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Le Fromage
Un Art Français
History
• Cheese was
believed to have
been discovered,
not invented
• Like many great
things, cheese was
probably an
accident!
History
• Cheese was
probably discovered
by nomadic people
who kept livestock,
probably around
8000 BCE
• Evidence of dairying
in Egypt around
3000 BCE
History
• Cheese was
probably the result
of milk being stored
in grass-eating
animal stomachs for
transportation
• An enzyme called
rennet curdled the
milk, allowing
cheese to be made
What is Cheese?
• Cheese is milk that
has been separated
into protein groups:
Curds - solid clumps
Whey - liquid
• They whey is
removed and the
curds are the main
ingredient in cheese
What is Cheese?
• The curds can be
pressed, stretched,
molded etc. to form
blocks of cheese
• Other ingredients?
• The cheese may
then be aged for a
certain amount of
time
Characteristics of Cheese
• Cheeses can be
described based on:
• Type of milk used
• How it is made
• How long it is aged
• Of these, the
amount of aging is
the most important
Aging
• Usually occurs in
“caves”
• As a cheese ages, it
looses moisture.
• It becomes smaller,
more fatty, harder,
and more flavorful
• This is what makes
cheese sharp
Types of Milk
• Cheese is made
from the milk of :
• Cow
• Sheep
• Goat
• Water Buffalo
• Horse
• Camel
• Reindeer
• Yak
Yes, Yaks
Raw Milk
• Raw Cheese is
made from milk that
has not been
pasteurized
• Favored by
connoisseurs
because it improves
flavor and aging
• It’s the original flavor
Raw Milk
• FDA requires that all
imported cheeses
be aged 60 days
• Debates as to
whether raw milk
can be proved to
have caused deaths
or diseases
• Industrial vs
traditional
agriculture
Terroir
• This is a crucial
French culinary idea
• The nature of a
place determines
the nature of the
final product
• The roots of
traditional, local
cheeses
Terroir
• Experienced cheese
tasters and cheese
makers claim to be
able to tell what the
weather was like,
what an animal ate
etc. based on
qualities of the
cheese
Types of Cheese
• We will be looking at
5 different types of
cheese
• These types are
based on how the
cheese is made and
how it is aged
• We will sample each
type!
Washed Rind Cheeses
• These cheese are
repeatedly bathed
with saltwater or
some other liquid as
they age
• Limits what kind of
bacteria will grow
there, forms a rind
around the outside
Camembert
• Very popular and
very famous French
cheese
• From Normandy,
across from England
• Cow’s milk
• Aged 3+ weeks
• The French eat the
rind, they consider it
a part of the cheese
Fresh and Soft Cheeses
• These cheeses are
young, soft and mild
• They are not aged
for long
• Examples include
mozzarella, ricotta
and mascarpone
Chèvre
• Chèvre means goat
in France
• Goat’s milk cheese
• Aged a few days to
a few weeks
• Tastes a lot like
cream cheese
• Widely available
• Melts well, add to
pizzas, salads etc.
Semi-Soft Cheeses
• These cheeses are
between soft and
hard
• Think of a cheese
you can squish, like
Swiss
• Some cheese are
melted to make
raclette and fondue
Mobay (Morbier)
• This cheese is
based on the French
cheese Morbier
• One layer each of
goat and sheep’s
milk cheese
separated by a layer
of grape vine ash
• Aged 60-90 days
• From FrancheComté!
Hard Cheeses
• These cheeses are
aged the longest
• They are hard,
crumbly and sharp
• Some may be aged
for several decades
• The longer the
aging, the more
expensive the
cheese
• Great for grating
Aged Gouda
• This is a Dutch
cow’s milk cheese
• Very popular in
Europe
• Very sharp - aged
one year or more
• Small holes from
gas, crystals of
protein
• Wax rind
Blue Cheeses
• Blue cheeses have
a distinct flavor
• The blue stripes in
them are “veins”
• The blue color
comes from edible
mold
• Roquefort Blue from
Roquefort caves is
very famous
Buttermilk Blue
• Wisconsin cheese!
• Like many blue
cheeses, this
cheese was pierced
with needles to
make paths for mold
growth
• Cow’s milk
• Aged 2+ months
Cheese in France
• Over 365 types of
cheese
• Some are only sold
seasonally
• Cheesemakers are
master craftspeople
• Cheese course in a
meal comes before
dessert
Appelation d’Origine Contrôllé
• “AOC”
• Means Controlled
Designation of
Origin
• Government
organization that
controls the
production of
specific types of
cheese
• Special labels
Buying Cheese
• Fromagerie or
Crèmerie
• Cheese are usually
priced by the kg
• You can ask a
cheesemonger to
sample a cheese in
their store
• Often packaged in
wax paper
Cheese Storage
• Cheeses should be
loosely wrapped in
wax paper to allow
them to breathe, but
be covered
• Some cheeses will
absorb the odors of
others, so store
separately
• Tupperware to
protect other food
Appleton Cheese Resources
• Your local grocery
store!
• Arthur Bay Cheese
Company near
Calumet & Oneida
• Green Gecko
Grocer in the City
Center
• Farmer’s Market
Fin