Cheese is a diverse dairy product made from curdled milk. Rennet is added to milk to separate the curds from the whey, which are then drained and pressed to create different types of cheese. The flavor and texture of cheese depend on various factors, including the animal’s diet, pasteurization, and maturation time. Cheese can be protected by appellations of origin, and some are considered handcrafted products due to the complexity of the molds used.
Cheese is one of the most diverse and fascinating dairy products. In its simplest form, it is the curdled milk of sheep, goats, cows or other mammals. The cheese can be found in a wide variety of incarnations, from the soft curds of peasant cheese to the much harder Parmesan, which also includes a hard rind obtained from long aging. It is used in an amazing range of culinary applications, with various types being requested based on the desired effect.
To make cheese, rennet, an enzyme complex produced in the stomach of all mammals, is introduced into the milk. Most rennet comes from the stomachs of calves, although rennet from other young mammals is also used. Non-animal sources of rennet are available for vegetarians and those observing kosher diets. Rennet is the active enzyme in rennet, and when introduced into milk, causes it to separate into solid curds, leaving the whey behind.
After the curds have formed, they are drained and pressed to separate them from the whey. Loosely packaged curds, also called ricotta, are consumed throughout much of the world. Cottage cheese contains a small amount of whey, because it is not fully drained. Little Miss Muffet was known to have consumed this type before she was spooked by a spider, probably because her delicate flavor attracts children.
Usually, the curd is drained and pressed repeatedly to squeeze out all the water. As they begin to firm up, the curds turn into fresh or farmer’s cheese, which is a soft, easy-to-spread product with a mild flavor. This type is delicious eaten fresh. Chevres, Neufchatel and Cas are all examples of fresh cheeses. Fresh varieties spoil quickly, even when refrigerated, unless heavily stored.
After being dry pressed, the curds are packaged in a mold and weighed. This is where the cheese magic begins, because depending on the diet of the animals used to make the milk, fat content of the milk, pasteurization, environmental molds and bacteria, and maturation time, dramatically different products can be produced. Molded cheese can be salted, as is the case with feta, or treated in other ways to achieve the desired flavor. Flavors can also be introduced by smoking, steeping in wine or other liquid, or adding herbs and spices to the curds.
The longer a cheese ages, the more flavor it will develop. Most are highly acidic and therefore will kill any harmful bacteria, while leaving behind flavor imparting molds. Some molds are only found in very specific regions, or even in a few caves, meaning that a huge range of cheeses can be produced around the world.
The possibilities for this dairy product are literally endless. In some cases, governments have protected their origin cheeses by applying for appellations of origin, meaning that only specific items can have a regional name. The cheese must be aged in the Cambalou caves in France and contain Penicililum roqueforti to carry the name Roquefort, for example.
Cheese molds are often extraordinarily complex, and efforts to type them all have so far been unsuccessful. A single cheese can contain many types of molds, and those from different parts of the same cave sometimes have different mold populations. Therefore, many are considered handcrafted products, because they need to be matured in a particular location and cured in a certain way to achieve the desired result. Some gastronomes have suggested that they are simply the result of carefully controlled decay, presenting infamous, smelly, colorful cheeses as evidence.
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