Goats Cheese
Goats cheese is a cheese that is manufactured using the milk from goats; the chest is referred to chevre in France. Traditionally cheese is made using cows milk and the majority of cheeses available within UK supermarkets will have been made in this way. Both cows milk and goats milk have a very similar fat content although the structure of the fats in goats milk is different. Goats milk is made up of a higher proportion of medium chain fatty acids, these include caproic, caprylic and capric acid. Due to the structure of the fats the goats cheese has a tart flavour, something that differentiates it from traditional cheeses. Goats milk is quite similar to human milk and is often consumed by young children, the elderly and people who are ill. Whilst cows milk has become a popular substance to be consumed throughout the UK, goats milk and goats cheese have become the preferred choice throughout much of the world.
Unlike cheese that is made from cows milk, goats cheese is usually made in areas where refrigeration facilities are lacking. Due to this many cheeses that are made from goats milk are preserved with salt to ensure they do not decay. For this very reason the taste of salt has become associated with the taste of goats cheese, this is especially true within feta cheese. Types of feta cheese are very popular in the UK and they are usually purchased heavily brined.
Goats cheese is not a new development, in act it has been made for thousands of years and it is believed that it was one of the first ever dairy products to be made. There are numerous different ways to make the cheese but in its simplest for goats cheese is made by allowing raw milk to curdle. The curds of the milk are then drained and pressed in order to get the cheese. Other methods that used to create the cheese include using acid, for example vinegar or lemon juice, in order to allow the milk to coagulate, this is then drained and cured. Many goats cheeses are aged before they are sold, this often adds to the flavour they offer. In order to age the cheese it must be brined and the stored in a cool cheese cave. In the majority of cases the cheese is left to mature for several months.
If goats cheese is exposed to heat it will soften, although unlike cows cheese it will not melt. Some goats cheeses that are made are rather firm and these are popular with chefs; many recipes are made for vegetarians using goats cheese.
