Randy Chandler
Cheese is usually made from the milk of ruminants such as cows, goats, sheep (ewes), and water buffalo. However, cheese can also be made from the milk of other animals, including camels, yaks, donkeys, reindeer, moose, mares, and even humans. In some places, it is difficult for the dairy industry to thrive due to extreme climates, so people have had to get creative with cheese production. For example, in Scandinavia, locals have learned to make cheese from reindeer milk, despite reindeer being notoriously difficult to milk.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common sources of animal milk for cheese | Cows, goats, sheep, water buffaloes, camels, yaks, donkeys, reindeer, moose, mares, pigs, and humans |
| Factors affecting cheese-making ability | Milk composition, coagulation properties, curd-firming, nutrients recovered in the curd, and cheese yield |
| Milk with the highest fresh cheese yield | Buffalo and ewe milk |
| Milk with the lowest fat and protein content | Donkey milk |
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Donkey cheese
Donkey milk is also similar in composition to human milk, and doctors sometimes recommend feeding donkey milk to infants whose mothers are having problems producing breast milk. Simić often had extra milk, and one day he decided to try making cheese with it. However, donkey milk lacks the protein casein, which helps milk coagulate, so he collaborated with a scientist named Stevan Marinković to develop a process for making cheese with donkey milk.
The final recipe for donkey cheese includes 60% donkey milk, 40% goat's milk, some rennet, and a secret concoction of additives. The cheese is then left in a mold for 24 hours before being aged for a month. The result is a golf ball-sized chunk of cheese that costs about $50. The taste of donkey cheese is reputed to be similar to that of manchego, with a combination of nutty and earthy flavours, accompanied by a crumbly texture.
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Reindeer milk cheese
Cheese is typically made from cow's milk, but humans have been known to milk several other animals for cheese, including reindeer. Reindeer milk cheese is a speciality of northern Finland, where locals have perfected the art of harvesting reindeer milk to make nutrient-dense and delicious cheese. Reindeer milk is among the richest and most nutritious of milks, containing 22% butterfat and 10% protein, but a reindeer can be milked only for about 1.5 cups per day. This is far less than the volume of milk that can be obtained from cattle, horses or yaks.
Reindeer milk is also far more calorific than cow's milk, containing 15g of fat, 9.9g of protein and 2.5g of lactose per 100g. In comparison, 100g of cow's milk contains 4g of fat, 3.2g of protein and 4.8g of lactose. The high amounts of lipids and protein in reindeer milk help calves grow quickly during the short summer months so that they can survive the harsh winter climate of the Far North, where reindeer are native.
Reindeer milk and its products were a major component of the Sami diet until the 20th century. The Sami are indigenous to the Sápmi region, which encompasses the north of Sweden, Norway and Finland, as well as the Kola Peninsula in Russia. The Sami began taming and herding reindeer in the Middle Ages, and reindeer herding has been furthered by Finland's policy of setting up livestock farming cooperatives and fencing.
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Alpaca cheese
Alpacas are used for their soft wool, meat, and dairy products. Alpaca cheese is a popular feature at local markets in the Andes, where no cow could survive. Despite being notoriously tricky to milk, alpaca cheese is a richly salty delicacy.
In Peru, where alpacas are ubiquitous, alpaca cheese is often served on top of boiled corn. It is dense and salty, and its unique flavour is highly addictive.
In California, one individual has been unable to find alpaca cheese for purchase, despite searching for it.
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Camel cheese
Camel milk is low in fat, which means that the yield of cheese is also low. In addition, camel milk is technically more difficult to process than milk from other domestic animals. It is particularly challenging to get camel milk to coagulate, which is a crucial step in the cheese-making process. Vegetable rennet and camel rennet have been found to be effective coagulants, while veal rennet is not.
When making camel milk cheese, it is recommended to add calcium chloride at double the normal rate to form a firmer curd. The ripening time and temperature should also be increased, as camel milk contains antimicrobials that delay acidification. The type of rennet used also plays a role in the cheese-making process. Camel milk coagulates better with pepsin than chymosin, so using a rennet with a higher percentage of pepsin may improve the coagulation.
Overall, the process of making cheese from camel milk requires some adjustments to traditional cheese-making recipes, but it is possible to produce a successful and nutritious cheese.
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Water buffalo cheese
In addition to mozzarella and burrata, water buffalo milk is used to make a variety of other cheeses. For example, "dangke" is a type of cheese produced in South Sulawesi, Indonesia, especially in the Enrekang, Baraka, Anggeraja, and Alla districts. Dangke is processed by boiling fresh buffalo milk with sliced papaya leaves, stems, or unripe papaya fruits.
Another example is "kesong puti", a Filipino soft, unaged, white cheese made from unskimmed carabao's milk, salt, and rennet. Water buffalo milk is also used to make "khoa", a dairy product widely used in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent. Khoa is made using both cow's and water buffalo milk.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheese can be made from the milk of cows, goats, sheep, water buffaloes, camels, yaks, donkeys, reindeer, moose, mares, and even humans.
Bovines (cows) produce about 83% of the milk and dairy products consumed by humans worldwide. This is because cow's milk is extremely versatile and abundant.
There are a few reasons why it is uncommon to find cheese made from other animals' milk. Firstly, some animals, such as pigs, are difficult to milk by hand due to their anatomy. Secondly, some animals' milk may have insufficient levels of casein to curdle and form cheese. Finally, some types of milk may be more suitable for humans than others in terms of taste and nutritional content.
The most expensive cheese in the world is Pule, or donkey cheese, made from endangered Balkan donkeys. It sells for about $1,000 per pound and is considered one of the most luxurious items on earth.
The type of animal milk used in cheese-making can impact the coagulation properties, curd-firming, nutrient recovery, and cheese yield. For example, milk from different species has varying fat and protein contents, which can affect the cheese-making efficiency and the final product's texture and taste.
