Andy Montoya
Cheese is a beloved food with a long history that predates recorded human history. The first milk used for cheese was from goats or sheep, as these were the most common animals in the Mediterranean areas of the Fertile Crescent. The process of cheese-making was likely discovered by accident when milk was stored in a container made from an animal's stomach, causing the milk to curdle and separate into curds and whey. This ancient technique is supported by archaeological evidence, including clay sieves coated with milk-fat molecules found in Poland and Egypt dating back to around 5500 BCE. The accidental discovery of cheese is also attributed to an Arab or Arabian merchant in a legend with variations. The development and diversification of cheese continued through ancient Roman times, with the first factory for industrial cheese production opening in Switzerland in 1815.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of origin | The origin of cheese dates back to 8000 BCE when sheep were first domesticated. |
| First milk used | The first milk used for cheese was from goats or sheep. |
| First written evidence | Sumerian cuneiform texts of the Third Dynasty of Ur, dated to the early second millennium BCE. |
| Earliest evidence of cheesemaking | Excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) found in Kuyavia, Poland, and the Dalmatian coast in Croatia, dated to over 7000 years ago. |
| First factory for industrial production | The first factory for the industrial production of cheese opened in Switzerland in 1815. |
| First US industrial cheese | Cheddar cheese became one of the first US industrial foods in 1851, produced by Jesse Williams in an assembly-line fashion. |
| First cheese vat in Wisconsin | John J. Smith obtained Wisconsin's first cheese vat and made cheese at home in Sheboygan County. |
| First Limburger cheese factory in Wisconsin | The first Limburger cheese factory in Wisconsin was opened by Nicholas Gerber in 1868. |
| First Swiss cheese factory in Wisconsin | The first Swiss cheese factory in Wisconsin was opened by Nicholas Gerber in 1869. |
| First cottage industry cheese factory in Wisconsin | Wisconsin's first "cottage industry cheese factory" was established by Mrs. Anne Pickett in 1841. |
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What You'll Learn
Clean and sterilise equipment
Cleanliness and sanitisation are crucial steps in the cheese-making process. Before you start, ensure your kitchen is prepared. Do not bake bread for at least 36 hours before making cheese, keep windows closed, and keep pets out of the kitchen. Avoid having any other food on the counter, and do not use dish towels or sponges—opt for paper towels instead.
Cleaning and Sterilising Equipment:
Firstly, wash your hands thoroughly, as they can be a source of bacteria. Then, clean all your equipment with a mild detergent, hot water, and a soft cloth or sponge. Rinse all equipment thoroughly with hot water. You can also use cold water first and then hot water to effectively remove milk residue.
Next, fill a large container or sink with water and bring it to a boil. Place all the equipment in the boiling water and keep it there for at least 10 minutes. Metal utensils, in particular, are easily sterilised by boiling. Remove the items with tongs and rinse them again with hot water. Allow the equipment to air dry or use a clean towel to dry it.
If you are using plastic equipment, do not boil or steam it. Instead, sterilise it with a solution of household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) mixed at a ratio of two tablespoons of bleach to one gallon of water. Alternatively, you can use apple cider vinegar, which is slightly more effective than white vinegar as a sanitiser. Rinse plastic equipment thoroughly after using bleach, as bleach residue can interfere with the growth of cheese-making bacteria.
If you prefer a greener approach, you can avoid bleach altogether. Instead, clean your equipment in hot soapy water, then rinse it with clean tap water. Then, sanitise it by spraying or wiping it with a mixture of boiling water and white vinegar.
Once your equipment is clean and sanitised, place it on a clean, sanitised surface or allow it to air dry completely before using it for cheese-making. It is essential to ensure that all equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sanitised to maintain food safety standards and prevent contamination.
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Curdle the milk
The first step in crafting cheese is curdling the milk. This involves adding an acid (like lemon juice or vinegar) or rennet to milk, causing it to separate into curds (solid) and whey (liquid). The type of culture and the temperature at which this process is conducted can significantly impact the texture and flavour of the cheese. For instance, direct acidification, which involves dumping acid (vinegar or citric acid) into milk, leads to cheeses such as ricotta and mascarpone.
The milk used for cheese-making must be fresh and of the highest quality. It can be raw or pasteurized, but it should not be ultra-pasteurized or ultra-high-temperature pasteurized as this will not produce a satisfactory curd. Milk from any animal can be used, though cow, goat, and sheep milk are the most common.
Before adding any ingredients to the milk, it is important to clean and sterilize both the equipment and surface to prevent contamination and ensure the cultures can develop without competition from unwanted bacteria.
Rennet, a key ingredient in the curdling process, causes milk to coagulate and form curds. It can be purchased in tablet or liquid form, with tablets having a longer shelf life. Rennet should be added according to the instructions provided. Before adding rennet to the milk, lipase can be added to give the cheese a more pronounced flavour.
The curdling process can also be done through direct acidification, where acid is dumped directly into the milk to achieve the correct acidity. This process is used to make cheeses such as ricotta and mascarpone.
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Cut the curds
The first step in making craft cheese is cutting the curds. This step is crucial in the cheesemaking process as it determines the texture and quality of the final product. Curds are solid masses of milk protein that form when milk curdles. The process of cutting the curds helps to release moisture and encourages the curds to knit together, forming a solid mass.
