Unless you are a true cheese
connoisseur, chances are that you are familiar with the various national cheese
varieties, but not anything much more exotic than that. Many countries will eat
similar cheese and serve them in a similar manner, but there are always
exceptions. In reality, traveling to another country will show you at least
slight differences in the way that cheese is served. Here is just a quick
overview to give you an idea of some things you may notice.
Base Milk Used
Before looking at how cheese is
actually served, it helps to know how it is made in the first place. While the
process of making cheese is always fairly similar, the source of the milk can
vary greatly. In the United States, most cheese is made from cow’s or goat’s
milk, but this is different around the world. Italy, for example, is famous for
their traditional mozzarella, made from buffalo milk. Other areas, including
Bedouin communities, the Sudan, Mauritania, and Ethiopia commonly make cheese
from camel’s milk. Tibetan communities frequently use yak cheese, while Central
Asia is home to a good amount of Airag (or horse milk) cheese.
Cooked Cheese Varieties
For the biggest variation in terms
of how cheese is served around the world, you only need to take a look at
traditional dishes involving cooked cheese. In Greece, for example, saganaki is
a specialty and this is essentially fried cheese made from sheep’s milk. After
being fried until it becomes bubbly, this cheese is served with lemon juice. In
Northern Mexico, queso fundido is a party dish that involves melted cheese with
chiles, onion, spices, tomato, and chorizo cooked right into it. Italy is
famous for their own version of fried cheese, a crisp known as frico. This
cheese is made by frying or baking shredded mozzarella, Parmesan, or Montasio
until it is crispy. In Israel, they typically top their fried cheese (halloumi)
with pine nuts. India is another country that fries some of their cheeses, and
deep fried paneer (a non-melting farmer’s cheese) is usually served with peas or
spinach. Switzerland is famous for their classic method of serving cheese: in
fondue.
Noteworthy Flavors And Types
In addition to the various methods of serving cooked cheese around the
world, you will also find some unusual tastes and flavors. In fact, some of
these would seem odd to serve to American palates, but are completely normal
internationally. Italy, for example, is home to Casu Marzu, which only a few
people enjoy due to it being served complete with the live maggots that are
part of the aging process. Germany is home to Milbenkase, which is flavored by
mite excrement. No matter where you travel, however, you will find both
familiar and exotic cheeses and they are eaten plain or with bread or crackers,
as in the states, in many countries across the world.
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