The ancient Slavic tradition did not know hard cheeses. The milk was simply left to sour, the cottage cheese was discarded and suspended so that the whey drained, and then the mass was kept in brine. Thus, feta cheese was obtained. It is also very tasty and healthy, especially the ghoul - soft cheese made from colostrum. Sometimes the head was dried, and the cheese was hard and crumbly. But it’s not about her now. Let's talk about which types of cheese are hard, how to distinguish them and what to serve.
In Europe and in Russia
But in Western Europe , the cheese of hard varieties has long been known. Its names are very numerous. It was made in two ways - it was cooked or dried, but in both cases a special rennet was added . This substance, which helps milk to ferment properly, forming cheese grains, is produced by the stomach of a newborn animal. Previously, shepherds, giving a calf or a lamb to drink mother's milk, cut it. The contents of the stomach - abomasum - fermented the rest of the herd's milk yield. Now this enzyme is produced synthetically.
Hard varieties of cheese, the names of which we will give later, came to Russia with Peter I, more precisely, with the Swiss brought by the tsar. Therefore, we began to make these products using Alpine technology. Until now, the so-called “Swiss cheese”, with large holes, is especially popular among Russians. True, its Soviet counterpart came out with very small, slit-like eyes. It is understandable: Russian cows graze not in alpine meadows, cheese in dairies was made according to Soviet GOST, and not according to Swiss technology, so the product came out more like a sole from a sneaker than something edible.
Hard Cheese - Swiss Names
These are, first of all, semi-solid species. "Olterman" and "Tete de Muan." But there are also extra farms - Sbrynts, for example. Here you need to make a small digression and tell a little about technology. What is the difference between solid, semi-subspecies and the so-called fresco? Only exposure time. Just like wine, cheese ripens, becoming harder to the touch, spicy and pungent in taste, aromatic and expensive in price with age. A product with a monthly exposure contains 67% of the liquid, in semi-farms it is 54%, and in solid form - 49-50%.
Hard cheese - names in Holland, Italy, France, Spain
The four countries mentioned are recognized leaders in the production of delicious products. In England, only one type of cheese has gained worldwide popularity. This is a cheddar. Together with the British settlers, he migrated overseas and became an integral ingredient for the American burger. Holland also specializes in “sandwich” varieties: Maasdam, Eddam, Gouda, excellently cut and eat well with bread. Their taste is delicate, somewhat straightforward. In a word, such cheeses are not worth being served in the evening on a special plate for dessert. These are cheese for breakfast.
In France, Gourmet Mecca, moldy species are mostly appreciated. But they use it there hard cheese - the names “Conte”, “Gruyere”, “Mimolette” and “Cantal” are well known to everyone. They are mainly used for cheese plates and for the preparation of grattens casseroles. In Italy, there are world-famous Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano and the piquant Pecorino. Delicious Spanish hard cheeses “Idiasabal”, “Mahon”, “Manchego” and “El Pastor” undeservedly remain in the shade.