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![]() Very Hard Cheese Pride in the Art Becoming
the Driving Force
Volume 126, No. 40, Friday, April
12, 2002 |
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Typified by Parm- esan from Italy, such cheese has proved to be a great
way to store milk over an extended period, sometimes as long as 5 years.
A prime example of necessity being set aside and pride in the art becoming
the driving force.
Parmesan is a gourmet cheese bar none, so intense the finished cheese
can be used as a garnish to add life and zest to an otherwise bland dish.
I am not intimate with the historical milk flow patterns of the region
around Parma, but it does not appear to have been a region of frequent
or extreme drought.
That eliminates the necessity for cheese which would last for up to five
years. Parmigiano-Reggiano is a strictly delineated D.O.C. region (Denominazione
Di Origine Controllata), about which I will talk more later. Cheese produced
in the region around Parma, a very small area and Reggio Emilia where
most of the cheese is made. This D.O.C. branding and control ensures
that the cheese is made in this region.
While excellent very hard cheeses are made elsewhere in the world this
procedure is one of the oldest known and is steeped in history that dates
back to before the Middle Ages.
The traditional process for making Parmesan starts with the evening milk,
which is held in shallow vats, almost tray-like under cool conditions
but not refrigerated. As the milk stands the cream will rise to the top
and in the morning the skim milk from the bottom of the tray is drained
off, this is mixed with milk from the morning milking and cheesemaking
can commence. The cheese is made in copper kettles (110 - 220 gallons)
large enough to yield one or two cheeses of approximately 66 -77 pound.
These cheeses are approximately 14 - 18 inches in diameter and less than
10 inches high.
To the milk is added starter, this is whey inoculated with whey from
the previous day’s production, the predominant bacteria being Lactobacillus
bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Rennet is added in one of
three forms, liquid, powder or paste. The nature of the coagulant used
in this region is part of the formulation, which continues to make this
cheese unique; these coagulant preparations deliver more than pure chymosin
extract.
Once the curd is coagulated at 86 - 89oF it is cut into very fine particles
of around 1/16 of an inch. The temperature is raised slowly to 128oF
then it is heated quickly to as high as 131oF. This procedure produces
a very dry curd particle, the cultures have had little opportunity to
develop acidity as the cook temperatures are well above their optimums.
Cheeses made this way, which include the Swiss varieties, are characterized
by their relatively high calcium contents.
The dense curd is allowed to fall to the bottom of the vats where it
is scooped out with cheese cloth; once the curd has drained sufficiently
it is placed in the mold with the cheese cloth and pressed for 24 hours.
After being allowed to stand for another 24 hours the cheeses are placed
in brine for up to 28 days at ambient temperature. The finished cheeses
are then matured for 14 to 24 months at 64oF and 85% RH. Of course the
cheese must be turned throughout the aging process, less as the cheese
get older.
What transpires inside this piece of cheese is incredibly complex, the
final flavor is so complex I describe it as savory, it activates the
taste senses of our palate in a unique way. The balance between the breakdown
of the fat and protein is like no other cheese, with good full flavor
that fills the mouth in waves while at the same time tingling the taste
sensors that don’t normally get a work-out.
The flavor profile which we associate with this cheese is most certainly
in part attributable to copper, copper ions to be more precise, as with
Gruyere the vats in which the cheese is made are lined with copper, no
they are not inside out. Brightly polished prior to each day’s
production the copper imparted to the cheese induces a progression of
events, oxidation of the fat being the most obvious in young cheese,
forming the basis for the formation of some of the most pleasurable organoleptic
experiences a cheese lover will experience.
Flavors with this level of complexity are the result of time, attention
to detail and harmony with the environment, not often reproduced away
from the D.O.C. It is hard to find the commitment to this grand tradition
in the modern world. Having said that many of the emulators are very
rewarding to consume so, pull out your coltello per Parmigiano, the last
of three knives used for breaking down traditional cheeses and share
with your friends. Remember, these cheeses are to be savored. •
Neville McNaughton, president of Cheez Sorce, St. Louis, MO, has many years of experience manufacturing dairy products in both New Zealand and US. He has been a judge at several cheese competitions. Neville will be writing a regular column in Cheese Reporter and will take any questions regarding cheese manufacture. You can reach him at CheezSorce@sbcglobal.net. jumhoefer@wischeesemakersassn. org
Other Neville McNaughton Columns |
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Other Cheese Reporter Guest Columnists |
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