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Great Goat CheeseBy Madelyn Miller, the TravelLadyI am grounded due to a car accident. Instead of touring the world, telling you about the most interesting and exciting places, I spend my days in physical therapy. But every cloud has its silver lining. People are sending me delicious foods to sample and try. (UPS and FedEX are always better than going to the grocery store). One of my favorites was a box of Montchevre Cheese.
If you are not a goat cheese lover yet, you may be surprised to know that there is goat milk cheddar. The curd is cheddarized and pressed slowly to achieve the best cheddar texture with mild & tangy goat flavor. There is also Goat camembert and Goat Brie, Goat Milk Blue and Goat Milk Feta. There are many advantages to goat cheese. Since my family is lactose intolerant, we embraced this easy to digest cheese for its flavor. And now that I am also concerned about fat content and calories, I have learned that goat cheese is the healthy choice both those reasons.
Thank goodness I am sitting around eating goat cheese rather than bonbons. And looking at the pictures of the goats in the mountains is making me hope that soon, I too, will be climbing mountains. Frequently Asked Questions On Goat Cheese
When compared to cow milk products like cream cheese, goat cheese is lower in fat, calories and cholesterol. It also provides more calcium and fewer carbohydrates than cream cheese. Even though goat cheese has less calories, it has a full, rich and creamy flavor. Montchevre goat cheeses are all natural and contain no hormones, additives or preservatives.
Why is a lactose intolerant person able to have goat milk products? Most lactose intolerants who can’t have cow milk will be
able to digest goat milk. The fat particles in goat milk are close in size to
those in mother’s milk. Goat milk products are said to be “naturally
homogenized” and therefore easier to digest for lactose intolerants.
Goat milk can be used as any other milk with any kind of cheese making techniques… The most common and best known is the lactic process. This method originated in Central France in the area of Poitou. This product is creamy and can be eaten fresh or soft ripened. Montchevre offers a broad line of natural and flavored fresh chevre as well as soft ripened lactic chevre. Goat cheese can also be made from a quick-set, non lactic process. This method require aging from a few weeks to a few months depending on the product. Montchevre also makes semi-soft washed rind “Darsonval” Tomme, soft ripened Goat Brie and Camembert, Goat milk Blue and Goat Milk Feta… Why do some goat cheeses have a stronger flavor than others? Goats produce less milk than cows and goat herds are typically smaller than cow herds. Therefore, many producers pick up the milk at the farm every 5 to 7 days. Acidity develops in the milk and is often found in the finished product. Montchevre collects its milk every 3 days. We are very strict on milk quality and therefore offer a very mild and consistent fresh goat cheese. Montchevre aged goat cheeses are fairly sharp due to the controlled ripening process but not because of uncontrolled milk quality.
Ripened goat cheeses can be served on a traditional cheese tray with green salad and bread. Fresh Goat Cheeses are great spread on a bagel for breakfast or as a snack. The Fresh Goat cheese mixed with Cranberry & Cinnamon or Lemon zest will suit consumer that have a sweet tooth. Washed Rind Goat Cheese Darsonval can even be melted in place of Raclette. Fresh goat cheese is also a great base ingredient for cooking: crumbled on salad or pizza, melted in a sauce or grilled on a slice of bread. Whichever way you choose to have Goat Cheese, you will always taste the goat tangy flavor. Why do traditional Goat Cheeses have a straw in the middle and are covered with ash? Cheeses need to be salted before they are ripened. The salt is important for flavor. In the case of lactic cheese, it also helps the product hold its shape. Because goat milk is already richer in salt, lower amount of salt is needed to achieve the right flavor. The ash which is a form of crushed charcoal was only used as a substitute for salt. A straw was planted through to hold and roll the cheese in ash without breaking. Today a straw is occasionally used but only to preserve the traditional appearance of the product. The straw does not have any impact on the flavor or in the ripening process. Why is Goat Cheese gaining in popularity?
Goat cheese has been used for more than 15 years in the kitchen of some of the most famous restaurants in the US. This followed in main stream with the popularity of Goat Cheese Pizza, Goat Cheese Panini, Goat Cheese Ravioli, Goat Cheese Hors d oeuvres… As more people are being exposed, the demand for goat cheese is growing. |
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TM
I love goat cheese, so I was predisposed to like Montchevre.
These handcrafted goat cheeses are 100% natural, made in traditional ways. After
sampling several of their delicious cheeses, I certainly understand why they are
the largest goat cheese producer in the United States.
What are the health benefits of goat cheese?
What are the different types of goat cheeses?
When and how can I have Goat Cheese?
The popularity of the Mediterranean diet has contributed
greatly to the success of goat cheeses in the United States. Goats were commonly
found in small farms all around the Mediterranean area as well as Northern
Africa. Often refer to as “the cow of the poor”; goats were the only source of
milk on small family farms and cheese was the way to preserve the excess spring
and summer milk…