Maytag Blue cheese
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| Maytag Blue Cheese | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States of America |
| Region, town | Newton, Iowa |
| Source of milk | Cow |
| Pasteurised | Yes |
| Texture | hard/semi-hard |
| Aging time | {{{8}}} |
| Certification | {{{9}}} |
Maytag is a blue cheese produced on the Maytag Dairy Farms outside of Newton, Iowa (the home of the Maytag Corporation). In 1938, Iowa State University developed a new process for making blue cheese from homogenized milk (instead of traditional sheep's milk).
Contents |
[edit] History
In 1941, production of the cheese was started by Frederick L. Maytag II and Robert Maytag, grandsons of the founder of the Maytag appliance company, Frederick L. Maytag. In the beginning, the milk for the cheese came from a prize winning herd of Holstein cattle that was established by E.H. Maytag, another son of the Maytag founder.[1]
The company is currently owned by the third and fourth generations of the Maytag family.
[edit] Process
The process for making Maytag Blue Cheese was discovered and patented by two Iowa State University microbiologists, Clarence Lane and Bernard W. Hammer. Roquefort, another type of blue cheese, had been made for a number of years in Europe, but any attempts to duplicate and manufacture a similar quality cheese in the United States had been unsuccessful. Difficulties encountered in the process of making these types of cheeses produced a less than satisfactory cheese, and quality control for production would have been disastrous.
The problems encountered with producing Roquefort type cheeses in the United States for distribution is: The lengthy time required to develop the artisan flavor, the mold growth is not uniform, the general quality is below average for numerous lots produced, and the color of the curd is too dark.[2]
The process actually begins in homogenizing the milk that will be used for the cheese. In making Maytag Blue Cheese, the cream is separated from the milk, homogenized and then added back into the now skim milk. The temperature and pressure of this would occur between 80o and 100o Fahrenheit and 2000 to 3500 pounds respectively.[2]This will allow for proper fat hydrolysis, the product of which is the flavor of the cheese.
There is a ripening period prior to adding rennet to the homogenized milk. Rennet, an enzyme that coagulates milk into curds and whey, is then added to the cheese. Usual rennet use would be adding 3 ounces per 100 pounds of milk allowing it to set in a temperature range of 85o to 86o degrees Fahrenheit. Better results were found to be produced using 4 ounces per 100 pounds of milk and setting in a temperature range, higher than usual, of 90o to 92o Fahrenheit.[2]
Lane and Hammer recorded the process of making the cheese actually sped up from this point forward, having the time in between setting, cutting and dipping nearly cut in half due to their previous steps. Also, after dipping the cheese, and allowing it to cook in hot whey, the draining time was cut from twenty to thirty minutes to three to five minutes. Penicillium is added to the finish product, this produces the green veins within the cheese that are characteristic of it.[2]
After the rounds of cheese are made by hand, the cheese is aged in specially designed caves where they are exposed to high humidity and cool temperatures for aging.[1]
The company still uses the same time-consuming method of hand making cheese, using milk only from local dairy farms.[1]
[edit] Results
From this modified process discovered at Iowa State University, the color, flavor, and texture are more uniform and desired for this type of cheese, thus allowing it to be produced consistently in a manufacturing setting.
Maytag has dominated the American blue cheese industry for about 64 years, since its conception.
[edit] Nutritional Information
1 oz. of Blue Cheese, Calories 100 - Calories from Fat 73, Total Fat 8 g., Saturated Fat 5g, Monounsaturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 21 mg., Sodium 395 mg., Total Carbohydrates 1 g., Protein 6 g.
[edit] Awards
Best Hard DO cheese at the 2005 World Cheese Awards
[edit] External links
- Little Big Cheese: Maytag's Growing Niche Market NPR's article on Maytag blue cheese (check the photo gallery for some informative pictures).
- Message from Maytag President
