- Written By: S.E. Smith
- Edited By: O. Wallace
- Last Modified Date: 30 April 2012
-
Copyright Protected:
2003-2012 Conjecture Corporation
Goat cheese, sometimes called chevre, is a cheese product made from the milk of goats. Goat cheese comes in a wide variety of forms, although the most common is a soft, easily spread cheese. Goat cheese can also be made in hard aged varieties as well as semi firm cheeses like feta. Goat cheese is especially common in the Middle East, Africa, and some Mediterranean countries, where the hardy goat survives in areas where cows cannot.
Goat cheese is distinctive due to the tangy flavor of goat milk. Sometimes this flavor is very strong and some consumers find it disagreeable. In some cases, the flavor is sought after, and some dairies are well known for producing particularly goaty cheese. The strong goat flavor is caused by hormones, which will be reduced if milk producing nanny goats are kept away from male billies. In addition, like all animal products, goat milk is heavily influenced by what the goats are eating. Because goats have hardy digestive systems, they tend to eat many bitter plants that more delicate animals such as cows and horses will not.
Goat milk is often used by those who are young, ill, or have a low tolerance to cows milk. Goat milk is much more similar to human milk than that of the cow, being much thinner, lower in fat, and higher in vitamin A and potassium. Although the West has popularized the cow, goat milk and goat cheese are preferred dairy products in much of the rest of the world. Because goat cheese is often made in areas where refrigeration is limited, aged goat cheeses are often heavily treated with salt to prevent decay. As a result, salt has become associated with the flavor of goat cheese, especially in the case of the heavily brined feta.
Goat cheese has been made for thousands of years, and was probably one of the earliest made dairy products. In the most simple form, goat cheese is made by warming goat milk, mixing it with rennet to curdle, and then draining and pressing the curds. Soft goat cheeses are made in kitchens all over the world, with cooks hanging bundles of cheesecloth filled with curds up in the warm kitchen for several days to drain and cure. If the cheese is to be aged, it is often brined so that it will form a rind, and then stored in a cool cheese cave for several months to cure.
Because goat milk is leaner than that of cows, goat cheese tends to be leaner as well. For this reason, many dieters craving cheese will use goat cheese as a substitute, crumbling it on salads or melting it on cooked dishes. Goat cheese softens when exposed to heat, although it does not melt in the same way that many cow cheeses do. Firmer goat cheeses with rinds are sometimes baked in the oven to form a gooey warm cheese which is ideal for spreading on bread with roasted garlic, or alone.
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Discuss this Article
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anon264315
Post 18 |
What is the cholesterol count in Feta vs cow's milk? |
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anon246222
Post 17 |
You can actually buy great goat cheeses online. |
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anon227851
Post 15 |
Personally, I hate goat cheese, goats' milk yogurt, cabrito (meat), or anything having to do with goat. It somehow tastes, just a little "pee-like" to me. However, I love even very strong cows' milk cheeses! I absolutely love feta cheese. I also like (young) lamb meat, but not mutton (older sheep) because it's got a tough texture and a strong and unpleasant gamey taste. Odd, because I love venison, which is game meat. My dad, however, wouldn't even come in the house if Mom or I have cooked lamb. Apparently, when he was in the Navy during World War II, the men ate a lot of mutton because it was cheap and readily available. But goat? No, not my thing -- not at all! However, many people love it. I suppose it's what you've become accustomed to. |
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anon134509
Post 13 |
Delicious is the word I used to describe goat cheese. |
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bestcity
Post 12 |
to anon66574, yes, goat cheese can be kept in the freezer. A friend of mine makes goat cheese at home and keeps it in the freezer until she needs it. |
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anon109948
Post 11 |
Very informative. Thank you! I was wondering if the hormones in feta can cause acne like those in cows milk. My wife stopped dairy and her skin problems cleared up. I wanted her to have salad with feta. Hopefully it would be ok. --otis |
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anon90559
Post 10 |
Does goat cheese contain casein? I am casein intolerant and what I miss most of all is cheese. I have found substitutes for just about everything dairy except cheese! Thanks. |
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anon80211
Post 9 |
What about the mucus inducing properties of cow v goat milk? With a view to reducing sinus problems? |
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anon67875
Post 8 |
Why does goat cheese taste so strong, therefore I hate it, and why is feta cheese so pleasing, and I love, love, love it? Everyone says that they are the exact same thing. |
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anon66574
Post 7 |
can you please tell me if goat cheese can be put in the freezer? |
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anon53328
Post 6 |
I own and raise goats (Oberhaslis- a Swiss variety) as well as make cheese. I would definitely not say it is lower in fat than cow's milk (but yes on sheep's milk). From experience and research, I have found that it can actually be higher in fat. However, goat milk fat molecules are smaller and much easier to digest than cow's as they are smaller and tend to not clump together. Also, on the bright side, this fat is good for you (did you know that they feed pigs skim milk to fatten them up?). You need the fat in milk in order to properly utilize the other nutrients (vitamins and minerals). Goat's milk has less milk sugar (lactose) than cow's milk, so yes, some people who are just sensitive- and not severely- lactose intolerant can drink it. Also, cheese has much less lactose in it than milk anyway, since cheese is made by converting milk sugars to lactic acid. Also, be careful not to confuse lactose intolerance (milk sugar allergy) with casein intolerance (milk protein allergy). Enjoy the cheese! It's is awesome when rolled into balls with spices (basil, marjoram, chives, etc.) and marinated in olive oil. Oh, and P.s.- goat cheese does not have to be "goaty". Mine never is (totally unsure as to why the store-bought stuff is- and so are all of the other home-cheesemakers I have known and heard from!). |
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anon42731
Post 4 |
very informative. Thanks |
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kmobeautymom
Post 3 |
Can a person that is lactose intolerant, eat goat cheese and not have the same reaction as to that of cows milk products? |
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mendocino
Post 2 |
Goat cheese is less calorie dense then cheeses made from milk from cows or sheep. Fats in goat's milk and cheese are easier to process in the digestive system, therefore some individuals who can not have other milk products, might be able to have goat's milk and cheese. It also seems that the cheese from goat milk does not put strain on the heart, as some other cheeses do specifically because of it's lower fat content, and easy digestibility. |
