Hundreds of different types of cheese are produced around the world. So, in France alone, more than 400 varieties are produced – from the softest to the hardest cheeses – and not a single country in the world can compare with it in this. Despite the variety of different production technologies, the basic principles of cheese making are the same, and have remained the same as they were thousands of years ago.
The whole process of making cheese can be divided into 6 main stages:
1. Pasteurization. It involves heating milk to a very high temperature. It is important to note that some types of cheese are made from raw (not pasteurized) milk. At this stage, depending on the milk used, the cheese acquires its own special characteristics.
2. Curdling. By adding rennet or milk starter, milk is curdled, separating a dense mass from a liquid called whey. The dense mass obtained in this way is called the cheese mass.
3. Drip. At this stage, the cheese mass is subjected to certain processes that contribute to the separation of whey. Sometimes, to speed up the process of whey draining, the cheese mass is heated. If necessary, spices, spices or other ingredients are added to it to help give the future cheese a specific flavor. This stage largely determines the structure and taste of the resulting cheese.
4. Pressing. At this stage, the cheese is laid out in special molds and pressed. It is important that cheese pressing is performed only in some cases, and not always – depending on the type of cheese being made.
5. Salting. The cheese mass is either salted or immersed in a saline solution to shade its taste.
6. Ripening. At this stage, the cheese is transferred to the cellar, or some other special room for maturation, where it is carefully looked after. It is turned over, sometimes washed, brushed. Depending on what kind of cheese is made, it can also be smoked, rubbed with alcohol, sprinkled with spices and perform other manipulations. It is important that a certain level of humidity and temperature is maintained in the room throughout the entire ripening process, since the final result depends on this.
The last three stages have the most influence on the change in taste, texture and appearance of the cheese.
As a result of the processes described above, cheese is obtained – healthy, nutritious and easy to use product.
So, cheeses are a valuable source of proteins – they make up from 20 to 30 g per 100 g of cheese, and besides, they are easier to digest than animal proteins.
In addition, cheeses are very rich in calcium: 30 g of Emmental, 45 g of Roquefort or 80 g of Camembert contain the same amount of calcium as 850 g of cabbage or 1 kg of oranges.
Also, cheeses are rich in phosphorus, potassium and magnesium, which are necessary for the full mental, physical and hormonal activity of the body.