Cheese is considered a staple in many cultures, especially throughout Europe and Middle East and is one of the most widely consumed foods around the world along with rice, meat, fish, eggs and milk.
Cheese, this so much loved dairy product, dates back to ancient time and it is an incredible popular food.
Cheese, adds flavour and texture to a wide variety of meals and when eaten in moderation it can make a nutritious addition to a wholesome well-balanced diet.
But since it is so popular around the world and with so many varieties available in the market, it can be really confusing to know what types of cheese are the best for our health.
Before understanding what types of cheese are the best for our health, first let’s go a little bit back in time and see how cheese was invented.
The word “cheese” is derived from the Latin word “caseus” that means “to ferment”.
Historically cheesemaking involves a fermentation technique that was used to prolong the life of fresh milk.
Now around the world, there are used different types of milk to make cheese: cow, goat, sheep, camel, yak, buffalo, bison, including even horse milk.
How the cheese is made?
To make the cheese, first need to add to the milk a culture of bacteria which digests the lactose (milk sugars) and turns it into lactic acid.
Then an enzyme called rennet is added to curdle the milk.
This rennet is found in the stomachs of young cows, sheep and goats but you can also find some vegetarians alternatives now.
But think a little bit: how it was possible in ancient times to discover that this enzyme called rennet which is found in the stomachs of young cows by adding it to the cows milk will help to curdle the milk and make the cheese?
How they did this connection?
The stomach of a young cow and the milk of his mother…This is crazy.
But thinking that back then, the internal organs of the animals were used as storage for foods (including my grandma used to do the sausages using the pork’s intestines, which was if you wish the way to store the meat), it is probable that the process of cheese making was discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, resulting the milk being turned into curd and whey by the rennet from the stomach.
Sometimes from accidents in the kitchen are borne the most delightful dishes. I guess this was the case too.
However, after the rennet is added to curdle the milk, the watery whey is then removed, leaving clumps of casein.
Then is added salt and the product is pressed into moulds and left to dry or age for varying amounts of time.
The ageing process is a form of fermentation which can take from a few weeks to years, depending on the type of cheese.
Types of fresh and aged cheeses
A few types of fresh cheeses, made from fresh curds that have not been pressed or aged, known around the world: Cream cheese, Feta, Mozzarella, Burrata, Ricotta, Robiola, Stracchino, Mascarpone, Paneer, Cottage cheese, Halloumi, Brie.
A few types of aged cheeses known around the world: Cheddar, Gruyere, Manchego, Gouda, Parmesan-types like Parmigiano-Reggiano and Grana Padano, Asiago, Pecorino Romano, Emmental / Swiss Cheese, Monterey Jack, Bleu cheese.
I am a cheese lover and I like them all 😉😋
What is your favourite?
The nutritional content, taste and texture of a particular cheese is largely dependent on the type of milk and bacteria used, and how the cheese was produced.
Did you know?
According with a 2018 scientific paper, the world’s oldest cheese, dating to approximately 1200 BCE which is 3200 years before present, was found in ancient Egyptian tombs.
Join me next time and let’s see which cheese is better, natural or processed? Whole-milk cheese or reduced or low-fat milk cheese?
What are the health benefits of cheese or contraindications?
See you next time.
Have a lovely day 🌸
I too love cheese.
I’m glad you like it ☺️
I love cheese, one of the reasons I’ve found turning vegan difficult. My favourite cheese has to be this smoked cheese that I had at a cheese farm in Netherlands. It totally blew my mind and I’ve had smoked cheese after but nothing as good as that!
For a cheese lover I guess it was difficult 😔 Smoked cheese is not one of my favorites but you’re right! When you try one and you love it, nothing is better ☺️😋
Mmm, Iove cheese, esp cream cheese, feta, mozzarella, gouda and white cow cheeses from Serbia that lots of families in the village make and sell in the open markets. They don’t have any specific name, and are often region-related and each is different and tasting superb, nth I can find here.
Oh yes I know…back home in Romania, my grandma and other neighbors from the villages used to do it, and they’re keep doing it…I guess is different in each region depending on what the cows eat…but the flavor of it is really wonderful! Oh I miss it too 😆
Me too. That cheese, tomatoes, basil, bread – best breakfast ever. And dinner.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner…perfect for any time of the day 😉😋
Yes.
As I read your post, the smell of melting cheese wafted past my nose and my mouth began to water!
Hahaha…I’m very glad 😀😋
We just ordered $200 worth of cheese, hard meats and crackers for our holiday meal next week. We love cheese, I love cheese more and he loves the hrd meats. We eat every little traditional Thanksgiving or Christmas but eat the cheese and meat celebration along with special deserts. That cheese being melted on that sanwich was way too much sheese even for me! Hav e agreat day. Love hte graphics. Special to my heart is Sponge Bob
That’s a good amount of cheese 🧀☺️
I have sometimes evenings when I’m not in the mood for cooking dinner and the cheese and cold cuts is always my saving ☺️
Thank you very much! I love Sponge Bob too ☺️😀
Instead of traditional Thanks giving, it’s just the two of us, we go for the cheese and meat route and spreadit over a couple of days! There goes my weight loss! But it’s only three times a year, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. We both like differ cheese and I have to have olives.
