Apart from the customary “CHEESE” while clicking pictures, this offspring of milk is a much sought after flavor-adding savory to a zillion recipes the world over. No particular spot on the globe can lay claim to cheese as its monopoly, for cheese is universal.
Think cheese and a thousand images dance before you- of burgers, pizzas, cakes, sandwiches and a host of other goodies. Dishes with molten cheese mixed with meat, veggies and flour are sure to sent foodies drooling for more.
The technique of making cheese, though simple as it sounds, is quite an art, done with painstaking patience and precision. The first and seemingly easy step is to curdle milk, then strain it and roll out the residue which forms the cheese. But the method of getting the best cheese involves processing it in phases. The right taste and the right consistency is what marks out the cheese for what it is- a favorite of humans and Jerry of Tom and Jerry.
The feel, taste, shape and texture of cheese varies from the flavoring agents, color, and milk from which it is made. Cheese is classified into soft, semi-soft, semi-hard and hard, based on its degree of softness. It appears that there are more than 2,000 varieties of cheese, each different in appearance, taste and texture. Statistics peg the global output of cheese at 21 million tonnes. Cheese from the milk of cow, sheep and goat is the best and what’s widely used.
Feta, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Gouda and Brie are some of the extremely popular cheese varieties. These cheese varieties have been gifted to global cuisine by various countries. To Italy goes the credit of Mozzarella and Parmesan, which make all the difference to the pizzas we dig into. While Feta landed from Greece, the Cheddar made its way from the United Kingdom.
Cheese comes in blocks, cubes, slices and spreads. The savory, rich in calcium, protein and phosphorus, is a nutrient-rich bite for children. What we are familiar with the name paneer is in reality a kind of cottage cheese.
Being labeled as the best comfort foods ever, cheesy recipes are something that can give an instant lift to your day. Try this crunchy fried onion-potato cheese balls recipe today and enjoy the delicious melted mozzarella filling oozing out of the balls.
