- If persons are allergic to cow
milk products, can they eat goat milk cheeses?
Since
the composition of proteins and lactose in goat milk is different than that of cow
milk, many (but not all) people with lactose intolerance or cow milk allergies can
digest goat milk cheeses.
- Are Capriole cheeses made from pasteurized or raw milk?
From both. Our fresh and ripened cheeses (those under 60 days old) are made from pasteurized milk, as FDA and state regulation requires. We also produce cheeses aged from 3-7 months old which are made from raw milk.
- Pregnant women are often warned not to eat fresh cheeses. Does this include fresh goat cheeses?
Most fresh goat cheeses are slow-coagulation, high acidity cheeses that create a very unfavorable environment for unhealthy bacteria like e.coli. Fresh cheeses that are not fermented (queso blanco, queso fresco) can be problematic because there is no acidity to inhibit the growth of these bacteria.
- Do raw milk cheeses have more flavor than pasteurized ones?
We believe that aged cheeses, which take longer to develop flavor, become more complex when made from raw milk. We initially produced these same cheeses from pasteurized milk, but our goat milk is so reflective of our own genetics and geography that these same cheeses made from raw milk have a wider, deeper range of flavor.
- What is rennet? Do Capriole cheeses contain rennet?
Rennet is a milk coagulant made from the stomach lining or vells of calves or goat kids when they are harvested for meat. The vells are dried, powdered, and usually reconstituted in water to produce liquid rennet. It is the most ancient, traditional, and expensive coagulant available to cheesemakers, and considered by many to be the best. It is less prone to produce bitter flavors than vegetable or modified coagulants. Rennet is the only coagulant used at Capriole.
- Why are goat cheeses different in flavor than cow milk cheeses?
Flavor and especially flavor development in cheeses is a complex process. Both goat and cow milk contain caproic, caprylic, and capric fatty acids, but the amount is almost twice as high in goat milk. Lipolysis, the breakdown of these fatty acids, contributes to some very unique and wonderful flavors in goat cheeses, but when milk of any kind is overheated, high in bacteria, or improperly ripened and handled, the flavors can become unpleasant.
- Is a lemony, acidic flavor typical only of all goat cheeses?
No. It’s typical only of the fresh cheeses which coagulate slowly and produce more lactic acids. This particular flavor profile is characteristic of all fermented milks or cheeses (cottage cheese, yogurt, fromage frais) made in this way, from any species.
- Is the texture of goat cheese different than that of cow milk cheeses?
Texture, particularly that of good fresh and ripened cheeses, is very different in goat milk cheeses. Because of the smaller, finer fat globules, goat milk cheeses tend to feel lighter, silkier in the mouth, and rich without being heavy. This is why they should not be overhandled when used as an ingredient, as this textures breaks down and becomes pasty.
- Why are goat milk cheeses usually more expensive than cow milk cheeses?
Goat milk is much more expensive and labor intensive to produce than cow milk. It requires take 8-10 goats, and 8-10 times the labor, to get as much milk as that from one commercial dairy cow.
- Why doesn’t goat cheese melt?
Fresh goat cheese holds it shape and texture in recipes because it is so much lower in fat. Layered between or combined with other ingredients it lightens almost any dish. Aged goat cheeses like all semi-hard to hard cheeses have a higher fat content and are more appropriate for gratinees, grilled cheese, or any dish where a melted cheese is desired.
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