Andy Montoya
Cheese is a beloved food with a long history, but how is it made? The process starts with milk, typically from cows, but also from sheep, goats, buffalo, and even camels or yaks. The milk is collected from dairy farms and tested for quality and purity. It is then filtered, standardised, and pasteurised to kill harmful bacteria. Starter cultures, or bacteria, are added to begin the transformation to cheese. These bacteria convert lactose into lactic acid, affecting the cheese's flavour and texture. Different types of bacteria and additional ingredients like spices, herbs, or wine create distinct flavours and textures, resulting in the wide variety of cheeses available today.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of milk | Cow, goat, sheep, water buffalo |
| Texture | Hard, soft, creamy, melting |
| Flavor | Smoky, nutty, buttery, spicy |
| Country of origin | France, Italy, Spain, USA |
| Region of origin | Sardinia, La Mancha, Vermont |
| Animal feed | Grasses, florals, alliums |
| Rind | Bloomy, sticky, orange-hued |
| Style | Fresh, aged, pressed |
| Shape | Zigzag pattern |
| Best for | Snacking, grilled cheese, pairing with wine |
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What You'll Learn
- Milk: the base ingredient, usually cow's milk, but can be from sheep, goats, or even camels
- Bacteria: added to start the transformation from milk to cheese, creating lactic acid
- Rennet: an enzyme complex that causes milk to gel and separate into curds and whey
- Salt: used to enhance flavour, regulate moisture, and preserve the cheese
- Aging: the process of leaving cheese to age, affecting its flavour, texture, and crumbliness
Milk: the base ingredient, usually cow's milk, but can be from sheep, goats, or even camels
Milk is the base ingredient for cheese, and cows' milk is the most commonly used. However, cheese can be made from the milk of other animals, such as sheep, goats, and even camels. The type of milk used will impact the flavour and texture of the cheese. For example, Camembert, a well-known cheese made from cow's milk, has a higher fat content than other cheeses, giving it a rich and creamy taste. On the other hand, Manchego, a popular Spanish cheese, is made from goat's milk and has a unique zigzag pattern from the grass moulds used in the cheese-making process.
Sheep's milk is also used to make some distinctive cheeses. For instance, Idiazábal, an artisanal, handmade pressed cheese from the Basque Country or Navarra, is made from unpasteurized sheep's milk. It stands out for its hard yet soft texture and light smoky flavour, making it a perfect snack to pair with wine. Another example is Bianco Sardo, a finishing cheese used in restaurants, which is made from unpasteurized sheep's milk from Sardinia and has a slightly nuttier flavour.
Goat's milk is also used in cheese-making, although it is less common. Old Ford, for instance, is a cheese made with aged goat's milk that has a robust aroma with hints of spice and a subtle, buttery aftertaste. Using goat's milk to make cheese is a unique practice that can add new flavours to a chef's arsenal.
While less common, it is also possible to make cheese from the milk of other animals, such as water buffalo or even camels. For example, some chefs consider Italian Grana Padano, made from buffalo milk, a must-have in their fridge as it enhances the flavour of dishes.
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Bacteria: added to start the transformation from milk to cheese, creating lactic acid
Bacteria play a crucial role in the transformation of milk into cheese, with specific "lactic acid bacteria" being responsible for creating lactic acid and initiating the cheese-making process. This process, known as fermentation, is a widely used preservation method that has been applied for centuries in various forms.
Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are added to milk at the beginning of cheesemaking to kick-start the transformation. These bacteria are crucial in the fermentation process, feeding on lactose sugar (glucose and galactose) in the milk and converting it into lactic acid. This key step helps set the milk into curds, gives the cheese its flavour, and makes it safe and long-lasting.
The action of LAB is twofold. Firstly, they rapidly release enough lactic acid to lower the milk's pH from 6.7 to near 6.2, creating an optimal environment for the action of rennin, a coagulant enzyme. Subsequently, they further reduce the pH to 4.5, making the environment inhospitable for unwanted bacteria and thus increasing the safety of the final product. This process also helps prevent the growth of "bad" pathogenic bacteria, especially important in large-scale cheese production where milk is sourced from multiple farms and collected over several days.
LAB also contribute to the formation of cheese flavours by releasing volatile compounds, producing a distinctive odour or modifying the primary aroma. For example, methyl ketones, aldehydes, and ethyl esters are typical aromas of cheese, produced by the metabolism of lactate and citrate. Additionally, LAB release antimicrobial metabolites called bacteriocins, which act as natural preservatives and can be used synergistically with other preservation methods.
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Rennet: an enzyme complex that causes milk to gel and separate into curds and whey
Rennet is a complex mixture of enzymes that act on proteins in milk. It is primarily comprised of the rennin enzyme, which is found in the fourth stomach of ruminant animals, such as calves, goats, and sheep. The enzymes slow down the digestion of liquid milk by turning it into a solid in the mammal's stomach, giving the baby time to absorb the nutrients.
