Bobo Bonobo® wrote:

> On Jul 26, 8:28 am, Julia Altshuler > wrote:
>
>>Bobo Bonobo® wrote:
>>
>>>Then what would differentiate one cheese from another? Assuming
>>>they're from the same animal, that is.
>>
>>The variety or breed of the animal.
>>The grass or diet the animal is pasturing on.
>>The fat content of the milk.
>>Pasteurization.
>>Homogenization.
>>The particular enzyme used.
>>Time the cheese in aged.
>>Temperature at every stage.
>>Salt.
>>Treatment of rind.
>>The cheese making process: cooking, salting, separation of whey, cutting
>>curds.
>>
>>Cheese is as complex and fascinating as wine. Take a look at a book or
>>webpage that deals with basic cheese making techniques. You'll find
>>more variables than I listed.
>
>
> In the recipe in question http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser..._American.html
> There was no "enzyme." I was asking what differentiates say,
> provolone from cheddar?

You're asking very good questions. It took a lot of cheesemaking
before it began to make real sense to me. I rememeber having the same
experience when I was learning breadmaking. I was amazed at how the
same/similar ingredients could produce such different results.
Often radically different results.

It's natural for people to associate food a preparation with what's
in it, the ingredients. However, There are some food products where the
ingredients play much less of a role than the process of making it, i.e.
the technique. Cheesemaking is definitely in that category. Very similar
to the way a baker can take flour, water, yeast and salt and produce many
different and distinct varieties of bread.

Provolone vs cheddar is as an excellent example. Provolone is
a "pasta filata" cheese that's made by melting and stretching cheese
curds, then aging it. Technique here.

Cheddar is made by cutting the cheese curds a specific way, then
stacking and flipping them at timed intervals. This technique
for modifying the texture, moisture content, and pH is called
"cheddaring". So here we have type of cheese that's actually named
after a specific cheesemaking technique. It's a testament to how
important technique is to the whole process.


> How is this:
>
> INGREDIENTS:
>
> 1 gallon milk (I used cow's milk, homogenized, pasteurized, 3.5%
> butter fat)
> 1¼ teaspoon citric acid powder (from local pharmacy) dissolved
> in ½ cup cool water
> ½ tablet Junket rennet (from local supermarket) suspended in ¼
> cup cool water
>
> How is the above supposed to make mozzarella?

You have to add in the "pasta filata" melting and stretching technique
(same as is used in making provolone) before you begin to have a
complete recipe. You often can't tell what a cheese is just by the
ingredient list.

--
Reg