Cheese: Why It’s One of The Best Dairy Products

A Brief Overview About It

Cheese is a dairy product made from milk that comes in a variety…

…of flavors, textures, and shapes thanks to the coagulation of the milk protein casein.

It is made up of proteins and fat from milk, usually from cows, buffaloes…

…goats, or sheep. The milk is acidified and rennet (or bacterial enzymes…

…with similar activity) is added to cause the milk proteins (casein) to coagulate…

…during the manufacturing process. The solids (curd) are separated…

…from the liquid (whey), and the final product is pressed. Aromatic molds..

…can be found on the rind, outer layer, or throughout some cheeses.

At room temperature, most cheeses melt.

Let’s get started to it!

Origin

Cheese is a centuries-old food with origins that predate written history.

Although there is no conclusive evidence that cheesemaking originated in Europe…

….Central Asia, or the Middle East, the practice had spread throughout Europe…

…prior to the Roman era. By the time the Roman Empire was founded…

…it had evolved into a sophisticated enterprise, according to Pliny the Elder.

Ancient Greece and Rome

Aristaeus is credited with discovering cheese in Greek mythology. The Cyclops…

…is described in Homer’s Odyssey (8th century BCE) as making and storing…

…sheep’s and goat’s milk cheese.

Keep going..

Post-Roman Europe

As Romanized populations encountered newcomers who brought…

…their own cheese-making traditions, flocks, and unrelated words for cheese…

…cheeses in Europe diversified even more, with different regions…

…developing their own distinct traditions and products. As long-distance…

…trade fell out of favor, only travelers would be exposed to new cheeses:

one of Notker’s Life of the Emperor’s constructed anecdotes…

…recounts Charlemagne’s first encounter with a white cheese with an edible rind.

Modern Era

Until its modern spread along with European culture, cheese was nearly unheard…

….of in east Asian cultures and in the pre-Columbian Americas and had only…

…limited use in sub-Mediterranean Africa, mainly being widespread…

…and popular only in Europe the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent…

…and areas influenced by those cultures. But with the spread, first of European…

…imperialism, and later of Euro-American culture and food, cheese has gradually…

…become known and increasingly popular worldwide.

Here’s the main part

Processing of Making Cheese

The 6 Steps of Cheesemaking

Cheesemaking is both an art and a science. Measurements of pH levels…

…and inoculations of specific molds are as important to cheesemakers…

…as their own senses of sight, touch, and smell.

Acidification, coagulation, separating curds and whey, salting, shaping…

…and ripening are the six key steps in cheesemaking. While all cheeses…

…have different recipes, these steps outline the basic process of turning milk…

…into cheese and can be used to make cheese at home.

Preparing Raw Materials

Cheese is made from milk, which comes from cows, sheep, goats, horses…

…camels, water buffalo, and reindeer, among other animals. Most cheesemakers…

…use rennet, lactic acid, or plant extracts to speed up the curdling process…

…such as vegetable rennet made from wild artichokes, fig leaves, safflower, or melon.

Cheeses may contain a variety of ingredients to enhance flavor and color…

…in addition to milk and curdling agents. The famous Penicillium roqueforti…

…used to make France’s Roquefort and England’s Stilton, for example…

….may have acquired its flavor from the specific bacterial molds with…

…which they have been inoculated. Cheeses can also be salted or dyed usually…

…with annatto, an orange pigment derived from tropical tree pulp, or carrot juice.

They can be brine-washed or covered in ashes. Cheesemakers who don’t want to use…

…rennet, can use a variety of strange methods to encourage the bacterial growth…

…required for curdling. Because they are made from unpasteurized milk…

…some cheeses contain this bacteria. Other cheeses, on the other hand…

…are said to be made from milk that has been soaked in dung or old leather…

…while others get their bacteria from being buried in mud.

Processed cheese has an unusual texture and flavor due to the addition of salt…

…milk fat, cream, whey, water, vegetable oil, and other fillers to several types…

…of natural cheese. Preservatives, emulsifiers, gums, gelatin, thickeners…

…and sweeteners are all ingredients in processed cheese. Paprika, pepper, chives…

…onions, cumin, caraway seeds, jalapeo peppers, hazelnuts, raisins, mushrooms…

…sage, and bacon are used to flavor most processed cheeses and some natural cheeses.

Smoked cheese can be used to preserve it and give it a unique flavor.

Although cheese making is a linear process, it involves many factors.

Numerous varieties of cheese exist because ending the simple preparation process…

…at different points can produce different cheeses, as can varying additives…

…or procedures. Cheese making has long been considered a delicate process.

Attempts to duplicate the success of an old cheese factory have been known…

…to fail because conditions at a new factory do not favor…

…the growth of the proper bacteria.

Acidification

Acidification is the first step in the process of making cheese.

A starter culture is added to milk at this stage, which converts lactose (milk sugar)…

…to lactic acid. This lowers the acidity of the milk and starts the process…

….of converting it from a liquid to a solid.

