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String cheese is any of several different types of cheese where the manufacturing process aligns the proteins in the cheese, which makes it stringy.
When mozzarella is heated to 60 °C (140 °F) and then stretched, the milk proteins line up. [1] [2] It is then possible to peel strings or strips from the larger cheese.
In Slovakia, korbáčiky are made, [3] which is a salty sheep milk cheese, available smoked or unsmoked. It is traditionally made by hand-pulling steamed sheep's cheese into strings and braiding them. Cow milk versions are also available. [4] [5] The town of Zázrivá is known as the center of the production of this cheese. Similar cheeses are found also in the adjacent regions of South Poland.
In Turkey, the most common type of string cheese is dil peyniri ("tongue cheese"), a fresh white cheese made from cow's milk, traditionally in the provinces of Bilecik and Bursa. The stringy texture of dil becomes even more prominent when the cheese is melted. [6]
In Armenia, traditional string cheese, chechil, is made with a white base. The type of milk used usually comes from an aged goat or sheep depending upon the production methods of the area of choice. [7] It is seasoned with black cumin [8] and mahleb, and is traditionally sold in the form of a braided endless loop. [9] The cheese forms into strings due to how it is pulled during processing. It is also made in Syria and Turkey, both countries with significant Armenian populations.
In Georgia and Russia string cheese is known as tenili (ტენილი ყველი [ ka ], Тенили [ ru ]). It is made from fermented sheep's milk and cream allowed to mature for 60 days in a salted and dried veal stomach.
Cheestrings became a popular snack in the Republic of Ireland and the UK soon after their introduction in 1996. They are made from real cheese, [10] not processed cheese, by Kerry Group and the mascot is a cartoon character called Mr. Strings. [11]
Cheestrings are currently[ when? ] available in Original (a cheese akin to mozzarella) and the two-colour Twisted variety. [12] Discontinued flavours include cheddar, smoky bacon, and pizza, with the pizza flavour being reintroduced in May 2021 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Cheestrings. [13] [14]
Kerry exports Gouda Cheestrings from Charleville, County Cork to the Netherlands, and a Gouda-Emmental mix to France, where the product is known as Ficello. [15] Low cost imitations of the original cheddar Cheestrings were formerly manufactured in the UK by Tesco, Dairylea, and currently by Dunnes Stores. [16] An item in the product range of the original Kerry Cheestrings, known as Attack-A-Snack (a rival to Dairylea Lunchables), packaged with a tortilla wrap or cracker, sachet of tomato ketchup, and piece of processed ham has been available from the late 90s. [17]
In Mexico, the first type of string cheese was invented in 1885 by Leobarda Castellanos García at 14 years old. A very popular type of string cheese called Quesillo is sold today in balls of various sizes. It is also known as "Queso Oaxaca" or Oaxaca cheese referred to the place of origin it was invented, and now it's widely popular in all Mexican territories.[ citation needed ]
In the United States, string cheese generally refers to snack-sized servings of low-moisture mozzarella. This form of string cheese is roughly cylindrical, about 6 inches (15 cm) long and less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter.
The cheese used is commonly a form of mozzarella, or a combination of mozzarella and cheddar. This type of string cheese gets its name because it can be eaten by pulling strips of cheese from the cylinder along its length and eating these strings. [18] It was invented in 1976 by Frank Baker. [19]
In the Dominican Republic is produced the "Queso de Hoja", in form of a ball, mostly served with toast or crackers.
In Australia, string cheese is sold by Bega Cheese and is called Bega Stringers. String cheese can also be sold in a can. [20] [21] In the Marquesas Islands, a popular variety of string cheese is made from breadfruit proteins and buffalo milk, and is marketed under the brand Sea King String.
Mozzarella is a semi-soft non-aged cheese prepared by the pasta filata method with origins from southern Italy.
Pizza cheese encompasses several varieties and types of cheeses and dairy products that are designed and manufactured for use specifically on pizza. These include processed and modified cheese, such as mozzarella-like processed cheeses and mozzarella variants. The term can also refer to any type of cheese suitable for use on pizza. The most popular cheeses used in the preparation of pizza are mozzarella, provolone, cheddar and Parmesan. Emmental, pecorino romano and ricotta are often used as toppings, and processed pizza cheeses manufactured specifically for pizza are mass-produced. Some mass-produced pizza cheeses are frozen after manufacturing and shipped frozen.
Goat cheese, goat's cheese or chèvre is cheese made from goat's milk. Goats were among the first animals to be domesticated for producing food. Goat cheese is made around the world with a variety of recipes, giving many different styles of cheeses, from fresh and soft to aged and hard.
