When you buy gift hampers that contain various cheeses, have you ever considered how cheese is made? This article relates some basic essentials regarding the production of this amazing versatile food. http://www.gourmetgroceronline.com.au
Keppel Ltd. 1Q 2024 Business Update Presentation Slides
Cheese production
1. Cheese Production—the Basics
Australian cheese is big business! On average, we devour over 10 kg of cheese per person
every year. This country now manufactures over a hundred types of cheeses. Since 1996,
Australia’s export of cheeses has more than doubled. Specialist cheese, which is a term
generally applied to any cheese that isn’t mozzarella or cheddar, is also produced on a large
scale. In most cases, the specialist variety is often produced by hand.
If you walk into any Cheese Shop, you will be confronted with a multitude of different
types of cheese. Many shoppers play it safe and select the cheeses with which they are
familiar; more than often Cheddar is the top choice, which is very adaptable in recipes. This
cheese was first introduced by the English settlers, way back in the middle of the nineteenth
century. It is now recognised that Australia is one of the top countries that produces the
best cheddar cheese.
Australia’s cheese is made in different phases. During the first phase, milk must be
pasteurised and the fats and proteins must be standardised to a set formula. All the large
cheese producers must keep strictly to these standards, although some hard cheeses that
go through a maturing process for several months can be produced from raw milk if certain
rules are applied.
So, what is the next step? A starter culture must be added to the milk in order to develop
the flavour and texture of the cheese. Hundreds of years ago the cheese farms merely
placed sour milk in a churn and made cheese the very next day. This method was fine for
making small quantities of cheese. However, the result of each batch had a different taste as
the flavour and texture were inconsistent.
Cheese starters have now been developed to a fine art and they are made under laboratory
conditions. These starter cultures are a mixture of bacteria that have been made to a
scientific formula. They absorb the milk sugar and then they emit the lactic acid that
thickens the milk. Rennet can also be added to hurry the process. This is the initial phase in
turning the milk into a solid state.
The production of the lactic acid in cheese must be carefully monitored. If too much lactic
acid is produced, the cheese can become very crumbly. On the other hand, if insufficient
lactic acid is produced, the cheese can result into a gooey paste consistency. The next time
you buy your cheese from your supermarket or if you order Gourmet Hampers online,
remember that cheese has come a long way since the days of trial and error methods of
producing this popular food source.
Enjoy your cheese, whether it is cheddar, stilton, parmesan or one of the specialist varieties.
It is one of our most versatile foods and, of course, there is something exotic about eating a
piece of cheese and drinking a glass of fine wine to conclude a dinner party.
http://www.gourmetgroceronline.com.au