Sheep milk cheese

Roquefort
Museum of the traditions of Cornus (Aveyron). The dairy of Roquefort.
Sheep milk cheeses from Poland

Sheep milk cheese is a cheese prepared from sheep milk. Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the Feta of Greece, Roquefort of France, Manchego from Spain, the Pecorino Romano and Ricotta of Italy.[1][2] Yogurts, especially some forms of strained yogurt, may also be made from sheep milk.

Nutrition and production

Though sheep produce a far smaller volume of milk than cows, it is richer in fat, solids, and minerals. This makes it ideal for the cheese-making process. It is not an alternative for people with (severe) lactose intolerance, due to the fact that it contains even more lactose than cow milk.[3]

Though sheep's milk may be drunk in fresh form,[4] today it is used predominantly in cheese and yogurt making. Sheep have only two teats,[5] and produce a far smaller volume of milk than cows. However, as sheep's milk contains far more fat, solids, and minerals than cow's milk, it is ideal for the cheese-making process. It also resists contamination during cooling better because of its much higher calcium content.

Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the Feta of Bulgaria and Greece, Roquefort of France, Manchego from Spain, the Pecorino Romano (the Italian word for sheep is pecore) and Ricotta of Italy. Yogurts, especially some forms of strained yogurt, may also be made from sheep milk.[6] Many of these products are now often made with cow's milk, especially when produced outside their country of origin. Sheep milk contains 4.8% lactose, which may affect those who are intolerant. It takes between 2 weeks to 2–3 months up to two years for the cheeses to fully ripen.

By country

France

French sheep milk cheeses include Castelo Branco (cheese) Abbaye de Bellocq,[7] Brique , Berger de Rocastin,[8] Brebicet,[9] Le Claousou, from Fedou[10] Gavotine, Lévejac, Ovalie, Pérail, Valdeblore & Roquefort, the Basque Ardi-gasna, Agour and Ossau-Iraty.

From Corsica is Brocciu,[11] a whey cheese served as a lactose-free alternative to other cheeses and it is considered as a national food of Corsica. Other Corsican cheeses are Asco, Brin d'amour,[12] (The birth of love) or Fleur de Maquis,[13] is a Corsican cheese made from the milk of the Lacaune ewes. The is a creamy, semi-soft cheese iformed into small chesees and a the rind is coated with decorative herbs like rosemary, fennel seeds, juniper berries, thyme and coriander. The herbs add additional flavour tio the cheese. A filetta,[14] an artisanal cheese decorated with a sprig of fern. A filetta means fern in Corsican. Other Corsican cheese are Sarteno och Niolo.[15] Niolo or Niolu is a soft creamy cheese with a greyish rind originating in Corsica, made with unpasteurized sheep’s milk. Niolo has a mild, nutty and salty flavour. Niolo has received many international awards and is exported from France to all over the world.

Greece

Greek sheep milk cheeses include Feta and Halloumi.

Italy

Italian sheep milk cheeses include Pecorino Romano, Pecorino Sardo, Pecorino Siciliano, Pecorino Toscano[16] and Ricotta.

Poland

Polish sheep milk cheeses include oscypek and bryndza.

Portugal

Portuguese sheep milk cheeses include Azeito, Rabaçal, Saloio, Serpa and Serra.

Spain

In Spain is Roncal,[17] made in the Roncal Valley, and is protected by the Protected designation of origin (PDO). Other cheeses from Spain are Torta del Casar and Manchego.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Cheeses made from sheep milk". Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  2. ↑ [Cheese: A Connoisseur's Guide to the World's Best Max McCalman David Gibbons]
  3. ↑ "Sheep dairy". Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  4. ↑ "Sheep Trade in Syria". napcsyr.org. National Agricultural Policy Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform, Syrian Arab Republic.
  5. ↑ "Comparative Mammary Anatomy: Goats & Sheep". Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  6. ↑ Kurmann, Joeseph A.; Jeremija Lj. Rašić Manfred Kroger (1992). Encyclopedia of Fermented Fresh Milk Products: An International Inventory. 233 Spring Street New York, NY: Springer. ISBN 0-442-00869-4. p. 343
  7. ↑ "Abbaye de Belloc - Cheese.com". Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Berger de Rocastin". Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  9. ↑ "Cheese library: Brebicet". Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  10. ↑ "Le Fédou – France / Languedoc Roussillon – Cheese maker – Stand 2.1 D 10". Salon du fromage. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  11. ↑ "Brocciu - Cheese.com". Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  12. ↑ "Brin d'Amour - Cheese.com". Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  13. ↑ "Gourmet trends Brin d'amour". Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  14. ↑ "A filetta, Corsica". Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  15. ↑ Niolo
  16. ↑ Cheese Primer. p. 240. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  17. ↑ "Roncal". Retrieved 3 December 2014.

Further reading