Kashkaval is a type of cheese made from cow's milk, sheep's milk or both. In Albania, Bulgaria, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Romania and Serbia, the term is often used to refer to all yellow cheeses. In English-language menus in Bulgaria, kashkaval is translated as "yellow cheese".
Processed cheese is a product made from cheese mixed with an emulsifying agent. Additional ingredients, such as vegetable oils, unfermented dairy ingredients, salt, food coloring, or sugar may be included. As a result, many flavors, colors, and textures of processed cheese exist. Processed cheese typically contains around 50 to 60% cheese and 40 to 50% other ingredients.
Ricotta is an Italian whey cheese made from sheep, cow, goat, or Italian water buffalo milk whey left over from the production of other cheeses. Like other whey cheeses, it is made by coagulating the proteins that remain after the casein has been used to make cheese, notably albumin and globulin.
Cheez-It is a brand of cheese cracker manufactured by Kellanova through its Sunshine Biscuits division. Approximately 26 by 24 millimetres, the rectangular crackers are made with wheat flour, vegetable oil, cheese, skim milk, salt, and spices.
Oaxaca cheese, also known as quesillo and queso de hebra, is a white, semihard, low-fat cheese that originated in Mexico. It is similar to unaged Monterey Jack, but with a texture similar to mozzarella or string cheese.
White cheese includes a wide variety of cheese types discovered in different regions, sharing the sole common characteristic of their white hue. The specific type of white cheese can vary significantly depending on the geographical location.
Pasta filata is a technique in the manufacture of a family of Italian cheeses also known in English as stretched-curd, pulled-curd, and plastic-curd cheeses. Stretched curd cheeses manufactured using the pasta filata technique undergo a plasticising and kneading treatment of the fresh curd in hot water, which gives the cheese its fibrous structure.
Cheese is a dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk. During production, milk is usually acidified and either the enzymes of rennet or bacterial enzymes with similar activity are added to cause the casein to coagulate. The solid curds are then separated from the liquid whey and pressed into finished cheese. Some cheeses have aromatic molds on the rind, the outer layer, or throughout.
There are many different types of cheese. Cheeses can be grouped or classified according to criteria such as length of fermentation, texture, methods of production, fat content, animal milk, and country or region of origin. The method most commonly and traditionally used is based on moisture content, which is then further narrowed down by fat content and curing or ripening methods. The criteria may either be used singly or in combination, with no single method being universally used.
Chechil or chechili is an Armenian brined string cheese, popular in Armenia and Georgia. It has a consistency approximating that of mozzarella or sulguni and is produced in the form of dense strings, rolled up in a figure eight of thick braid-shaped ropes. Chechil is a smoked, braided, salty, string-cheese beer snack that is enjoyed by beer drinkers and enthusiasts across the globe. Chechil is made from pasteurized cow milk and is low in fat. Its taste is salty, very chewy, and with a smoky flavor to it. Its consistency is firm and smooth.
Cheeses in Mexico have a history that begins with the Spanish conquest, as dairy products were unknown in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica. The Spanish brought dairy animals, such as cattle, sheep, and goats, as well as cheesemaking techniques. Over the colonial period, cheesemaking was modified to suit the mixed European and indigenous tastes of the inhabitants of New Spain, varying by region. This blending and variations have given rise to a number of varieties of Mexican cheeses. These are most popular in the country, although European cheeses are made, as well. Almost all cheese in Mexico is made with cows’ milk, with some made from goats’ milk. More recently, efforts have been made to promote sheep's milk cheeses. Most cheeses are made with raw (unpasteurized) milk. Cheeses are made in the home, on small farms or ranches, and by major dairy product firms. Between 20 and 40 different varieties of cheese are made in Mexico, depending on how one classifies them. Some, such as Oaxaca and panela, are made all over Mexico, but many are regional cheeses known only in certain sections on the country. Some of the least common are in danger of extinction.
Sorullos are a fried cornmeal-based dish that is a staple of the Puerto Rican cuisine. Sorullos are served as a side dish or as appetizers, and are sometimes stuffed with cheese. They can be served with mayoketchup, coffee or dusted in confectioners' sugar.
Vegan cheese is a category of non-dairy, plant-based cheese analogues. Vegan cheeses range from soft fresh cheeses to aged and cultured hard grateable cheeses like plant-based Parmesan. The defining characteristic of vegan cheese is the exclusion of all animal products.
