Q: How to cut cheese and serving?
A: Cutting Tips:
It is best to cut cheese while it is still chilled. This helps keep cut lines clean and makes it easier to handle. A chef's knife works well for most cheeses. However, hard cheeses, such as Parmesan, cut better when brought to room temperature. Score the wax or rind before you begin.
Serving Tips:
Fresh cheese may be served slightly chilled. For other varieties, allow about 30 minutes for the cheese to warm up for the best flavor and aroma. Make sure each cheese has its own knife to keep the flavors distinct. Keep mild cheeses away from strong ones on the serving tray as they may pick up competing aromas and flavors.
Handling Tips:
Keep cheese and everything it touches clean, cold and covered. Because cheese absorbs other flavors, store away from other aromatic foods. Cheese loses flavor and moisture if exposed to air. Store cut cheese in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, from 34-38o F.

Q: How to create a cheese platter?
A: The world of cheese is definitely a big one, but most cheese experts give very good advice, so don’t be afraid to ask. However, if you wind up on your own, the following tips and guidelines will help create a well-rounded platter.

Selecting the cheese
Try to include a variety of textures and flavors. Most cheese belongs to one of four basic categories: aged, soft, firm, or blue. For a good variety, choose at least one from each group. Below are some examples.
Aged: Aged Cheddar, Comte, Goat Gouda
Soft: Constant Bliss, Camembert, Brillat-Savarin
Firm: Manchego, Mimolette, Parmigiano-Reggiano
Blue: Gorgonzola Dolce, Valdeón, Stilton
You can also try selecting cheeses by the type of milk used (cow, goat, sheep). This will definitely ensure a range of different flavors on the plate.
Tip: Always serve cheese at room temperature, as serving it cold mutes the flavor. Remove the cheese from the refrigerator at least an hour before guests arrive.

How much is enough?
For a party in which cheese is the main event, plan on buying 3 pounds for 8 people, 6 pounds for 16, or 9 pounds for 24. If cheese is one of many items being served, plan on buying 3 to 4 ounces per person.
Offer a selection of breads, including sliced baguette, bread sticks, and crackers in all different shapes and sizes. It’s a good idea to vary taste and texture among the breads as well as the cheeses.
Set out a separate knife for each cheese, especially the soft varieties. Soft cheese spreads well with a butter knife; firm cheese might require a paring knife; and aged cheese often requires a cheese plane.

Accompaniments
Accompaniments create a dynamic contrast with rich cheeses.
Jarred condiments and vegetables are quick and fuss-free. Try sweet preserves or honey, tart chutneys, and spicy mustards. You can also add artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and caponata. If you have a bit more time, prepare caramelized onions, which complement most cheese plates.
Various other sweet and salty items can work as well. Try cured meats such as prosciutto and salami, or candied nuts and pistachios. Assorted seasonal and dried fruits can include figs, cherries, apples and pears.

Q: Difference for UHT and Pasteurization milk?
A: Ultra-high temperature processing or (less often) ultra-heat treatment (both abbreviated UHT) is the partial sterilization of food by heating it for a short time, around 1-2 seconds, at a temperature exceeding 135°C (275°F), which is the temperature required to kill spores in milk. The high temperature also reduces the processing time, thereby reducing the spoiling of nutrients.
Pasteurization is the process of killing bacteria in foods by application of heat. Milk, for example, is quickly heated to a near boiling temperature, then quickly cooled again before the taste and other desirable properties are affected (heating milk for 30 minutes at 60°C, kills, for example, tuberculosis bacteria without damaging the milk protein). The process was named after its inventor, French scientist Louis Pasteur.

Nutrition: UHT vs Pasteurized milk
Calories: depending on variety of milk, UHT milk contains the same amount of calories as pasteurized milk.
Calcium: UHT and pasteurized milk contain the same amount of calcium.
Folate: UHT milk contains less folate then pasteurized milk. UHT milk contains 1 mcg of folate per 100g, while pasteurized contains 9 mcg.
Vitamin B12, Vitamin C and Thiamin: Some nutritional loss can occur in UHT milk.

Q: What's the difference between extra virgin olive oil and other varieties of olive oil?
A: Extra virgin olive oil is the result of the first cold pressing of the olives. It has the strongest taste and aroma of olives and an oleic acidity rate of less than 1%. The lower the acidity, the better the quality of the oil. Mild and light olive oils are blends with more subtle flavors.

Q: Should olive oil be refrigerated?
A: Olive oil does not require refrigeration and in fact will become cloudy if refrigerated. Should this occur, bring it to room temperature and the cloudiness will disappear; taste will be unaffected. When stored tightly closed and away from extremes in temperature, olive oil can keep for several years—but is best if used within 18 months.

Q: What are the best/healthiest ways to eat pasta?
A: Pasta is best when served with healthy accompaniments such as vegetables, fish, lean cuts of poultry and meat, tomato sauce, legumes, and olive oil. These ingredients are traditional foods of the Mediterranean Diet, which has been proven to foster long and vibrant life in many Mediterranean countries. Creamy sauces and other ingredients high in saturated fat can significantly detract from the healthfulness of a pasta meal — so it’s important to be mindful of what you’re pairing with your pasta.

Pasta is also an excellent vehicle to get healthy foods into your and your family’s diet. For example, if you have a hard time getting your kids to eat vegetables, pairing them with pasta and other flavorful ingredients will help entice them, as most kids love pasta!

Q: How to choosing the right pasta?
A: Please mind below points:
Appearances: When Shopping for pasta look for a golden-amber color (a sign of good quality wheat) versus whitish, reddish or grayish shades.

Bite: Good pasta should cook “al dente” every time for the best meal experience.

Water color: Pasta made with the highest-quality durum wheat should not release a lot of starch into the cooking water. Make sure the cooking water is clear and not cloudy - an indicator that excess starch is being released, which usually results in sticky, clumpy pasta.

Doesn't break, clump or stick: Pasta made with the highest-quality durum wheat should not break, clump or stick while cooking. Serve immediately to ensure the best meal experience.

Elasticity: Pasta, particularly long cuts, should be springy and lively, not limp, and should always hold its shape.

Q: How to cook pasta?
A: Pasta should be prepared just before serving it. Salt the water. Add the pasta and quickly return the pot to a boil. Do not add oil to the water. Follow the cooking times on the package.
Drain pasta immediately after it is done cooking. Add sauce and serve immediately.