight to fifteen days after its manufacture, but its taste becomes stronger after that. Good to know: goat's milk cheese is less fatty than cow's milk cheese and is better digested.

The dish

This is a cheese that bears the same name as the accessory with which it is made. Because Faisselle is also the name of the pierced mold which allows the curds and whey to be separated. Like fromage blanc, Faisselle is made from raw milk. The first is simply drained for longer and cream is often added to make it smoother. However, it is precisely the grainy but tender consistency that we love in the fromage frais. We also like its tangy flavor, ideal for preparing the famous Lyon specialty: brains of canuts. Good to know for those who are lactose intolerant, Faisselle can also be made from goat's or sheep's milk.

The Bush

Its name derived from Provençal simply means curdled milk. It originally allowed goat cheese producers to use the remaining whey; today we find it based on sheep's and cow's whey. The bush is produced from whey (or whey, the dripping liquid that flows after cheese is made) and heated milk, which curdles thanks to the addition of vinegar. Typical of the South-East, this lumpy cheese is offered fresh and without ripening. Versions made exclusively from whey, such as Corsican brocciu or Vésubie bush in Provence, remain very popular with amateurs. As for the Rove bush, benefiting from an AOC since 2018, it owes its particular taste to the herd of Rove goats grazing in the scrubland in the Marseille hinterland.