Cheese is a healthy food and is recommended to be a regular part of your diet. However, there are thought to be around 3,000 different types of cheese around the world today, so it will be difficult to settle on one specific cheese. This text will talk about the most famous Dutch gouda cheese. Gouda cheese is named after the Dutch city of the same name, where it began to be produced as early as 1184.
Namely, it is a Dutch semi-hard cheese of yellow or orange color and a specific nutty taste. Over time, this cheese became a favorite all over the world. Some studies have shown that Gouda cheese makes up 50-60% of the total world cheese consumption.
Nutritional value
In terms of nutritional value, 100 grams of Gouda cheese has as many as 350 calories and 2 grams of salt. However, despite this, this cheese is one of the favorites around the world. There are also types of gouda cheese with a lower percentage of fat.
Composition
Gouda cheese is made from non-skimmed or semi-skimmed cow’s milk and contains 48% fat. The texture of this cheese can be semi-hard or hard, and there are types that are made with less fat and less lactose. The rennet has a slightly sour taste, and over time it acquires a sweet and slightly spicy aroma. This cheese ripens from two to six months. Over time, the taste of this cheese becomes stronger and more complex. Gouda is a mild and moderately salty cheese and very elastic, and it is sold in the form of small rings.
Medicine
Gouda cheese is a very healthy food that has a beneficial effect on the whole body, of course if consumed in moderate quantities. This cheese is very good for digestion. If you consume it regularly, your digestion will be better and you will not have problems with constipation. The proteins found in this cheese are of key importance for muscle growth and development. Gouda cheese, like other types of cheese, contains large amounts of calcium, which is important for the health of bones and teeth.
Also, calcium is good for the proper functioning of the heart, but it should be eaten in limited quantities. A portion of 100 grams of this cheese is quite enough to eat during the day. In excessive amounts, due to the high percentage of saturated fats, this cheese, like all other full-fat cheeses, can lead to stroke and various cardiovascular diseases.
Gouda cheese recipe
As for the production method of Gouda cheese, first you need to mix fresh milk with cooled milk from the previous evening, and then heat the mixture to 30 degrees. With the addition of milk bacteria, the milk will coagulate in the next half hour, so the coagulated milk must be cut with a knife. Then the whey is separated and poured and the process is repeated until you get the ideal cheese texture. Then, the cheese rests in salt water for a while, then it is left in cold rooms, where it should ripen. Depending on the ripening time, young, medium, old and ancient gouda cheese are distinguished.
Gouda cheese is a part of many hot and cold sandwiches, and is also served in appetizers with salads and cured meat products. It is also known that pieces of young gouda go well with beer, while older, i.e. mature gouda is served with wines.