Curds and Whey

Curd and whey are formed as the milk solidifies. The curds are the solid component…

…while the whey is the liquid component. The curds are cut with a knife or a tool…

…that looks like a rake in this step. Cutting the curds encourages them to expel…

…even more whey. The harder the resulting cheese will be, the smaller…

…the curds are cut. Soft cheeses, such as Camembert and Brie, are rarely cut.

Cheddar and Gruyere, for example, are cut into a very fine texture.

The curds are further manipulated for these harder cheeses by cheddaring…

…and/or cooking. The texture of the curd changes when it is cooked…

…becoming tender rather than crumbly. The whey is drained away at the end…

…of the process, leaving the curd alone to mature into cheese.

Keep reading..

Salting

For flavor, salt is added. It also acts as a preservative, preventing the cheese…

…from spoiling during the months or years it is aged, and it aids in the formation…

…of a natural rind on the cheese. Salt can be used in a variety of ways.

As the cheese is being made, salt can be added directly to the curd.

The outside of the wheel of cheese can be salted or rubbed with a damp cloth…

,,,,soaked in brine (heavily salted water). The cheese can also be placed directly…

…in a brine vat, as is the case with mozzarella.

Shaping

Each type of cheese takes on its familiar form as a solid block or wheel at this point.

To make a specific shape, the cheese is placed in a basket or mold. At the same time…

…any remaining liquid is pressed out of the cheese using weights or a machine.

Ripening

This process, known as affinage, ages cheese until it reaches its optimal ripeness.

The temperature and humidity of the cave or room where the cheese ages…

…are closely monitored during this time.

An expert affineur knows how to treat each cheese so that it develops…

…the flavor and texture that the customer wants. Ambient molds in the air…

…impart a distinct flavor to some cheeses. Mold is sprayed on the cheese (Brie)…

…or injected into the cheese in the case of others (blue cheese). Some cheeses…

…need to be turned, others need to be brushed with oil, and still others need…

…to be washed in brine or alcohol. The amount of time a cheese is allowed to ripen…

…is determined by the type of cheese and the desired outcome of the cheesemaker.

A cheese can take anywhere from a few months to several years to mature…

…but once it is, it is ready to be packaged.

Don’t Be Shy To Read Our Articles About Cheese!

Easy Way To Make One-Bowl Microwave Macaroni and Cheese! 

Make this microwave macaroni and cheese when you can’t be bothered…

…to get out a pan. Right now, you’re in desperate need of some cheesy goodness.

There is only one bowl available. Everything is yours. There aren’t going to be any leftovers.

Picture Yourself Cooking With Your Kids, by Beth Sheresh, is where I first learned…

…how to make simple mac & cheese in the microwave. In the book…

….she includes a recipe for a whole batch of mac and cheese…

…that can be made entirely in the microwave using only a few basic ingredients.

This got me thinking so I decided to make a single-serving microwave macaroni…

..and cheese in a bowl. Read this article to try these method on your own now!

Amazing Hard Cheeses For Charcuterie

Hard cheese is cheese that has been aged for a longer period of time…

…and thus contains less moisture. The fact that it is firmer harder defines…

…it as a hard cheese. They’re usually crumbly and dry. Many of them are delicious…

…on their own, but because they have a firmer texture and a sharper flavor…

…they work well grated in pasta, salads, soups, and other dishes.

Many supermarkets have specialty best cheese sections adjacent to the deli…

…which is where you should shop for your cheese board. At some locations…

…you can even sample hard cheeses, and if you’re stumped or overwhelmed…

…a cheesemonger can help you choose a good variety.

Good Recipe With Cheese Only For You!

Grilled Cheese Sandwich Recipe

It should stay together whether you’re nibbling on the edges or dipping it…

…into tomato soup. If it doesn’t make you relax a little more in your chair right away…

…it’s not doing its job. Many of us have been searching for the ideal…

…grilled cheese sandwich. Here’s what we’ve come up with to assist you in your quest.

A grilled cheese sandwich is one of the world’s most perfect foods for a reason.

It’s not only the ideal combination of bread and cheese, crunch and melt…

…but it’s also one of the easiest and most straightforward meals you’ll ever make.

It’s one of the first foods many of us learn to prepare for ourselves…

…and no matter what ingredients we use, it always comes out on top.

Read this article to try these recipe on your own now!

French Baguette Grilled Cheese

This Inverted French Baguette Grilled Cheese with Chunky Tomato Jalapeno Jam…

…will forever change your perspective on grilled cheese sandwiches.

The cheese pairing is perfect, and the crusty bread is the perfect vehicle.

By inverting the bread, it can be toasted on the stove or in a panini press!

Read this article to try these recipe on your own now!

Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

These easy Garlic Bread Grilled Cheese Sandwiches combine two comfort foods…

…for a tasty take on the classic grilled cheese. They’re fantastic dipped in…

…marinara sauce or with a bowl of tomato soup! Here are a few of my favorite foods…

…bread, cheese, garlic, and butter, to name a few. Every mouthful of these…

…delectable sandwiches contains all of them! Garlic butter is slathered….

.,..on bread slices which are then stuffed with mozzarella cheese…

…and fried until golden brown, crispy, melty, and gooey perfection.

Read this article to try these recipe on your own now!