The Origins of Cheese
The birth of cheese goes back centuries ago when man learned to use the stomach of a calf as a bag to carry beverages. Shepherds discovered that milk curdled when carried in those pouches. Rennet, a natural enzyme coming from the calf stomach, is a natural milk coagulant. Using their imagination by working the curd, shepherds and farmers created cheese. Ever since, cheese has been the object of a real gastronomic culture. At Leelanau Cheese Co., we use a vegetable base rennet that is suitable for vegetarians and kosher eaters.
How Leelanau Cheese is Made
The milk comes from the Garvin Farm in Cedar, MI. The farm is centered in the Leelanau Peninsula along beautiful Lake Leelanau, where the cows graze happily. We pick up the milk in the morning in our milk truck called the “The Milky Way” and bring it to the Leelanau Cheese creamery.
At the creamery the milk is gently pumped into the kettle, then pasteurized and cooled for the start of the cheese making. Cultures, or lactic ferments, and then rennet are added to the cheese. Cultures are good bacteria that help develop flavor and aroma and they also give the cheese its personality. Rennet is an enzyme used to coagulate the milk. After adding the rennet, the milk in the kettle will become a solid mass called curd. The cheesemaker will cut the mass into smaller pea size curds, then the curd will be stirred and slowly heated to eliminate the whey. The whey is a byproduct of the cheese making process and can render the cheese acidic.The curd, now cheese, is formed in micro-perforated molds and pressed with heavy weights to help the whey out.
Salting the Cheese
The wheels of cheese are pressed overnight and in the morning they are unmolded and taken to the cheese cellar where they will be soaked in a salt brine bath for 24 hours. The salt helps the cheese to develop flavor and forms the natural rind which protects the cheese from drying out.
The Cellar
The cellar is a cave type structure that holds a certain temperature and humidity level. In this environment, the wheel of cheese develops flavor while aging. Stored on wood boards, it will take at least 3 months of the mild Raclette to ripen and 8 to 10 months for the Aged. Unlike other cheese that is aged in wax or plastic where it takes much longer to cure, Leelanau Raclette has a natural salted rind and is turned and brushed daily with salt water to keep it clean and protected from drying out.
Anne’s Croute Au Fromage
½ teaspoon olive oil
2 eggs, sepeated
1 cup milk
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch of salt & black pepper
Pinch of nutmeg
8 oz. Raclette cheese. Grated or thinly sliced
1 cup dry white wine
2 large slices day old dense bread
Preheat oven to 425 ͦ. Grease 8 x 8 inch baking dish with olive oil. Set aside.
In small bowl, blend egg yolks with milk, parlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg. In separate bowl, beat egg white until firm. Fold egg whites and cheese into egg yolk mixture.
In shallow dish or pie plate, pour wine and very lightly soak bread. Place bread in bottom of baking dish. Cover with egg- cheese mixture. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until slightly puffed and golden on top. Serve immediately
From Anne Hoyt of Leelanau Cheese
354 calories (61% from fat), 24 grams fat (13 grams sat. fat), 10 grams carbohydrates, 23 grams protein, 375 mg sodium, 177 mg cholesterol, 669 mg calcium, trace of fiber.
Printable Recipes (adobe pdf)