Today,
the Callahans make cheese from both Jersey cows from
a near by dairy and from East Fresian sheep, a breed
they raise, but that originated from Northern Europe.
The sheep milk cheeses are San Andreas (aged for 2 months,
smooth and nutty) and Pepato (aged for 2 months with
whole peppercorns). Their cow's milk cheeses are Fromage
Blanc (chef's ingredients with excellent flavor); Creme
Fraiche (traditional French cultured cream cheese for
sauces, soups and desserts); Ricotta (creamy and sweet);
Crescenza (buttery soft, ripened cheese with a creamy,
slightly tart flavor); and Carmody (Semi-soft table
cheese aged for 6 weeks with a smooth texture and subtle
flavor).
While
the type of animal used and the terroir play a major
role in the resulting style, flavor and quality of the
cheese, so to does the cheese making process itself.
Although the cheese making process is essentially the
same around the globe and consists of four basic steps
in curdling, draining, pressing and ripening, various
measures can be undertaken before and during the process
to produce a variety of results. Here's a short explanation
of the processes:
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Curdling:
When a bacterial culture high in lactic acid is added
to the vat of milk, souring begins, with an increase
in acidity. When the milk has obtained a desired temperature
and acid level, the cheese maker adds rennet. Rennet
is ground calves (also lamb and baby goat) stomach.
(A microbial enzyme from plant origin is used in some
cheeses for vegetarian markets.) Rennet stimulates thc
coagulation of the proteins.
Cutting,
Stirring, Draining, Cooking:
The coagulated mass is cut in various ways, depending
on the cheese to be made. Cutting expels more whey.
Whey is the water-soluble elements of the milk. Depending
on the desired texture and acid level, the curds may
be ladled into molds to drain naturally. Or they may
be stretched in hot water until they take on an elastic-like
texture, pasta filatas such as Mozzarella). Some cheeses
are made by cooking the curds in the whey. Generally
speaking, a lower temperature produces cheeses with
a high moisture level and a high temperature brings
about a low moisture content in the cheese. During the
process the curds may be gently agitated (for making
soft cheeses) or rapidly stirred at a high temperature
(for making firm or hard types). Stirring keeps the
curds from forming a tough skin.
Milling,
Salt, Pressing:
Once drained, some curds are milled, cut into smaller
cubes to expel more whey and fit into a perforated mold
of a desired shape. The perforations allow even more
whey to drain away. At this point the curds can be dry-salted
for flavoring, heated or pressed. Firm varieties, for
example, Cheddar, undergo a heavy pressing for several
hours.
Ripening:
Ripening is the final stage in cheese making. Rinds
are formed by introducing the cheese to various elements.
Some cheeses may be dipped into a brine solution to
form the rind, such as Brie and Camembert can be sprayed
with a Penicillium culture to form a white bloomy rind.
Marin
French Cheese Company is an example of a dairy
that has developed a unique style through the cheese
making process rather than through the terroir. All
the cheeses are made from a blend of Jersey cow's milk
from a few neighboring farms. The milk is also vat pasteurized.
But the cheeses have been 'handmade' since 1865, making
this company the oldest continuously operated cheese
factory in the United States.
Joining
the company in 1904, Howard Bunce is head cheese maker
at Marin French Cheese Company. Bunce and his
cheese makers hand craft their cheese in the old world
artisan tradition. An example of this can be found during
the souring process. When a bacterial lactic acid producing
culture is added to the more than 100 individual small
vats of milk, souring begins with an increase in acidity.
Once the culture has primed in the milk (come to temperature
and become fully active) mold cultures and then a coagulant
are added to the milk. The coagulant breaks the protein
chains and allows the calcium in the milk to bind the
protein together into a large mass, which separates
quickly from the whey, after the mass has been cut into
cubes using a wire knife. The traditional coagulant
is rennet (ground up calf stomach), which contains an
enzyme called chymosin that naturally grows in the cow's
stomach.