In ancient times, cheese was made primarily from sheep's milk. It is not only sweeter than a cow, but also more nutritious. Therefore, even now sheep’s cheese is not losing popularity. Let's find out more about this healthy and tasty product.
Benefits, Health Benefits
Sheep milk cheese is a source of vitamins A, B, D, E, which are necessary for humans. Therefore, it is worth including it in the diet in order to reduce the use of dietary supplements and other drugs. In addition, it is rich in folic acid and vitamin B12.
Sheep milk contains protein up to three times more than cow or goat, calcium and potassium - up to two times. Moreover, all these substances are in the most optimal ratio for assimilation by the human body.
It has a high fat content - up to 32 - 34%, which sometimes scares people away. But these are useful fatty acids that undergo the natural process of homogenization, which contributes to their better absorption. For products made from cow and goat milk, this is not characteristic.
Do not confuse the level of fat and cholesterol. Moreover, sheep cheese contains substances that contribute to its excretion from the body. It is also useful for people with allergies, asthma. Sheep milk products can be consumed even by people with lactose intolerance, especially cheese and yogurt.
disadvantages
Perhaps the main disadvantage of this product is its rarity, and hence the cost. Therefore, it is sometimes difficult to find real sheep’s cheese.
Another disadvantage is the high sodium content. 30 grams of sheep cheese contains about a third of the daily intake of this trace element. Exceeding it regularly increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Product Types
Sheep's milk cheeses are distinguished by their special taste and rich creamy texture. Popular all over the world, they are produced most often in mountainous areas where grazing dairy cattle is impractical or impossible. Sheep cheese is not like cow cheese, so it can be a source of new gourmet taste discoveries. And he will give culinary experts the opportunity to experiment with many classic dishes of European cuisine.
One of the most popular and common such cheeses is feta. It comes from Greece, and by European standards in the food industry, contains 70% sheep and 30% goat milk. Feta is made in brine, which gives it a salty taste. This is an important component of traditional Greek salad and Mediterranean cuisine in general.
Spain is a major producer of sheep’s cheese. Some varieties are very popular and are known all over the world. For example, manchego is a semi-hard sheep’s cheese, which is kept for several months in caves. Depending on his age, he may have a slightly sweet or pungent taste, but, as a rule, he has a mild aroma and therefore it goes well with other products.
In Italy, the most popular cheese made from sheep’s milk is undoubtedly pecorino romano. It looks like parmesan, but often has a stronger and more salty taste. Most often, it is cut and served with pasta or soups. Better combine it with traditional Italian red wines such as Chianti.
Century-old traditions
French cheeses are hardly inferior in fame and popularity to perfumes. They are a common souvenir that tourists bring with them. One of the most famous is Roquefort - blue cheese made from sheep’s milk, named after the region where it is produced. It was first mentioned in the works of the Roman writer Pliny the Elder (79 A.D.). This is a blue cheese, slightly sour and with an unusual flavor. Therefore, it must be combined with products that are not inferior to it in the brightness of taste, it is better to serve it with a Bordeaux or strong cabernet Sauvignon.
Corsican sheep milk cheese is also very popular. On this mountainous island, lamb herds can be found everywhere. The most famous cheeses are brocciou and rum, but each region has its own peculiarities of their manufacture and therefore its name. For example, Corsican cheese made from sheep’s milk with the beautiful name Brin de Amour (in translation - the birth of love) after formation is wrapped in local herbs. Then it ripens, absorbs their aroma, and a soft greenish crust from mold appears on it. This cheese is made exclusively by hand and can only be made in Corsica, which explains its very high cost.