To begin the process, milk is typically heated to a specific temperature, which varies depending on the type of cheese being made. Once the milk reaches the desired temperature, a coagulant, such as rennet, is added to initiate curdling. Rennet is a complex mixture of enzymes produced in mammalian stomachs that curdles milk and promotes the formation of curds.
After adding the coagulant, the milk begins to separate into solid curds and liquid whey. This separation occurs because the enzymes in the coagulant act on the proteins in milk, causing them to clump together and form curds. The liquid portion, or whey, contains water, lactose, and minerals.
The next step is to cut the curds, which helps to release moisture and prevents the curds from becoming too tough or rubbery. This step requires precision and timing. The curds are cut using a variety of tools, such as a knife, a wire, or even just the hands, depending on the desired size and shape of the final curds.
Cutting the curds allows for the even distribution of heat and moisture within the mixture. The curds are cut into uniform sizes to ensure consistent drainage and knitting. The cutting process also helps to expel more whey, which is often drained off and discarded or used for other purposes, such as feeding animals or making ricotta cheese.
The cutting of the curds is a delicate and precise step in cheesemaking, requiring both skill and experience. The size of the curds, the temperature of the mixture, and the duration of cutting all play a role in determining the final texture and flavour of the cheese. Therefore, this step is crucial in the cheesemaking process and sets the foundation for the quality of the final product.
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Cook and drain the curds
Once the curds have been cut, the next step is to cook them. The curds must be stirred to prevent them from settling at the bottom of the pot and clumping together. In the beginning, the curds will be delicate, so they need to be stirred gently. As the curds firm up, they will be able to withstand more agitation. The precise temperature control and timing are crucial for achieving the desired consistency. If the curds are heated too quickly, a skin will form and trap moisture inside, creating moisture pockets in the finished cheese.
Some recipes will call for the curds to be pitched. This term refers to the curds being allowed to rest at the bottom of the pot after cooking and before draining. Once the curds are cooked, they are ready to be drained. The type of cheese being made will determine the steps for draining the curds. For a soft cheese, a colander lined with butter muslin is placed in a sink, and the curds are gently ladled in.
After the curds have been drained, it is time to put them into the cheese press. If the recipe does not specify pressing time or pressure, apply enough pressure to compress the curds without causing them to squeeze out of the mould. When the whey stops coming out of the cheese, release the pressure, flip the cheese, restore adequate pressure, and keep an eye on it. The general rule for pressing hard cheeses is 1 hour at about 5 pounds of pressure. Then, flip and press overnight at 20 pounds. Finally, flip and press again at 20 pounds for 8-10 hours more.
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Add salt and press the curds
The process of making craft cheese involves several steps, and one of the critical steps is adding salt and pressing the curds. This step plays a vital role in developing the texture, flavour, and preservation qualities of the final cheese product. Here is a detailed explanation of this process:
The addition of salt to the cheese curds serves multiple purposes. Firstly, salt acts as a preservative, inhibiting the growth of unwanted microorganisms and extending the shelf life of the cheese. Secondly, it contributes to the flavour development, enhancing the overall taste profile of the cheese. The amount of salt added can vary depending on the type of cheese being crafted and the desired saltiness.
After adding salt, the curds are then pressed together to form a solid mass. This process helps to remove excess moisture from the curds, which is crucial for the cheese's texture and longevity. The pressing process can be done using different types of cheese presses, ranging from traditional manual presses to more modern hydraulic presses. The amount of pressure applied and the duration of pressing depend on the desired texture and consistency of the final cheese product.
The pressing process is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it helps to knit the curds together, creating a cohesive mass that can be further aged or moulded into specific shapes. Secondly, pressing removes whey (liquid) from the curds, reducing the moisture content. This step is critical for the cheese's texture, as higher moisture content can lead to a softer, more spreadable cheese, while lower moisture content results in a firmer, more sliceable product.
Additionally, the removal of whey through pressing can influence the cheese's flavour. A drier cheese with less moisture content may have a more concentrated flavour profile. The duration and intensity of pressing can be adjusted to achieve the desired moisture level and, consequently, the preferred flavour and texture.
In some cases, the curds may be cut into smaller pieces before adding salt and pressing. This step, known as "cutting the curd," helps to release more whey and encourages the curds to form a more compact mass during pressing. The size of the curd pieces and the timing of cutting can vary depending on the type of cheese being made.
In summary, adding salt and pressing the curds are crucial steps in craft cheese-making. These processes contribute to the development of flavour, texture, and preservation qualities of the final cheese product. By controlling the amount of salt, the pressure applied, and the duration of pressing, cheesemakers can create a diverse range of cheeses with unique characteristics.
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Frequently asked questions
The first milk used for cheese came from goats or sheep, as these were the most common animals in the Mediterranean areas of the Fertile Crescent. The process of cheese-making was likely discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, which caused the milk to turn into curd and whey.
The origins of cheese predate recorded history, but the earliest proposed dates for the origin of cheesemaking range from around 8000 BCE when sheep were first domesticated. The earliest direct evidence of cheesemaking has been found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over 7000 years old in Poland and Croatia.
There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheese-making originated, but it could have been in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. Cheese-making was known in Europe at the earliest level of Hellenic myth, and ancient Greek mythology credits Aristaeus with the discovery of cheese.
