cultural aspects of cheese I Types I Cheese Fresh Cheese green or blue cheese I
The cheese has a significant presence in Asian cooking, or as daily food, or as an ingredient in other dishes. The reason has been studied by cultural anthropology , and is one of the few to which Marvin Harris admits to having genetic causes (genetic dominance lactose intolerance in the adult population, which in turn is scarce in the Indo-European population), but not waiver in turn find a cause ecosocial:
China never accepted dairy products. The Chinese believe that milk secretion is a disgusting and drink a cup is like drinking a glass of saliva. About 90% of Chinese people and non-livestock population in East Asia lack
enough lactase to digest unfermented milk in adulthood. But note that the answer to the question of why the Chinese hate milk can not be simply that it is because it gets sick. Had they milk production as a form of food production, the Chinese, like the inhabitants of South Asia, could have easily crossed the inadequacy of lactose, consuming fermented ... The answer is related to the difference between limitations and ecological opportunities for Chinese and Indian habitats and should be in terms of cultural selection, not natural selection ... China to get the needed draft animals, depended on trade with the interior ministers
Asia. For this reason, Chinese farmers had no reason to raise cows in their villages. If there are no cows, no milk or kitchen can be based on it ... In China
pigs occupy the main scavenger niche ... meat and bacon are to Chinese cuisine what the milk and butter to India
. [ 11 ]
However, in China currently consumption is increasing significantly, with 2006 sales double those of 1996 (though still small amounts of thirty million dollars USD year [12 ] ). A traditional Chinese food is tofu , whose manufacture and texture are very similar to cheese, it is in the coagulation of soy milk (made from soybeans and water). The tofu is commonly called "Chinese cheese." In other parts of Asia can be found made from yak milk , or even mare in the Siberian steppe in DATSI ema, the typical dish of Bhutan , based on homemade cheese and chile (peppers) , or in India , which uses a variety called paneer to accompany the curry .
strict followers of the dietary laws of Judaism and Islam can only consume rennet cheeses that come from an animal killed according to the specifications in the Muslim halal, or it can be replaced by vegetable rennet (in the Jewish kosher). Less stringent Many Jews believe that the process which rennet undergoes change its nature to such an extent that it can not violate the laws of kashrut . Anyway, to be considered a primary food can never be consumed by a Jew combined with meat.
Many vegetarians also avoid consumption of cheeses made from animal rennet. For this reason there is a wide variety of cheeses made with rennet derived from the fermentation of the fungus Mucor miehei. The vegan and other vegetarians do not eat real cheese, although there substitutes with only vegetable ingredients, usually made with soy-based products.
Even in cultures with a long tradition of cheese, it's easy to find people who reject it, especially those with a stronger taste and smell like Roquefort . The writer Harold McGee, a specialist in food chemistry says that the cheese flavor acquires as part of a controlled decomposition, and that some of the molecules that cause odor and taste can also occur in rotting food.
cheese types
The vast range of cheeses makes it impossible for a single classification of them. There are many characteristics that define the degree of aging, or cured, the origin of the milk, its texture and its fat content. Below are various types, or characteristic of them.
Appellations
Cheese Appellation of Origin (PDO) of La Mancha.
The vast majority of cheeses are identified with the geographical area from which come. In some countries this can be regulated through appellations of origin, with which they try to protect old time varieties that are produced in a given area against producers in other areas that would like to take the good name they have created originals.
In Spain there are 23 protected cheeses, among which the manchego cheese, one of the great hallmarks of the region of La Mancha next to Quixote of Miguel de Cervantes . There are a variety of brands that sell industrial cheeses that mimic, but can not indicate that it is manchego cheese, whether made in La Mancha.
This geographical indication is provided for the member countries of the European Union , although specific for each of them. It works much like in France, where it is called Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée , whose origins date back to XV century in the first attempt to protect the Roquefort cheese. This cheese was first to get accreditation from the modern French law, which now extends to over 40 different cheeses. Also in Italy the Denominazione di Origine Controllata protects cheeses like the Parmesan (under the brand name Parmigiano-Reggiano ), Greece to feta cheese, or the United Kingdom to stilton and cheddar . [ 13 ]
Types of milk used
gouda cheese, made from cow's milk.
more milk used in cheese making is the whole cow milk, which is mainly due to higher milk production numbers. The cheese made from cow's milk come from fertile areas suitable for the bovine livestock, as the plains of northern Europe , the Alps , the Pyrenees or Cantabrian Mountains. Today the production of these cheeses has spread worldwide, with the use of milk from dairy farms.
Clear examples are cow cheese gouda Dutch, Emmental Swiss cheese or nipple of Galicia , all with texture, flavor and color similar. In general, cow's milk gives the cheese a mild flavor the other types of cheese, although this depends on many factors, making it easy to find cow cheese flavor strong, as Harzer Käse German or Italian gorgonzola.
whole cow's milk is rich in fat, so it is common to use skimmed milk or semi skimmed, in order to reduce the fat content. However, fat is one of the most influential elements in the taste of cheese, and as a rule, use skim milk is synonymous with loss of taste .
