EDITORIAL
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Commandeur of taste-fromage & maître fromager de France The story of good food is full of surprises that happened by chance. Truffles, for example, were discovered when wild boars dug them up from the earth near the roots of oak trees. It’s said that Roquefort cheese resulted when rye bread was forgotten near some ewes’ milk curd. Ricotta (an Italian word literally meaning "recooked”) is what happeded when someone experimented with cooking whey. Whey is the liquid that separates out from the curds when rennet is added during the cheese-making process. Whey used to be fed to the pigs, but then people discovered that it still contained a little fat and milk protein. When heated, the proteins solidify to produce the now famous white, grainy cheese, which can be used in so many wonderful ways. I’ll never forget spending a few early morning hours at an artisanal cheese factory in central Sicily, watching them make Pecorino (literally, sheep’s milk cheese). Two cheese-makers caught my eye. They were hunched over a large vat set over a wood fire. The pleasant aroma of cooked milk filled the air. With a huge ladle, they removed the cheese curds and placed them in small moulds. While the curds were still steaming and very hot, I had a taste of pure heaven: soft and silky, slightly sweet, it brought back happy childhood memories. Fresh ricotta (tipo dolce) is a fresh (i.e. unripened) white, soft-textured cheese. There are two varieties: one is made from whey (Bari) and the other from whole milk (Saputo). There is also a dried, ripened ricotta (tipo Moliterno) that is baked and served at the end of a meal. As it turns out, whey proteins and egg proteins are related. When poaching eggs, you add a little vinegar to the water to help the whites coagulate and hold together. When whey is cooked, the presence of lactic acid has a similar effect, allowing the proteins to bind to each other and create that lovely ricotta texture. Fresh ricotta is gaining in popularity across Canada. Its versatility lends itself to all kinds of recipes. People love it plain, in salads, or as an ingredient in various toppings. In Italy, it’s the most popular cheese for cooking: you’ll find it agnolotti, cappellini, lasagna and ravioli, and it’s the secret to successful gnocchi. In desserts, it’s combined with fruit, applesauce with cinnamon and sugar, and it’s in those fabulous cannoli sold in Italian pastry shops. At home, you can delight the whole family by mixing equal parts ricotta and chocolaty hazelnut spread to make a filling for crepes. High in protein and calcium but low in fat, ricotta deserves a place of honour in any balanced diet. Its name may mean recooked, but it is nothing if not fresh! So here’s to recognizing quality and flavour even in a mild and unglamorous cheese.Cheese is one of the oldest foods on the planet, and its stellar reputation is rightly deserved. This product of human creativity is as nutritious as it is delicious: experts across the board agree on the health benefits of cheese. Morning, noon or night, cheese adds taste, variety and an undeniable “m-m-mmm” factor to any meal or snack. For this issue of the magazine, we’ve selected a few cheeses that lend themselves easily and delightfully to healthy recipes the whole family will enjoy. Well balanced and perfectly packaged to preserve taste and quality, these cheeses will bring a fresh and flavourful touch to your table. |
