Basic Preparation Of Foods: Dairy Produce.
HARD AND SOFT CHEESES
Cheese is made from milk which has been naturally or artificially soured. The former method is brought about by standing the milk in a warm place and allowing natural, friendly bacteria to turn the milk's natural sugars into lactic acid. The latter method is effected by adding an enzyme, usually in to form of rennet.
Colouring and salt are usually added too. The whey is then drained off and the curds are pressed into moulds where they are ripened or cured. Some cheeses are subjected to pressure; soft cheeses are not. Curds are ripened or cured by a variety of means. The method, the quality of the milk and its pasture, the breed of cow, sheep or other animal and the type of bacteria all govern the final product.
Some local environmental conditions are unique and those areas are capable of producing cheeses that are not successfully copied anywhere else: for instance Roquefort and Camembert, although factories do attempt it. Some even have a measure of success: remember that most of the world's Cheddar cheese now derives from the United States and Canada.
HARD AND SOFT CHEESES
Cheese is made from milk which has been naturally or artificially soured. The former method is brought about by standing the milk in a warm place and allowing natural, friendly bacteria to turn the milk's natural sugars into lactic acid. The latter method is effected by adding an enzyme, usually in to form of rennet.
Colouring and salt are usually added too. The whey is then drained off and the curds are pressed into moulds where they are ripened or cured. Some cheeses are subjected to pressure; soft cheeses are not. Curds are ripened or cured by a variety of means. The method, the quality of the milk and its pasture, the breed of cow, sheep or other animal and the type of bacteria all govern the final product.
Some local environmental conditions are unique and those areas are capable of producing cheeses that are not successfully copied anywhere else: for instance Roquefort and Camembert, although factories do attempt it. Some even have a measure of success: remember that most of the world's Cheddar cheese now derives from the United States and Canada.
The constituent parts of cheese are roughly: 33% fat, 33% protein and 33% water with salt, colouring, sugar etc making up the other 1%. These proportions do vary from area to area as some manufacturers use full cream milk, others skimmed milk and yet others add extra cream. Yet others add extra sugar, although most do not. All cheeses have a high calcium content and can be considered 'concentrated milk' and stored in the same way.
Many people say that cheese should not be kept in a fridge and although storing in water, as for milk, is not an option, a cool larder is certainly ideal. Try the traditional method of hanging it up in cheesecloth in a cool, breezy place. If the weather is hot, dampen the muslin cloth with water to which a little vinegar has been added.
Cheese is often served in Europe with a salad or/and bread and is often presented after or instead of the pudding. Hard cheese can be nigh-on impossible for children to digest and grating it first will make it more edible for them. Having been grated the cheese can be sprinkled on vegetable or fish soups or sauces; combined with egg, pasta, rice and oatmeal dishes; put on baked potatoes or pastry; toasted on bread or put in salads and sandwiches.
How To Cook Cheese: A little known fact is that many people find cooked cheese indigestible and the reason lies in its structure. Here is why: cooked starch can be digested by the saliva in the mouth but other foods must pass to the stomach or intestines for this process. They are, however, broken up in the mouth. Digestion of protein begins in the stomach and is completed in the small intestine, while fat is not rendered soluble until it reaches the small intestine.
Cheese has a high fat and protein content, but in melting, the fat often covers the protein and prevents the digestive juices reaching it in the stomach. Therefore, its digestion is delayed until the fat has been absorbed by the intestines. Cheese can be rendered more digestible in the following way:
1] Adding to or combining with starchy foods. The starch will absorb
Many people say that cheese should not be kept in a fridge and although storing in water, as for milk, is not an option, a cool larder is certainly ideal. Try the traditional method of hanging it up in cheesecloth in a cool, breezy place. If the weather is hot, dampen the muslin cloth with water to which a little vinegar has been added.
Cheese is often served in Europe with a salad or/and bread and is often presented after or instead of the pudding. Hard cheese can be nigh-on impossible for children to digest and grating it first will make it more edible for them. Having been grated the cheese can be sprinkled on vegetable or fish soups or sauces; combined with egg, pasta, rice and oatmeal dishes; put on baked potatoes or pastry; toasted on bread or put in salads and sandwiches.
How To Cook Cheese: A little known fact is that many people find cooked cheese indigestible and the reason lies in its structure. Here is why: cooked starch can be digested by the saliva in the mouth but other foods must pass to the stomach or intestines for this process. They are, however, broken up in the mouth. Digestion of protein begins in the stomach and is completed in the small intestine, while fat is not rendered soluble until it reaches the small intestine.
Cheese has a high fat and protein content, but in melting, the fat often covers the protein and prevents the digestive juices reaching it in the stomach. Therefore, its digestion is delayed until the fat has been absorbed by the intestines. Cheese can be rendered more digestible in the following way:
1] Adding to or combining with starchy foods. The starch will absorb
Cheese is often served in Europe with a salad or/and bread and is often presented after or instead of the pudding. Hard cheese can be nigh-on impossible for children to digest and grating it first will make it more edible for them. Having been grated the cheese can be sprinkled on vegetable or fish soups or sauces; combined with egg, pasta, rice and oatmeal dishes; put on baked potatoes or pastry; toasted on bread or put in salads and sandwiches.
How To Cook Cheese: A little known fact is that many people find cooked cheese indigestible and the reason lies in its structure. Here is why: cooked starch can be digested by the saliva in the mouth but other foods must pass to the stomach or intestines for this process. They are, however, broken up in the mouth. Digestion of protein begins in the stomach and is completed in the small intestine, while fat is not rendered soluble until it reaches the small intestine.
Cheese has a high fat and protein content, but in melting, the fat often covers the protein and prevents the digestive juices reaching it in the stomach. Therefore, its digestion is delayed until the fat has been absorbed by the intestines. Cheese can be rendered more digestible in the following way:
1] Adding to or combining with starchy foods. The starch will absorb the fat, not allowing it to cover the protein.
2] Adding seasoning - Cayenne Pepper or mustard will irritate the intestinal lining, thus causing extra digestive juices to be released.
3] Cooking rapidly at high temperature. This stops the protein from becoming tough and stringy and so, harder to digest or you could add cheese to sauces late in the process.
4] Adding alkali. A large pinch of Bicarbonate of Soda per 75g will help neutralize the fatty acids and make the proteins more easily digestible.
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How To Cook Cheese: A little known fact is that many people find cooked cheese indigestible and the reason lies in its structure. Here is why: cooked starch can be digested by the saliva in the mouth but other foods must pass to the stomach or intestines for this process. They are, however, broken up in the mouth. Digestion of protein begins in the stomach and is completed in the small intestine, while fat is not rendered soluble until it reaches the small intestine.
Cheese has a high fat and protein content, but in melting, the fat often covers the protein and prevents the digestive juices reaching it in the stomach. Therefore, its digestion is delayed until the fat has been absorbed by the intestines. Cheese can be rendered more digestible in the following way:
1] Adding to or combining with starchy foods. The starch will absorb the fat, not allowing it to cover the protein.
2] Adding seasoning - Cayenne Pepper or mustard will irritate the intestinal lining, thus causing extra digestive juices to be released.
3] Cooking rapidly at high temperature. This stops the protein from becoming tough and stringy and so, harder to digest or you could add cheese to sauces late in the process.
4] Adding alkali. A large pinch of Bicarbonate of Soda per 75g will help neutralize the fatty acids and make the proteins more easily digestible.
About the Author:
If you want to read more about Welsh food, food in general or how to use cheese in particular, just visit Traditional Welsh Recipes. Free reprint available from: How To Use Dairy Produce: Part 2 - Cheese.