In Mediterranean areas where cows are scarce, it is common use of milk from sheep or goat, which gives a point of acidity cheese. The Castilian cheese, Manchego, Roquefort, or the feta is made from sheep's milk. An example of goat cheese with denomination of origin is the majorero cheese, made on the island of Fuerteventura Canary . It is also possible to mix different kinds of milk, as in the case of Cabrales cheese ( Asturias, Spain), which uses a mixture of cow, sheep and goats.
milk is also used for many other mammals, such as buffalo in the original mozzarella (now also used cow's milk), but it is much harder to find, compared with the aforementioned milk.
Fresh Cheese
The fresh cheeses are those in which the development is solely to curdle milk and dehydrated. These cheeses do not apply additional conservation techniques, so much less time withstand without expiring. Maintenance could be compared to that of yogurt , it is necessary to keep under refrigeration. The processing done to a lesser extent milk causes mild flavors and textures are inconsistent.
With these features, are used as ingredients for salads, such as cheese Burgos, one of the most consumed in Spain. In Italy, cheese is excellent in salads the mozzarella, prepared by introducing milk curd in hot water, so they are created mass into balls the effect of temperature. In some areas of southern Italy's mozzarella is consumed within hours of their preparation. Mozzarella is also the most commonly used as ingredients in pizzas , however, this will use a variety of more dehydrated, which does not correspond to a fresh cheese.
fresh cheeses are also used in desserts or as an ingredient in sauces. The mascarpone Italian and German quark are examples, with very creamy texture.
cheeses
curing of cheese is the aging thereof, in a process in which dry and apply additional conservation techniques, such as salting or smoking. The time to consider a cheese and cured may vary from one to another, but generally requires a minimum of one and a half or two years.
The curing process makes you get a lot tougher texture and dry, so as to increase the intensity of flavor, very desirable property among cheese lovers. However, many people do not tolerate strong flavors, so it's easy to find cure for different variants of the same cheese, cataloging normally soft, semi and cured.
Examples of cheeses can be the manchego or gouda cheese. However, the gouda is usually exported to a cure approximately half a year, while in South Holland can find old and may extend to two years.
The scarlet-padanno and parmesan also heal, and may exceed three years time. They have an extremely hard texture, which makes their consumption of grated form, as a condiment or filling Italian pastas.
recently has begun marketing in Spain a variety of canned cheese, can be kept several years unopened and not seeing any of their various characteristics. [ 14 ]
cream cheese
The cheese has a strong natural state, but it is possible to obtain a creamy texture significantly increasing the amount of cream, and therefore fat. These types of cheese are consumed usually accompanied by bread , being common to use them in toast. Certain
French cheeses have a long tradition for its creamy texture. The Camembert , with characteristics similar to brie , is one of the most famous, known for its white bark florida, consumed together with the cheese and adds a touch of bitterness. The appellation of origin of the cheese market forces it to always round, and placed in a wooden box.
A type of cheese is the most modern production cream cheese, commonly philadelphia cheese call. It is a white cream tubs distributed similar to margarine or butter . Is widely consumed in breakfast and desserts , and a variety of U.S. is the main ingredient of some cheesecakes .
In making desserts are often used cream cheese combined with sweet flavors. An example is the cream of mascarpone cheese , widely used in developing tiramisús . The quark also used in many dessert recipes in German or Austrian cuisine.
can also find cheese in texture semicremosa therefore can not be considered solid or cream, such as the Wedding Cake of Extremadura in Spain . This cheese can be eaten raw but it is typical to be cooked a few minutes in the oven, so that is totally or partially liquid. Like Camembert has a rind bloom, together with the cheese consumed by those who like strong or bitter flavors.
green or blue cheese
These cheeses are distinguished by the presence of mold , which give them their green or blue colors. Maybe it's the variety that most rejection can cause eye, because of the color and strong odor, recalling the decomposition. However, their intense flavor is one of the most appreciated by gourmets cheese.
For the proliferation of mold cheeses must be stored in places with very high humidity, normally around 90%. Great places to do this has traditionally been the caves. Molds that proliferate in the genus cheeses are usually Penicillium , where several of its species are named after the cheese in the found, such as Penicillium camemberti (in the bark of camembert), or the Penicillium roqueforti , Roquefort cheese. A popular belief is completely false that these cheeses can contain worms or larvae .
One of the often called "king of cheese" Roquefort is produced in the French caves of Roquefort-sur- Soulzon as marks its protected designation of origin. Other famous for its cheese Molds are the Cabrales cheese Asturian, Stilton from England , or gorgonzola cheese Italian, who may be in a sweet variety (although slightly spicy), and a much stronger flavor and spicy.
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