Page 14 - Mega Interact 0001

ALL THINGS
Cheese is an ancient food
that's believed to have
been around for as long as
10,000 years. Apparently it
was first discovered by
shepherds carrying milk in
goatskin containers: as
they moved around with
their flocks, the milk was
subjected to heat and
churning, creating
something a kin to cheese.
It's a nice story but hardly matured.
scientific, although it does
make sense that, once
people realised they could
obtain (and drink) the milk
of cows, goats, sheep and
camels, they would have
realised that curdled milk
was also safe (if somewhat
tangy).
In any case, the discovery
of cheese gave rise to an
almost entirely new food
type – one that could last
longer if well matured.
South Africa has recently
seen an explosion of
interest in cheese, from
consumers and cheese
makers alike. And with a
growing list of
international awards, it
seems that the locally
made products just keep
on getting better!
What is cheese?
There are hundreds of
types of cheese available,
differentiated by milk
used, geographic origin,
texture, processing, ageing
and flavour.
14
cheesy.
Cheese is usually grouped • Cheeses contain living aromas to develop.
into four broad categories: organisms that must not • Round cheeses like brie
hard/semi hard, soft, fresh be cut off from air, yet it
and mould ripened. is important not to let a and camembert should
cheese dry out. be sliced in wedges.
Hard cheese like • Cheese bought in blocks
parmesan is matured for a Serving cheese should be cut
long time in large wheels, • When serving a cheese lengthwise.
while soft cheese like • On a cheese platter,
mascarpone is less aged platter, remove cheeses offer at least one good
and formed in smaller from fridge at least two cheese in a generous
rounds. Fresh cheese, like hours before serving, to portion, like an entire
cottage cheese, isn't allow their flavours and round of brie.
Brie is a mould-ripened
cheese – these are
washed with a culture that
promotes mould, in order
to form an external rind.
Storing cheese
• Keep fresh cheese
refrigerated in its original
container and eat as
soon as possible.
• Normal plastic wrap
doesn't allow cheese to
breathe. Rewrap cheese
in wax paper or cover
with a crumpled paper
towel and seal it in a
plastic container.
Resealable ziplock bags
also work.
• Avoid storing cheese
uncovered near strong-
smelling foods like
onions or garlic, as it will
become tainted with
their aromas.
• Unpasteurised cheese
with a range of flavours
should not be sliced until
purchase otherwise it
will start to lose its
subtlety and aroma.
• Wrap blue cheeses all
over as mould spores
spread readily not only
to other cheeses but
also to everything near.
• Chilled cheeses should
be taken out of the
refrigerator one and a
half or two hours before
serving.
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