OVERSEAS CHEESE

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20501, 18 May 1938, Page 11

OVERSEAS CHEESE

WINTER SHOW EXHIBIT i VARIOUS MAKES DESCRIBED uf considerable interest to farmers • visiting the Waikato Winter Show this year will be the exhibit of samples of all types of cheese competing with the , New Zealand product on overseas i markets and details of the various ; types, with information on their manu- | lacture, which have just been rej ccived by'Mr W. 11. Paul, secretary to the show association, by air mail, should greatly enhance the value of tlie. display al (lie show. These details were provided by Mr , F. 11. Taylor, inspector of dairy products to the Department of Agriculture in London, and the following points of interest are taken from Mr Taylor’s notes:— English Cheddar.—“ The sample forwarded was farm-house type, manufactured in Somerset. The true characteristics of an English farmhouse Cheddar are that ‘the flavour should be clean and full, with a pleasant but not a rasping bite, and with a suggestion of pepper; neither hot nor acrid. the cheese is pasty or leathery to the teeth, it is bad-' ” English Cheshire English Cheshire.—“ The sample was of the farm-house type and was a prize-winner at the London Dairy Show. . . . Cheshire cheese may be either white or coloured, but by far llte greater proportion is of the latter variety, if, is estimated that about G per cent, of Cheshire manufactured will develop into the blue-veined variety Blue Cheshire) if held for long enough periods. Cheshire has a tendency to become dry and almost dusty if not eaten shortly after outting. It is a cheese which is usually made to ripen early so that it may be put quickly on the market.” Danish Blue Cheese. —“A cheese which lias become very popular on the American market and which is finding increased demand on the English market. My experience of this cheese is that it lacks somewhat the creamy mellow ripeness of a good Stilton or Gorgonzola. ... It is worthy of note that this type is receiving a considerable amount of attention in South Africa, and the quality of the product there is said to be of a very high standard.” Dunlop Cheese.—“ This type originates from Dunlop in Ayrshire and it has been described as a combination of Cheshire and Gloucester cheese.” Swiss Gcuyere.—“This is a cheese "f the hard variety. ... It is readily distinguished by the large boles- or ‘eyes’ which are found in the body of tbo cheese. These should be the. size of hazel-nuts and evenly distributed.' Their presence or absence during the process of curing is detected by tapping the cheese.” Sweet Curd Cheese Edam Cheese. —“This is a sweet curd cheese made from partially skimmed milk and the exhibit is an example of what is known as ‘4O "per | cent, fat’ Edam. The flavour has I been described as mild, clean and pleasantly saline. The body is rather solid and inclined to be dry and the texture should be very close and free from cavities.” Gorgonzola Cheese. —“This cheese t takes its name from the Italian village J of Gorgonzola. Its manufacture was j once solely confined to Italy but it j has now spread to Denmark, America and other countries. It is a blue- i veined type which is very popular in j England, but when sanctions were j imposed against Italy in connection I with the Abyssinian question this i variety was practically unobtainable in England and its place was taken by | Danish blue cheese. In the manu- j facture of Gorgonzola, full cream cow's « milk is used. . . • Holes are bored to allow air into the interior. It is frequently tlie custom in Italy for the partly matured cheese to be taken from*the farms to large depots usually situated in the valleys of the Alps where it is held until ready for export.”

Gouda Cheese. —“This is a Dutch cheese very similar in taste and texture to the Edam. There are two gradgs, full cream and skimmed. Fresh sweet milk is desired for the manufacture of the finest quality Gouda-" Parmesan Cheese. — “A cheese of Italian origin, usually made from skimmed milk. It is the hardest known type of cheese. . . When ripe, the crust is mostly blact, but the cheese itself should be straw-colour-ed and full of very small holes like pin-pricks. Parmesan cheese is chiefly used as a flavouring substance and is generally bought in grated form. A large number of these cheese arrive in London and on account of their hardness they require no packing and are simply shipped loose.”

Lancashire Cheese Lancashire Cheese. —“The sample is typical Lancashire farm-house cheese. This type of cheese is not widely known beyond the borders of ils own district, owing to the fact, that a ready sale is found among Ihe large working-class population of Lancashire. One of the principal virtues of this cheese appears to be that it is considered one of the finest types for toasting. A typical Lancashire cheese when three months’ old is soft and mellow and will spread like butter. This is due to modifications in t ljo method of manufacture, the cheepe being made from curds of two or three different ages.’’ French Roquefort Gheese.—”’Fliis i-> usuall> made from sheep’s milk with sometimes a mixture of cow's or goat’s milk. Hue of the most striking characteristics is the mottled or ma rid oel appearance of Ihe inferior due 10 the development of larnirillium mould, the principal ripening agent.. . . In order to encourage mould growth, Ihe cheese is frequently pricked with small si'■’••!. needles.” St ill on Cheese. —“ The sample is of flic factory type and one which is credited with linvinsr won the Lord Mayor's Cup at Ihe Dairy Show. . . 11 is claimed that Ihe manufacture of Stilton calls for more skill and attention to detail than any other British variety. At its best, it can hold its own on ihe world’s market and for quality, flavour and piquancy it has no rival. . . . The orig nal Stilton was made from morning's mdk to which had been added the cream from the previous night's mdk. This gave an added quality and richness to the curd. \ Inter method was to make

up a clveso of two curds of different ages, one being sweet and the other

moderately acid. Such curds do not • adhere readily and produce a cheese I more open in character which favours i the growth of penicillium glancum J mould. . . ” J Double Gloucester Double Gloucester. —“ The sample is of farmhouse type. This cheese is j [ usually red in colour and its texture ; is close and crumbly; in fact a glorified Cheshire cheese. It is described as having a pronounced but mellow flavour, being pungent without being sharp.” Canadian Cheddar.—“ The sample ! is a Canadian factory cheese. No ; description of the method of manu- j facture is needed as the New Zealand j factory system lias been evolved from j the Canadian method. It is generally accepted that the flavour of Canadian cheddar is not so uniform as the New Zealand article but it is ! claimed Hint Ihe texture is closer.” i Processed Cheese. —“A numhe’r of! packet cheese samples have been for- ’ warded and these consist of various ‘ proprietory brands. Apart from the satnplc’s forwarded, there are a num- , her made from Ihe various types of cheese such as Gruyere and similar ! varieties. Processed .or pasteurised , cheese is reworked cheese made from ! one or more varieties, or cheese, of ! , the same variety hut varying stages i of ripeness. The chee’se are cut into ? . small pieces, placed in vats, pasteur- j ised and homogenised, with the addition of a small percentage of emulsifying agent. The liquid cheese which results is forced into moulds of the desired shape and allowed to cool. The portions are then wrapped info i with attractive labels and placed on the market.”