That’s great! Cheese and cold cuts are always a treat ☺️😋 Oh yes, olives is part of the treat too ☺️ I think this evening I’ll have some cheeses and olives and cold cut…😋😋
Great odea….always
Strong Cheddar or Saint Agur
A good selection 😀 Thank you Derrick!
Nowadays only very low fat and 0% fat cottage cheese permitted; on the positive side its no problem, I enjoy them. Happy Cheese Day.
Natural cheeses are always better 😀😋 Thank you Goff! Happy Cheese Day!
Thanks. Happy Wednesday.
I love all cheeses, mostly, but the stinky French ones are my favorites. I have a raclette party every year. I don’t think that was an accident – raclette has a perfect melting point – they used to set the wheel in a fireplace, and scrape off (racler) the cheese as it melts, and place on potatoes or bread. It’s fabulous!
It’s fabulous indeed! Back home in Italy we used to go into the mountains and the melted cheese with polenta and mushrooms was always the perfect food there even in summer ☺️🧀😋
Nice read and i love the cheese in various dishes ! 💕
Thank you Suni! I’m glad you like it!
Thanks for sharing such an informative post. Paneer is my favorite cheese, I wish it is better than any other cheese, and I’m looking forward to know more about this in your upcoming post. 🙂
Thank you Megala! I do enjoy paneer too ☺️😋 I guess all of them have their fashion ☺️😋
I love cheese!! And I’m waiting for your cheese recipe!
Thank you Mel! 😀☺️ A cheese recipe? Hmmm 🤔 I usually finish it piece by piece before even starting to cook with it 😀☺️
Great post Ribana! I love cheese but can no longer eat it sadly though I can eat a little old cheddar. Cheese is one thing I really do miss. Have a great day Ribana!😀😺🌞🧀☕
I understand…I could eat it everyday but I’m trying not to😆🧀 Have a lovely day both of you 😸😻☺️
Yes, Muffin and I could too! She absolutely loves cheese.😁😺🧀😻
She always knows what is good 😆😻😸
That is so true. That’s why I have to watch my plate of food closely!😳🙄😼
Hahahah….very well Muffin 😻 Maybe you can also distract him and enjoy his food 🤪😋😹😼
She has done that too! She will stare at the door until I have to go look and see if someone is out there. I come back to find her with her face in my mashed potatoes!😂😹😳😻
Hahahaha…she knows all the tricks 😻😹😹😹 Good girl Muffin 😹😹😻😻😺😺😼😼
And it happens quite a bit too, so I know it’s not coincidence! She really does it purposely!😹😹😹😸😸😸😻😻😻
That’s pretty clever 😻😼😹😺 She learned her human very well and she knows how to play it ☺️😺😼😻😹
Yep, I hate to admit it, but it’s true!🙄😹😹😻😻
I grow without missing cheese in months, now I can hardly imagine without it after years of living in Europe.
I wonder if anyone want to try a bite of the oldest cheese 🤔😂
Living here, when people hear about cheese they say “nah” 🤢
They don’t know what they miss 😁
I’m glad you’ve embraced European food ☺️😋
Oldest cheese usually are the best ones ☺️ 🧀 They have lots of flavor 😋
So true. They don’t know what they’re missing. I’ll admit thought I got a big issue with fresh milk and concentrated orange juice, but I’m flexible when it comes to eating so I quickly adapted. I still hate concentrated orange juice haha 😀
Hahaha 🤣 I understand…fresh milk is not a known commodity in this part of the word 😀 Soy milk it is though ☺️
Orange juice? I can only drink the freshly squeezed one 😀😋
I hate soy milk then, ironically I started liking it after I accepting fresh milk.
Me too! Fresh squeezed only, concentrated ones taste bitter.
Hahaha…you hated soya milk when you were here? That’s a first ☺️ Soya here is a staple food 😁 they would put it in everything 🤪 but I guess you know better than me ☺️
Nah, I like soya beans and soya milk in food, but I don’t like drinking soya milk. 😄
Yes, same here 🤪
Cheese, in whatever form is always welcome. We eat Cottage Cheese- also called as Paneer here sometimes.
In fact, if we have food for a wedding occasion, we always expect 2/3 dishes of cottage Cheese or paneer!
That’s great! Cheese is always a great addition to any dish ☺️ I love paneer too ☺️
Not sure in which year I got stuck while you posted it 😁 I Say Cheese😁😁 now . I missed reading the post 😎. Well, now I’m reading it☺️ I use to wonder where cheese comes from, and when my Aunty said it came from the same cow that gives milk I had a wild imagination of how cheese came from 😂😂. That’s a long story 😜 and awkward too😜😂. Lovely content. You are a little Wikipedia of foodictionary ✨✍️ Great Job Done ✨
Hahaha…you’re too funny Simon! I can only imagine where your imagination took you 🤣😂
Thank you always for stopping by and for your kind words! I really appreciate it! 🤩
Say cheese! ☺️ Have a wonderful day Simon!
ha ha ha… 😂😁😂 Said Cheese!!! 😁✨😎
I’d rather eat cheese rather than spending a priceless couple of seconds on saying it!
Hahaha…I guess you’re right 😉
They are using the CRISPR gene editing technique in improving the way cheese 🧀 is made! https://geneinquirer.com/2020/12/16/have-some-crispr-with-your-cheese/
I’m sure one day they’ll use these gene editing techniques to make us live longer 😉