But let’s talk about the star of the whole operation, the Tastee Cheese product line. Tastee Cheese Products There are pleasant bitters such as bitter beer or tonic water, but excessive bitterness in food can be unpleasant. 5. Acid As the simple flavours start to subside, they give way to more complex flavours, which are registered through the nose and tongue.

Next, during your pre-taste assessment, try to answer and record the following details as you inspect the cheese: If you regularly eat good cheese you will be well aware that eating cheese straight out of the fridge is a bad idea, it can be dull & flavourless, dry & crumbly or have a rubbery texture. So, you need to make sure that you to bring cheese to the correct temperature before you start tasting. 2. Have a clean palate. After opening, Jamaican Cheese can last up to 8 weeks if it is stored correctly. This means keeping it in the refrigerator and covering it properly.The cheese fair is also where we met Mr Wedge, the official mascot for Tastee Cheese, for the first time. What Is Jamaican Cheese Made Of? It sounds obvious, but there is little sense in starting to taste if you then have to break off to find a knife, or something to take notes with. So, make sure that you have your tasting toolkit to hand. This should include: Tangy, acidic: citrus-like, makes the sides of your mouth salivate (some fresh goat cheese is like this) The fast release sources of energy are popular with just about all living things from animals tobacteria. 2. Savoury (sometimes called Umami) Dairy Industries Jamaica Ltd has been manufacturing dairy products since 1964. They started producing cheese in February of 1968 through their brand Tastee Cheese. Tastee Cheese is not only a favourite in Jamaica but carries its distinct savoury flavour throughout the Caribbean and the world.

Dairy Industries Jamaica Limited owns the brand Tastee Cheese. However, the company is governed by a partnership that began in 1996 between GraceKennedy & Company Limited and Fonterra, also known as New Zealand Co-operative Group Limited. While we eat Tastee Cheese every day in Jamaica. There is still a season where we indulge a little more than usual. This is during the Easter period. One of our favourite parts of Easter is that we get to eat bun and cheese in copious amounts without odd stares and feelings of guilt because we know everyone is doing exactly the same thing. What complex flavours can you taste? As the taste evolves in your mouth, try to record and of the more complex flavours that start to emerge (eg mineral, fruit flavours etc) giving each a score out of 10Which of the simple flavours are present? Try to give each of the simple flavours a score from one to ten (ten being the most prominent)

What other aromas are present? Make a note of any aromas coming from the cheese – Our flavour wheel and flavour tree will help you identify them Although Easter is when Jamaicans have the most cheese. There is a second cheese season celebrated the entire month of September. Yes, September is cheese month. Since 2009 the concept began in Jamaica and spread to Florida and New York. There is a strong tradition with Jamaicans of having spiced buns with Tastee Cheese at Easter which spikes consumption around Easter locally and in the diaspora.

If you are familiar with the Academy of Cheeses Make-post-make (MPM) model, we recommend recording this in your conclusion also. Repeat and re-record We know that the temptation to snaffle a delicious piece of cheese as soon as it’s cut is hard to resist. But, you will get much more from the cheese tasting process if you set yourself up for it correctly before you start. Here’s how: 1. Bring the cheese to room temperature. Mastering the art of tasting cheese in a structured way, will not only give you a deeper appreciation of the cheese but also the ability to confidently describe it using a professional vocabulary. In this chapter we explain the four key stages you should go through in the tasting process from the preparation stage through pre-taste assessments to the actual tasting and drawing your conclusions. Stage 1: Before you start Classic Tastee Cheese is also an essential half of a classic Jamaican Easter food pairing. “Bun and cheese” features Tastee Cheese inside a Jamaican spiced bun, a Caribbean twist on the British hot cross bun. In the mid-1600s, colonists brought the tradition of eating crossed buns (to symbolize Jesus’ crucifixion) on Good Friday to Jamaica. Locals made a few tweaks to the recipe, including shaping it into a loaf, swapping out honey for molasses, and adding dried fruit. A slice of Tastee cheese in the middle now completes the holiday treat. Wine-y, fermented: the cheese might have actually been soaked in wine (like Drunken Goat) or it might just have an acidic bite to it

We are the only company in Jamaica and the Caribbean that manufactures a processed cheese in a can that is uniquely made for the Jamaican and Caribbean palate. Whether tasting table salt or sodium chloride, we are generally receptive to these flavours. This is not surprising since salt is a critical element for the functioning of the body’s muscles and nervous system. 4. Bitter

Fonterra being one of the companies overseeing the operations of Dairy Industries, the cheese used to make Tastee Cheese is brought from New Zealand. It contains Milk, Salt, Bacterial Culture, Enzyme, Water, Butter, Sodium Phosphates, Salt, Citric Acid, Preservatives and Annatto which is used for colouring. And, if you ever need a trustworthy, friendly and knowledgeablelocal guide, consider booking a private tour with us! Our mouth evolved millennia ago to provide a fast response to our brain on whether we should or should not eat the food in front of us. Through our mouth we sense 5 flavours, when we were hunter/gathers these flavours enabled us to make instant decisions on whether we should continue eating in the high risk natural environment in which we were living.Although life has evolved a bit and food is very different, the instant response remains. In terms of tasting cheese, we call these mouth flavours the Simple Flavours: 1. Sweet Has the cheese got any outer coating (or rind)? If so, you’re tasting notes should indicate if wether it is dry or natural, whether is it has a white mould or a washed rind.