Why does some cheese have holes?
Why does some cheese have holes?
Learn how cheese is made, including how holes form in certain types of cheese.
Contunico © ZDF Studios GmbH, Mainz
Transcript
NARRATOR: This cheese from the Allgäu region has a mild, piquant flavor - and is full of holes. The flavor of the cheese, and how large the holes are, depends on how long it is allowed to mature. But before the cheese can be served up, the cheese maker has checked whether the holes are big enough. And that's something he can hear.
MICHAEL WELTE: "If I tap the cheese here, it sounds relatively hollow. If I tap it here on the edge, it sounds more solid. Where it sounds hollow, that's where the holes are, of course. Later we can take a core sample to find out whether the holes are big enough."
NARRATOR: But let's take it from the beginning. Before the cheese or the holes can be made, we need milk. Turning milk into cheese is a science in itself. The best cheese makers have two important qualities - experience and patience. They also need high-quality milk, the right room temperature and the perfect ingredients.
WELTE: "These are the starter bacteria that are used in the production of this cheese. The cheese needs them in order to mature, but particularly to develop a full flavor."
NARRATOR: Which precise bacteria are used remains a secret. Now the milk is added. It is heated to almost 30 degrees centigrade and allowed to set into a moist and rubbery gel. This gelatinous mass is then combed with a cheese harp to separate the curds from the whey. Is this how the holes are made, perhaps?
WELTE: "This process doesn't produce the holes. They don't come until the aging process, right at the end."
NARRATOR: So we have to wait a while before the holes develop. Next, the mass of curds and whey is poured into a mould. The whey runs out at the bottom and the remaining curds are compacted. Then the cheese is taken to a storeroom, where it is left to mature for months. That makes this storeroom a fairly smelly place.
WELTE: "During the aging process, certain natural proteins break down. And this is what produces the special aromas that later give the cheese its flavor. Of course, they also float around in the air in the storeroom. Some of these are amino acids that later give the cheese its sharp, but subtle, taste. Yes, for you, stinky; for me, aroma."
NARRATOR: After a few weeks the cheese has expanded. This is because of the many air bubbles inside the cheese, which are not visible from the outside. During the aging process, the lactic acid breaks down and there is a build-up of CO2. The gas cannot escape through the rind that has formed. The pressure builds up and bursts, creating holes. And these holes get bigger as the cheese matures, especially if it's kept warm. That's why the holes are different sizes in different types of cheese.
WELTE: "Now the holes are the right size, so we can take the cheeses from the storeroom and then to the chiller room for about two weeks before they can be presented to customers."
NARRATOR: And then the cheese connoisseurs can enjoy a good cheese, preferably with a nice glass of wine. Let's hope they appreciate all the time and effort that went into getting the holes inside their cheese.
MICHAEL WELTE: "If I tap the cheese here, it sounds relatively hollow. If I tap it here on the edge, it sounds more solid. Where it sounds hollow, that's where the holes are, of course. Later we can take a core sample to find out whether the holes are big enough."
NARRATOR: But let's take it from the beginning. Before the cheese or the holes can be made, we need milk. Turning milk into cheese is a science in itself. The best cheese makers have two important qualities - experience and patience. They also need high-quality milk, the right room temperature and the perfect ingredients.
WELTE: "These are the starter bacteria that are used in the production of this cheese. The cheese needs them in order to mature, but particularly to develop a full flavor."
NARRATOR: Which precise bacteria are used remains a secret. Now the milk is added. It is heated to almost 30 degrees centigrade and allowed to set into a moist and rubbery gel. This gelatinous mass is then combed with a cheese harp to separate the curds from the whey. Is this how the holes are made, perhaps?
WELTE: "This process doesn't produce the holes. They don't come until the aging process, right at the end."
NARRATOR: So we have to wait a while before the holes develop. Next, the mass of curds and whey is poured into a mould. The whey runs out at the bottom and the remaining curds are compacted. Then the cheese is taken to a storeroom, where it is left to mature for months. That makes this storeroom a fairly smelly place.
WELTE: "During the aging process, certain natural proteins break down. And this is what produces the special aromas that later give the cheese its flavor. Of course, they also float around in the air in the storeroom. Some of these are amino acids that later give the cheese its sharp, but subtle, taste. Yes, for you, stinky; for me, aroma."
NARRATOR: After a few weeks the cheese has expanded. This is because of the many air bubbles inside the cheese, which are not visible from the outside. During the aging process, the lactic acid breaks down and there is a build-up of CO2. The gas cannot escape through the rind that has formed. The pressure builds up and bursts, creating holes. And these holes get bigger as the cheese matures, especially if it's kept warm. That's why the holes are different sizes in different types of cheese.
WELTE: "Now the holes are the right size, so we can take the cheeses from the storeroom and then to the chiller room for about two weeks before they can be presented to customers."
NARRATOR: And then the cheese connoisseurs can enjoy a good cheese, preferably with a nice glass of wine. Let's hope they appreciate all the time and effort that went into getting the holes inside their cheese.