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Braided cheese is a highly elastic dairy product made by weaving strips of cheese together. It is produced in various countries and can be used in a variety of dishes or eaten plain. The cheese is made through a process called “spinning” and is typically salted and cured. It should be stored in the refrigerator and any leftovers should be re-wrapped to reduce the risk of contamination.
Braided cheese is a dairy product made up of strips of highly elastic cheese that are wrapped together to create a braid. Armenia, Italy, Syria, and many Latin American nations produce varieties of woven cheese. Many markets carry woven cheeses, especially those that carry an assortment of boutique cheeses. The cheese can be used in a variety of dishes or eaten plain.
Italian Mozzarella, Syrian Akawi, and Latin American Asadero are all examples of braided cheese. These cheeses can also be made in a non-braided form, but braiding is a neat way to package and store these cheeses. All of these cheeses are made through a process called “spinning”, which makes the cheese smooth and highly elastic. String cheeses are also extremely thin when separated, like classic string cheese.
To produce braided cheeses, fresh milk is pasteurized to eliminate the risk of bacterial infection. The milk is mixed with citric acid and rennet to aid in the formation of curds, which are cooked and then strained through cheesecloth to separate the whey and liquid. The curds form a roughly solid mass in the cheesecloth and are cut into strips before being gently reheated to make them soft and slightly sticky. Then, the strips are pulled like taffy to create a shiny, highly elastic cheese, which forms into tight braids.
Typically, the woven cheese is salted in salt water to cure. The woven cheese can also be smoked or blended with other flavorings for a distinctive taste. The resulting cheese is usually best when eaten very fresh, when it has a creamy, nutty, complex flavor. Cheese braid can be gently spaced to pull out strips of cheese, or it can be used in large pieces of pastry and other dishes. The unusual shape also makes it a popular inclusion in appetizer platters.
A braided cheese rope can be quite long or very small, in a custom size. Many manufacturers whip their braided cheeses out of brine for sale, so they’re lightly dry and salty. Others sell moist woven cheese in brine, and the cheese needs to be rinsed before use to help extract some of the salty flavor.
As a general rule, woven cheese has a creamy white color and a neutral to milky odor. The cheese should be firm when pressed and should not have any soft spots or areas of discoloration. Store the braided cheese in the refrigerator until used, and re-wrap any leftovers in fresh plastic to reduce the risk of contamination.
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