Andy Montoya
Oka cheese, a semi-soft washed-rind cheese, was first manufactured by Trappist monks in Oka, Quebec, Canada, in 1893. It is named after the town and is now industrially produced by a commercial company. Oka cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and has a nutty, fruity aroma with a mild, buttery, and creamy flavor. It is said to melt very well and can be used in fondues.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Melting | Melts very well |
| Texture | Semi-soft, semi-firm, tensile, smooth, creamy, supple |
| Taste | Intense, nutty, fruity, buttery, mild, slightly foul |
| Smell | Mild, pungent, fruity, nutty |
| Rind | Washed, orange, coppery |
| Colour | Pale yellow |
| Type of Milk | Pasteurized, raw |
| Fat Content | 28% |
| Protein Content | 22% |
| Place of Origin | Village of Oka, Quebec, Canada |
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What You'll Learn
- Oka cheese is versatile and can be used in sandwiches, au gratin, or in fondue
- Oka cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and is semi-firm
- Oka cheese is a Canadian cheese with a unique history
- Oka cheese has a nutty, fruity aroma and a mild, smooth, and pleasant texture
- Oka cheese is named after the town of Oka in Quebec, Canada
Oka cheese is versatile and can be used in sandwiches, au gratin, or in fondue
Oka cheese is a semi-soft or semi-firm, washed-rind cheese with a distinct flavour and aroma. It is named after the town of Oka, Quebec, Canada, where it was first made by Trappist monks in 1893. The cheese is derived from an altered recipe of French Port Salut cheese, which the monks brought to Quebec from France.
Oka cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and has a fat content of 28% and a protein content of 22%. It is classified as a semi-firm cheese and has a pale yellow paste with a coppery-orange rind. The rind becomes more coppery in colour the longer the cheese is aged. The cheese is usually ripened for at least one month, although the "classic" version is ripened for two months.
Oka cheese is now industrially produced by the Canadian dairy cooperative Agropur, which purchased the rights to the cheese from the monks in 1996. Agropur offers six types of Oka cheese: creme, raclette, light, mushroom, classique, and l'artisan. The cheese is widely available in grocery stores and can be a good addition to a cheese board or a fondue party.
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Oka cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and is semi-firm
Oka cheese is a semi-firm, washed-rind cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk. It is a Canadian cheese, originating in the village of Oka, in the province of Quebec. The cheese was first made in 1893 by Trappist monks in the monastery of Oka, and it is named after the village. The recipe was derived from French Port Salut cheese, brought to Quebec by the monks from France. The monks sold the rights to Oka cheese to Agropur, a commercial company, in 1981 or 1996, and it is now industrially produced.
Oka cheese has a distinct flavour and aroma. It is described as nutty, fruity, buttery, and slightly mouldy, with a hint of ammonia. The texture is tensile and chewy, and the colour is pale yellow with an orange rind. The rind becomes more coppery as the cheese is aged. The cheese is said to melt very well, making it suitable for use in fondue, and it is also used in sandwiches, au gratin on potatoes, in raclette, and grilled cheese sandwiches.
The process of making Oka cheese involves pressing the cheese and then washing it with brine to encourage the ripening of the rind. The cheese is typically ripened for at least one month, although the "classic" version is ripened for two months. There are several variations of Oka cheese offered by Agropur, including creme, raclette, light, mushroom, classique, and l'artisan.
Oka cheese is a unique and versatile cheese that has become a Canadian classic. It is well-distributed and available in most grocery stores. The cheese has an interesting history, and its production has evolved from being made by monks in a monastery to being industrially produced by a commercial company. Despite the changes in production, Oka cheese has retained its distinct characteristics and remains a popular choice for cheese lovers.
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Oka cheese is a Canadian cheese with a unique history
The history of Oka cheese began in the 1890s when Brother Alphonse Juin arrived at the Notre-Dame du Lac Monastery in Oka with a recipe for Port-du-Salut cheese, a soft cheese from Entrammes in the Pays de la Loire region of France. Brother Juin "tweaked and adjusted" the recipe, and Oka cheese was born. Within a few years, the monastery became affiliated with the Université de Montréal and created an agricultural school, becoming well-known for its cheese. In 1893, Oka cheese was exhibited at the Montreal Exhibition, where it won first place.
