Nov
26
A wonderfully “cheesy” story from Spain
The French get all the glory when it comes to making cheese but the Spanish should be right up there with them in the spotlight. Actually, I know zip about artisanal Spanish cheeses other than that they taste great. However a fun read in the New York Times has taught me all sorts of interesting things about Spanish cheeses and Spanish cheesemakers.
Here are a few creamy, crumbly tidbits:
- Spanish cheesemakers used to strain milk with strainers made out of horsehair.
- Aging cheese in “cavelike conditions” for at least two months helps the “good bacteria kill off the bad.”
- Bats live in cheese caves. Or rather, some cheesemakers age cheese in bat caves.
- Some cheesemakers name their tasty products after spouses or relatives. One cheesemaker calls her cheese “José Antonio Bueno García” after her husband!
- In the Basque Country, “farmers love their sheep more than they love their women.”
If you’re not lactose intolerant, take a peek at the NYTimes slideshow and enjoy the article.
Photo: Cabrales by Manolo Lopez
November 27th, 2008 at 9:25 am
Remember to make sure your Cabrales comes “sin gusano”
http://www.cheese.com/Description.asp?Name=Cabrales
Otherwise, it might be a bit like Casu Marzu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casu_marzu
Read all about that, if you dare! (Especially the ‘Dangers’ section) Blech!
November 27th, 2008 at 11:59 am
Yowza! I had heard about that “black market” Italian cheese before but that description of the dangers makes it sound like a biological weapon! From your Wikipedia link:
“Casu marzu is considered toxic when the maggots in the cheese have died. Because of this, only cheese in which the maggots are still alive is eaten. Because the larvae in the cheese can launch themselves for distances up to 15 centimetres (6 in) when disturbed, diners hold their hands above the sandwich to prevent the maggots from leaping into their eyes. Those who do not wish to eat live maggots place the cheese in a sealed paper bag. The maggots, starved for oxygen, writhe and jump in the bag, creating a “pitter-patter” sound. When the sounds subside, the maggots are dead and the cheese can be eaten.
…casei larvae are very resistant to human stomach acid and can pass through the stomach alive, taking up residency for some period of time in the intestines and causing stomach lesions and other gastrointestinal problems. The larvae have powerful mouthhooks which can lacerate stomach linings or intestinal walls as the maggots attempt to bore through internal organs.“
The idea that those little critters could survive a few days swimming around in that stomach soup and still be potent enough to tear the GI tract apart is scary, scary stuff.
Regarding the link about the Cabrales…I love this part: “There are different points of view on subject of maggots. We were contacted by some people from Spain and they denied the presence of maggots in Cabrales.” I should post this over in the Notes From Spain forum and see how long it takes for Parubin and Co. to claim what a lie that is. hee,hee.
