For the ancient Greeks, the cheese was “a gift from the gods”. There are hundreds of varieties of cheese. Its different styles and flavors are the result of the use of different species of bacteria and molds, different levels of cream in the milk, variations in the curing time, different treatments in its process and different breeds of cows, goats or the mammal and that milk is used.
However, the descriptive elaboration of the cheese is simple, it is a solid food that is obtained by maturing the curd of animal milk once the whey has been eliminated. The different varieties they depend on the origin of the milk used, the production methods and the degree of maturity reached.
Throughout history there have been various classifications of cheeses. Many of these categories depend on the milk used and where it comes from: cow, sheep, goat, buffalo, soy, among others. The other segment to take into account in the evaluation is the textureThere are very soft cheeses that are eaten with a spoon, soft ones that are spread, semi-soft ones, semi-hard ones that are cut on the market, and hard ones that are highly aged and difficult to cut.
Undoubtedly, the categorization that specialists in the field observe is the rind of the elaborated product. In this regard, the dried natural bark of manchego style or moldy rind, such as those used in the variables camembert and brie, They are the main references. There are also those that are bathed in brine, beer or those that are covered with paraffin or fig leaves.
In all cases, the cheeses must be stored in dark spaces with a temperature control of 10 degrees Celsius. Strong temperatures should be avoided, both hot and cold, which damage the texture and flavor. “Formerly, they were stored in the basement in damp cloths. Today the refrigerator replaces that place. It can be stored in its original packaging., on butter paper, greased with butter, with adherent film, where the cold does not burn them. Neither leave them near stoves or kitchens”, explain the teachers of “Time of cheeses”the hundred-year-old cheese factory from Tandil.
Conservation for the different cheese factories is a fundamental aspect to maintain the aroma and flavor. “In soft cheeses the wrap should be tight against the cutting area. If you want to freeze the cheese, never before it is well ripened, since all of them lose aroma when they are frozen. Do it only in case of emergency in a freezer bag, no more than six months. The hard ones crack, on the other hand, the semi-hard and soft ones resist better. You should never eat cheese fresh out of the fridge.at least let them oxygenate for two hours at room temperature ”, detail the specialists from the Tandil local.
The relationship between cheese and wine dates back many centuries. Sommeliers and culinary experts classify the combination between the two products for their best complement in taste and flavor. Goat and sheep cheeses go very well with dry white wine and champagne. Creamy cheeses with young grapes, while blue cheeses with sweet wines, such as port and sherry.
The cheese presentation style for events, receptions and consumption in general, has certain conditions and requirements. Variables in a cheese board have a French rule “Never less than three, never more than seven.” In general, each diner is served several wedges of various tastes. It is important to know how to combine cheese with the other dishes served: fatty cheeses go well with barbecue and roast meatsthe younger cheeses are ideal for spicy dishes.
A universal form of presentation of the product is first the soft cheeses, then those of cow, goat or sheep, and finally the smoked and blue pasta. That is the inherited tasting of Franco-Italian gastronomy. The same standard is set in the cuts: Hard cheeses are cut into rectangular blocks, semi-hard into triangular blocks and soft into slices.
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