Posted February 16, 2011 at 11:44 PM
Have you ever wondered how you get cheese from the milk that is produced from cows? One is a liquid while the other is a solid. There are differences in tastes too! So how does it work? I did a little bit of research to find out.
To begin the transformation from milk into cheese, an enzyme called rennet is introduced to milk, which cases the protein component of milk to coagulate which allows for the separation of the solid from the liquid component. The solids are the curds and the liquid is called whey.
When you have loosely packed curds suspended in whey and other liquids, the resulting product is cottage cheese. To get other types of cheeses the curds are drained and pressed together to separate out the whey and water. As they are pressed, the curds begin to firm up into fresh cheese or farmer’s cheese. These types of cheeses include cream cheese and ricotta cheese.
For harder types of cheeses, the curds are usually added to a mold. At this point in time the cheese can be flavored using a number of different types of flavorings including brines, wines, spices and herbs. The cheese is then allowed to age to develop its flavor. Since most cheeses are acidic, most harmful bacteria are killed while allowing the mold that gives the cheese its flavor to live. The mold in the cheese can often be concentrated in certain parts of the cheese. Swiss cheese is one such type of cheese where this occurs. In the areas where there are mold, carbon dioxide gas is produced, which causes the unique look of Swiss cheese.
This video shows how to make a type of homemade soft cheese similar to ricotta or cream cheese that can be easily spread on crackers or bread. The video is a bit long, but it really shows the details needed to make cheese.
This is a really funny video that has really nothing to do with making cheese other than it involves a cow. The first time I saw it I laughed for a good five minutes afterwards, and I just felt like sharing with the rest of you too!
No matter how cheeses are made, they sure are mighty tasty! Who knew mold could taste so good?