Do you know that cheese has been around since 5500BC? And even if you don’t, it’s likely you are among the millions who are in love with this unique dairy creation which is found in almost all countries and cultures. However, have you ever wondered how this culinary delight is made? To the uninitiated, it all appears to be one big mystery but here’s a quick lesson that will put you in the know within minutes!
While cheesemaking might have first been a technique used to preserve the lifespan of milk, cheese is now a food product in its own right, and over time a combination of art and science has been refined again and again to produce an endless variety of cheeses.
The first big thing to know about cheesemaking is that it really boils down to a process of removing moisture from milk. Milk actually comprises about 87% of water, and as the water is removed it starts to solidify to eventually become cheese. While different kinds of cheese might differ slightly in their processing, the following are a few important steps common to all:
1: Milk Selection and treatment
Cheese can be made from cow’s, sheep’s or goat’s milk, and in rarer cases camel’s or yak’s. After the suitable milk is chosen for a cheese type, it has first to be heated in order to destroy unwanted bacteria and prep it for the next step.
2: Turning milk into curd
After letting the milk cool a little, it’s time to start curdling or solidifying the milk. This is achieved by adding a thing or two. There are starter cultures which work to acidify the milk thus helping it to curdle. Then there’s rennet, an enzyme usually produced in labs, which joins up the proteins in the milk and makes it coagulate or basically become like jelly.
3: Separating curd and whey
The process of cheesemaking really is about separating the solid curd from the liquid whey. Once the curdling has reached a suitable point, this separation is pushed even further via cutting. Why cutting, you might ask. That’s because cutting the curd creates even more surfaces to make it dry faster and therefore expel even more whey.
Cutting also hardens the curd, so only harder cheeses like cheddar are cut but not soft ones like brie or camembert.
4: Heating and stacking
Once again, effort is made to continue separating curd and whey. Some cheesemakers might choose heating, while others will use the stacking method. The curd is cut again into sections, which are then stacked one upon another to exert pressure and force out even more moisture. The process is usually repeated, with the curd cut and stacked again several times over.
5: Salting and flavoring
By now, the curd is finally beginning to look like cheese, and its a good time to give it some flavour depending on each cheesemaker’s recipe. Salt and brine are the most commonly used, as they not only add flavour to the cheese but also help preserve it so it does not spoil, especially for those that require long periods of aging.
However, and more so with artisan cheese, the type of flavoring used is very diverse and often chosen based on their ability to enhance the unique flavour of each type of cheese. Herbs like dill, basil, chives or rosemary and spices like horseradish, garlic, paprika, habanero and cloves are just some of the many choices for making cheese more lively.
6: Molding and ageing
The process of preparing the cheese is more or less complete at this point, so the next thing to do is mold it into its final form. Either a hoop or basket is used for this, with a round or rectangular shape usually preferred. Some kind of weight or machine might also be used to press down on the cheese to get rid of any liquid still remaining.
At this point, fresh cheeses like mozzarella, ricotta and feta can already be packaged and be shipped out to stores and supermarkets. On the other hand, aged cheeses such as cheddar, parmesan and gouda will be put on shelves in a room where very exact levels of temperature and humidity are carefully maintained to ensure the cheese matures to perfection before it’s ready for consumption.
While you might now have some basic idea about how cheese is made, the actual process tends to be much more tedious and technical. Every slice of your favourite cheese on your plate is the result of months of hard work by the cheesemakers, so remember to be thankful for everything they are doing to keep the art of cheesemaking alive and strong!