Oka cheese is made from pasteurized cow's milk and is aged on South Carolinian Cypress planks, which naturally control the humidity and impart a unique flavour. The cheese has a creamy, slightly rubbery texture and a pungent aroma with a soft, creamy, nutty, and fruity flavour. It is known for its orange rind, which is hand-washed during the production process to encourage ripening. The "classic" version of Oka cheese is ripened for two months, while the regular version is ripened for four weeks.
In the 1980s, the production of Oka cheese was taken over by Agropur, a Canadian-owned dairy cooperative. However, it is said that the original recipe is still being produced by one monk on the prairies. Today, Oka cheese is widely available in grocery stores and has become a beloved part of Canadian cuisine, known for its unique history and flavour.
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Oka cheese has a nutty, fruity aroma and a mild, smooth, and pleasant texture
Oka cheese is a semi-soft, semi-firm, washed-rind cheese with a nutty, fruity aroma and a mild, smooth, and pleasant texture. It is made from raw or pasteurized cow's milk and is named after the town of Oka, Quebec, Canada, where it was originally manufactured by Trappist monks. The cheese has a pale yellow paste and an orange rind, which becomes more coppery as the cheese ages.
Oka cheese has a complex and delicious flavour that is intense but not overly raunchy. It has a hint of mould, especially if you include the rind, and a faint hint of ammonia. The texture is tensile and chewy, making it a good choice for sandwiches. It is also versatile and can be used in a variety of dishes such as sandwiches, au gratin on potatoes, in a raclette, or in a grilled cheese sandwich.
The history of Oka cheese dates back to 1893 when Brother Alphonse Juin brought the recipe for Port-du-Salut cheese from France to the Abbey of Notre-Dame du Lac in Oka, Quebec. He tweaked and adjusted the recipe, resulting in the unique and award-winning Oka cheese. The rights to produce Oka were sold to the Agropur cooperative in 1981, and it is now industrially produced.
Oka cheese is a good choice for a cheese board, especially the Oka L'Artisan variety, and it pairs well with French Burgundy made from Pinot Noir or Zinfandel. It can also be used in fondue as it melts very well. When serving Oka cheese, it is recommended to pair it with nuts and fruits such as walnuts, cashews, figs, grapes, or apples.
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Oka cheese is named after the town of Oka in Quebec, Canada
Oka cheese is named after the town of Oka, located in Quebec, Canada. The cheese was first made in 1892 or 1893 in a small monastery in Oka, by Trappist monks who had arrived in Quebec from France. The monks were from the Cistercian Abbey of Notre-Dame du Lac, also known as the Abbaye Notre-Dame-du-Lac. They had fled France due to increasingly harsh anticlerical laws.
The monks' recipe for Oka cheese was derived from an altered version of the French Port Salut cheese, which they had brought with them from France. The cheese is classified as semi-soft or semi-firm, and is known for its distinctive orange rind and pungent aroma. It has a complex, nutty, and fruity flavour, with a smooth and pleasant texture.
Oka cheese is made from pasteurized or unpasteurized cow's milk and is washed periodically with a weak brine solution. It is then aged on Cypress wood slats for between 28 days and three months. The cheese is produced in the French Trappist style, known as "Port-du-Salut", which is famous in its own right.
While Oka cheese is no longer made by the monks, the rights to the cheese were sold to the Canadian-owned dairy cooperative Agropur in 1996, and it is now industrially produced. Agropur offers several types of Oka cheese, including crème, raclette, light, mushroom, classique, and l'artisan. The cheese is still manufactured in Oka, but it is also made in the town of Holland in Manitoba, Canada.
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Frequently asked questions
Oka cheese melts very well and can be used in fondue. It can also be melted in a saucepan or au gratin.
Oka cheese is nutty, fruity, buttery, and creamy. It has a mild, smooth, and pleasant texture. It is also described as having a complex and delicious flavor.
Oka cheese is made from raw or pasteurized cow's milk. It is a semi-soft or semi-firm, washed-rind cheese with a pungent aroma and an orange rind.
Oka cheese originated in the village of Oka, Quebec, Canada. It was derived from an altered recipe of French Port Salut cheese brought to Quebec from France by Trappist Monks.
