All Cheese in this shop is produced on farms. Farm cheese is either made from pasturized or non pasurized milk. This will be stated explicitly in the product description.
It takes roughly 10 liters of cow milk to produce 1 kilogram (2.2 lbs) of cheese. On farms the milk from the evening and morning are collected and heated to 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). Starter culture and Rennet are added and in about 30 minutes the milk starts to solidify.
The solid mass is then cut into small pieces and stirred. This produces whey, a yellowish fluid. The little pieces are put into a cheese barrel and the barrels are pressed for the remaining of the day and the following night.
From the presses the cheese is placed in a salt basin. The salt forms a crust that makes the cheese more solid, protects it from outside influences, and adds taste.
After the salt basin the cheese is dried and laminated. The lamination will prevent it from dehydrating and protects it from outside influences.
The cheese is then laid to mature on wooden shelves.- Young cheese about 4 weeks.
- Young Mature Cheese 8 to 10 weeks
- Mature Cheese 4 months
- Extra Mature 7 months
- Old Cheese at least 10 months
During the maturing the fat and protein slowly transform into flavors and aromas. As the cheese matures it becomes harder and gains flavor.
Dutch Farmers Cheese has the following approximate specifications per 100 grams/ 3.5 ounces:- Energy: 410 kcal/ 1722 kJ
- Protein: 25 g (25%)
- Fat: 35 g (35%)
- Water: 37 g (37%)
- Cholesterol: 110 mg (0.110%)