In cheesemaking, rennet serves a similar purpose, triggering coagulation and causing the milk to curdle and separate into curds (the solid part) and whey (the liquid part). This process is achieved by adding a small amount of rennet to milk at an optimal temperature, typically around 30-35°C (86-95°F). The rennet causes the milk to coagulate and form a pudding-like consistency. Wire knives are then used to cut the coagulated milk into tiny cubes, which are the curds.
The curds are then gently stirred and heated to further separate the whey from the curds. The temperature is raised to around 102°F, which helps expel excess whey and further solidify the curd structure. The curds are then cut into specific sizes, depending on the type of cheese being produced, and stirred again to release more whey. This step is crucial in determining the texture and moisture content of the final cheese.
The use of rennet in cheese-making has a long history, dating back centuries. It is an essential ingredient that helps achieve a specific texture and flavour in cheese, particularly for a more uniform and consistent curd structure. Today, traditional animal rennet sources like calves, lambs, or goats are not the only option. Over 80% of cheese consumed in North America is made from non-animal sources, and vegetarian rennet can be derived from a variety of plants with coagulating properties, such as thistle and cardoon.
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Salt: used to enhance flavour, regulate moisture, and preserve the cheese
Salt is an essential ingredient in cheesemaking, and it plays a crucial role in enhancing flavour, regulating moisture, and preserving the cheese.
Firstly, salt enhances the flavour of cheese. While this may seem obvious when tasting notably salty cheeses such as Pecorino Romano, Feta, or Mizithra, salt also enhances other flavours present or covers up unpleasant ones. This is due to its controlling influence on microbial and enzymatic activities, which in turn influence lactose metabolism, cheese pH, and the formation of flavour compounds.
Secondly, salt regulates moisture in cheese. This is achieved through osmosis and diffusion, where salt pulls moisture out of the cheese, and the cheese then absorbs some of that salty water back in. This process also helps to preserve the cheese by reducing the water activity, thus inhibiting the growth of unwanted bacteria.
Finally, salt is a preservative, increasing the shelf life of cheese by preventing the growth of unwanted bacteria. This is due to its depressing effect on the water activity of the cheese, as well as its ability to increase the osmotic pressure of the aqueous phase of foods, causing dehydration of bacterial cells, thereby killing them or preventing their growth.
Cheesemakers use various methods to introduce salt into their products, including dry salting, where salt is sprinkled over cut-up curds, and brine-salting, where the cheese is soaked in a brine solution. The choice of method depends on various factors, and the cheesemaker's expertise is crucial in determining the best approach for their specific cheese.
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Aging: the process of leaving cheese to age, affecting its flavour, texture, and crumbliness
Affinage, the art of ageing cheese, is a crucial process in cheesemaking. It is responsible for the distinct flavour, texture, and body of the cheese. The ageing process involves a series of complex physical, chemical, and microbiological changes, incorporating bacteria, enzymes, and environmental contaminants.
The length of the ageing process varies depending on the type of cheese, ranging from a few months to several years. For example, softer cheeses like Muenster or mild cheddar require a shorter ageing period, while harder cheeses like Parmesan or sharp Cheddar need a longer time to reach their desired texture and flavour. During the ageing process, the lactose sugars in the cheese are broken down, making the cheese harder and reducing its lactose content.
The conditions under which cheese is aged are important. Temperature and humidity play a significant role, with most cheese being aged at temperatures between 40 and 55°F (4-15°C) and humidity levels between 88 and 98%. Proper air circulation is also necessary for optimal cheese ripening. Some cheeses, like Swiss cheese, develop their distinctive characteristics during ageing. For instance, the holes in Swiss cheese are formed during the ageing process due to the addition of specific bacteria.
Different techniques are used during the ageing process to influence the final product. Some cheeses are coated in lard and wrapped in cheesecloth, while others are vacuum-sealed or aged in specific environments like cheese caves or cellars. These techniques help guide the aromatic profile and textural changes of the cheese, resulting in a wide variety of flavours and textures.
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Frequently asked questions
The first step in making cheese is to separate the milk into solid curds and liquid whey. This is usually done by acidifying (souring) the milk and adding rennet.
The acidification of milk can be done by directly adding an acid such as vinegar, or by adding starter bacteria, which convert milk sugars into lactic acid.
Some of the most popular and well-known cheeses are cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, Brie, and Camembert.
There is no conclusive answer to this question as it is subjective and depends on individual taste. However, France, Italy, Switzerland, the UK, and the US are well-known for their cheese-making traditions and have produced several award-winning cheeses.
Pule cheese is the most expensive cheese in the world, made from donkey milk. It takes 25 litres of donkey milk to produce just 1 kilogram of Pule cheese.
