Loved your commentary here about the goat herding and all these details. Picking apart certain details and thinking about how they affect the flavour profile but you’ve shown how there are so many things that go into the cheese, from what the goats are eating and their diverse diet, all the way to the slab of marble he uses to weigh it down. Absolutely beautiful. The years of knowledge that has gone into this fairly simple practice, yet someone else trying to replicate the process in another part of the world would get different results. It’s mind blowing how magical fermentation is. Thank you for bringing us into this world. Happy travels!
2) the water itself may be high in calcium, and perhaps the marble releases calcium as the brine becomes more acidic from whey being pulled into it. Those factors could help the cheese not getting slimy.
3) the natural starters are always in all raw milk anyway. As you pointed out, whatever quantity are already there, are helping provide the results he wants. Added starters provide predictability of acid production, flavor, and scheduling, and came into popularity when milk began being pasteurized in some areas around 1900. That is a longer and far more nuanced discussion than people realize.
Loved your commentary here about the goat herding and all these details. Picking apart certain details and thinking about how they affect the flavour profile but you’ve shown how there are so many things that go into the cheese, from what the goats are eating and their diverse diet, all the way to the slab of marble he uses to weigh it down. Absolutely beautiful. The years of knowledge that has gone into this fairly simple practice, yet someone else trying to replicate the process in another part of the world would get different results. It’s mind blowing how magical fermentation is. Thank you for bringing us into this world. Happy travels!
1) I’d take a trip like you mentioned.
2) the water itself may be high in calcium, and perhaps the marble releases calcium as the brine becomes more acidic from whey being pulled into it. Those factors could help the cheese not getting slimy.
3) the natural starters are always in all raw milk anyway. As you pointed out, whatever quantity are already there, are helping provide the results he wants. Added starters provide predictability of acid production, flavor, and scheduling, and came into popularity when milk began being pasteurized in some areas around 1900. That is a longer and far more nuanced discussion than people realize.
Our neighbor in Serbia makes this type of goat cheese, albeit with less salt than usual. We love it!