Say
cheese!
Dr
T Kuchroo and Trupti Bhat present cheese in its many splendoured hues
and seek to entice both the aficionado and the amateur
From
the soft, stringy variety used on pizzas to the just-a-tear-away single
slices used in sandwiches, the popularity of the myriad varieties of
this nutritious milk form is due to the significant developments in
the technology of cheese production. Their flavours, aromas and textures
depend on the ingredients used, the kind of bacterial environment and
its age. While the basic ingredient is milk and the initial method of
production is common to all forms of natural cheese, the final treatment
determines the kind and quality of cheese that is produced.
The
underlying process involves incubation of milk after adding a starter
to it, followed by the addition of rennin, an enzyme that causes the
incubated milk to form lumps known as curds. A considerable amount of
whey is also produced simultaneously. Cheese makers vary the curd-whey
ratio to produce a variety of cheese textures.
Once
the curd consistency has been determined, the mixture is heated, squeezed,
twisted, pulled or kneaded to refine the cheese's texture. Mozzarella
curds are chopped and shredded, thrown in hot water, kneaded and stretched,
cooked in hot water once again, then shaped and thrown in cold water
for preservation. When the desired consistency is achieved, the curds
are patted into cheese moulds and salted.
The
most important stage in cheese production is the ripening stage. Once
the cheese has settled into moulds, it is left in controlled environments
to age. Natural microbes begin to hatch within the cheese, giving it
its special flavours. It is during this stage that Swiss cheese develops
its characteristic holes, as bacteria cause gases within the cheese
to burst.
Other
cheeses, like Gorgonzola, are deliberately smeared with bacteria to
develop a tart flavour. Roquefort is aged only in the limestone caves
of Mount Combalou in France. The environment of the cave is key to the
cheese's tangy flavour, and no other cheese maker outside the region
can legally say to make the famous Roquefort.
The
typical kinds of natural cheese are – fresh or unripened, soft, semi-soft,
firm or hard. Commonly known fresh cheeses include cream cheese, Mozzarella
and Feta.
These
cheeses are usually light and creamy, but they perish quickly due to
their high liquid content. Brie and Camembert are soft cheeses and can
be distinguished from unripened cheese by their thin, edible skin.
The
popular Gouda and Gorgonzola cheese fall into the semi-soft category.
Semi-soft cheese have firmer textures ranging from crumbly to sliceable.
They usually have no skins, but are often preserved in inedible wax
casings.
Firm
cheese is the most popular. Cheddar, Colby, Swiss and Monterey Jack
all belong to this variety.
The
final category, hard cheese, includes varieties of cheese that have
been aged so long that the natural moisture has been allowed to evaporate.
The cheese are not necessarily dry, however. Well known hard cheese
include Parmesan and Asiago. These are so hard they are nearly impossible
to slice, and most are grated for use in cooking.
Some
varieties of cheese do not fall into any of the five categories because
they are not classified as natural cheese. Several different types of
cheese are blended together with flavourings and emulsifiers to create
a variety which is more consistent in texture. These types of processed
cheese are not considered of the highest quality.
Regardless
of the kind, cheese production is a near science and if the wrong bacteria
are allowed to flourish, the cheese can do more harm than good. In today's
age, only pasteurised milk is used in cheese production to ensure a
significant reduction in contamination.
New
kinds of cheese
Groundnut
cheese
Groundnut
cheese is a novelty that may compete in price and quality with animal
cheese. Cheese-like products have been made out of a protein extract
from the groundnut just as natural cheese is made from cow's milk.
It
has good quality protein, is easily prepared and is low in cost. It
is being used to feed undernourished groups in the developing countries.
In India, a processed cheese spread has been prepared from groundnut
protein based toned milk in India. It has a smooth consistency and milky
flavour.
The
flavour and other organoleptic qualities are comparable with the standard
cheese. Groundnut milk can be prepared by soaking kernels in one per
cent sodium bicarbonate solution for 16 to 18 hours, drain off the water
and grind the kernels in an aqueous medium. Steep the wet mass for 4
to 5 hour and filter through cheesecloth to remove the product.
In
India groundnut milk extended with buffalo milk is commercially marketed
by the brand name Miltone.Groundnut milk can be used in the preparation
of yogurt like products, ice cream and other products. The steps in
the preparation of
groundnut milk are detailed in the
flowchart.
Soy
cheese
Soymilk
is obtained from pressing water through crushed, cooked soybeans. Soy
cheese may be made from tofu, or soymilk, or a combination of soymilk
with tofu and other soy protein extracts. Soy Cheese comes in a variety
of hard and soft forms and in several flavours.
The
detailed process of soy cheese production is described below:
Raw
soybeans are soaked in water overnight. After draining, the beans are
then pulverised as a small quantity of boiling water is poured over
them. The resultant mash will have the consistency of mashed potatoes.
The
mash is ladled into boiling water, like dumplings, and allowed to boil
gently for about 10 minutes. This stage of the process is crucial because
a certain enzyme in the bean is broken down during this period. The
worry is that if....
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