Cheese, a popular ingredient, is widely used in pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, and other cuisines. It has a rich milky aroma and rich taste, and is loved by people. So, what exactly is cheese made of?This article will introduce the raw materials, processes and types of cheese in detail, and take you to understand the world of cheese.
First, let's take a look at the basic ingredients of cheese. The main ingredient of cheese is milk, which is usually a processed and fermented dairy product. In the process of making cheese, the protein and fat in the milk are extracted and undergo a series of treatments and processing to finally form the cheese we are familiar with. In addition to milk, making cheese also requires the addition of auxiliary materials such as enzymes, salts, and lactic acid bacteria to help the ingredients in the milk ferment and coagulate.
The cheese making process mainly includes the following steps: raw material preparation, fermentation, coagulation, mixing, molding, maturation and packaging. First, the milk is heated to a certain temperature, and then lactic acid bacteria and enzymes are added to ferment it. During fermentation, the lactose in milk is converted into lactic acid, which causes the milk to coagulate. Next, the coagulated milk is stirred well, then shaped, and finally matured for a certain period of time, and the cheese is ready. Different types of cheese will be different in the production process, and some cheeses also need to be cooked and pickled.
There are many types of cheese, which can be mainly divided into three main categories: soft cheese, semi-hard cheese, and hard cheese. Soft cheese has a delicate taste, and the common ones are blue cheese, white cheese, etc.;Semi-hard cheese has a rich taste, such as cheddar cheese, bacon cheese, etc.;Hard cheeses have a hard texture, such as Parmesan, Cheddar, etc. In addition, there are many specialty cheeses such as Swiss cheese, Dutch cheese, French brie, etc.
In addition to the traditional milk cheese, there are many new types of cheese in the market today, such as bean cheese, coconut cheese, etc. These cheeses are made from plant-based ingredients such as beans and coconuts and are dairy-free, making them suitable for vegetarians and people with dairy allergies.
Around the world, cheese-making techniques and tastes vary from place to place. For example, Mozzarella cheese from Italy, Brie cheese from France, Emmenthaler cheese from Switzerland, etc., are all world-renowned specialty cheeses. Each cheese has its own unique flavor and use, adding infinite deliciousness to people's tables.
In general, cheese is a dairy product made from dairy products such as milk as the main raw material, and it has undergone a series of processing and fermentation processes. Different types of cheese differ in raw materials, craftsmanship and taste, satisfying people's needs for different tastes. With the continuous improvement of people's demand for food, it is believed that the production process and varieties of cheese will continue to innovate and enrich, bringing more deliciousness and surprises to people. Autumn and Winter Check-in Challenge