Goat cheese is any cheese made from the milk of goats. Popular throughout the world, and available in many forms, from soft to hard, it’s one of the world’s oldest cheeses, dating to the domestication of goats around 10,000 to 11,000 years ago.
What is Goat Cheese?
Goat cheese differs from cow’s milk cheeses in a number of ways. It’s generally softer than cow’s milk cheese, owing to a lower amount of casein, a milk protein that becomes firm when combined with substances like acid or rennet which cause curdling. Goat cheese has more fat than cow’s milk cheese, and its flavor is tangier, since it is rich in caproic, caprylic, and capric acids—medium chain fatty acids that also help give goat cheese its unique, goaty aroma.
What’s unique about Goat Cheese?
Goat cheese is white in color, taking on a slightly yellow hue as it ages. Goat’s milk has almost as much lactose as cow’s milk, but the fat molecules are smaller, which may account for the fact that people who are lactose intolerant have an easier time digesting goat’s milk products than cow’s milk. When heated, it softens rather than melts.
Popular types of Goat Cheese
Some of the popular types of goat cheese are as follows:
1. Aged
Aged goat cheeses are usually French, and they come in various shapes and sizes. Often an aged goat cheese will be covered in an edible ash to prevent it from drying out and to keep its surface clean. It may have a fluffy middle and a gooey exterior. Readily available aged goat cheeses include Chevrot, Valencay, and Selles sur Cher.
2. Tomme style
Tomme style refers to a wheel of cheese with a rind. The cheese is covered in edible ash, which keeps a crust from developing.
3. Blue
Blue mold is mixed into the curds. As the cheese ages, the flavour changes, making blue goat cheese sharper, earthier, and more pungent than the fresh variety.
4. Brie
Goat’s milk Brie is more subtle and refreshing than a traditional cow’s milk Brie.
5. Cheddar
Goat’s milk cheddar has everything you want from this beloved cheese: It’s sharp and fruity, but with a distinctive goaty tang.
6. Gouda
Holland produces some lovely fresh and aged goat’s milk Goudas. Fresh Gouda is soft and creamy, making it a good table cheese. Aged Gouda is sweet and delicious, with caramel overtones.
Courtesy: realsimple.com & spruceeats.com