Blocks of spicy cheddar cheese.
Strictly speaking, farmhouse cheddar is a type of cheddar cheese made in small batches with non-mechanical tools. However, there are few restrictions on the use of the designation “country house”. It’s not uncommon for cheesemakers to label products “farmhouse cheddar,” no matter how they’re made, often in an effort to evoke more traditional images of old-world, rustic production.
Farmhouse cheddar starts with a barrel of fresh milk.
Cheddar cheese is produced commercially in many markets around the world, but this is a relatively recent phenomenon. For centuries, all cheeses, including cheddar, have been made locally. Dairy farmers were some of the early pioneers of cheddar cheese. A farmhouse cheddar cheese is a cheese that uses or simulates the low-tech, small-batch methods of these early producers.
Farmhouse cheddar starts with a barrel of fresh milk. Most traditional recipes call for unpasteurized milk, that is, milk that has not been treated to kill bacteria. Most of the time, this type of milk comes directly from dairy cows, often without refrigeration.
The milk must be slowly heated and combined with an enzyme compound. Rennet, a bovine stomach substance, is the enzyme source for most homemade cheddar cheeses. The manure is normally collected from the fourth stomach of calves that have been fed an exclusively dairy diet.
Once exposed to the enzymes in the rennet, the heated milk will form curds. To make homemade cheddar cheese, cheesemakers must strain this curd and then separate it. Wood mills or cranks are the preferred tools for this task as they allow the cheesemaker to control the force and resistance of the separation. Much of the technique comes down to the individual’s knowledge of what “feels good” or “feels good.”
Farmhouse cheddar cheese makers must add salt, either flaked or crystal, to the curds as they are blended. This is known as “cheddarized” and is necessary to achieve the characteristic cheddar flavor. When the curd has absorbed the salt, it is usually pressed by hand into molds, where it is left to age anywhere from a few days to a few years. In general, the older a cheese ages, the stronger its flavor.
There is some debate among cheese purists as to whether more advanced techniques, such as the use of mechanical machines to separate the curds, for example, or the use of a vegetarian-friendly artificial enzyme compound in place of the curds, should prohibit a cheese curdles. Casa de Campo.” To avoid controversy, many newer cheese operations label their products “farmhouse style.” This indicates that the product bears some resemblance to traditional artisan cheese, but may make use of more modern equipment and ingredients.
Farmhouse cheddar is just one of many types of cheddar cheese. It is generally characterized by a crumbly, crumbly texture, and its color ranges from off-white to light orange. Most of the time, it is prepared on its own, without any additional additions or flavorings. Farm and farmhouse cheeses are often considered the most basic, but also the most organic and authentic.