Mahón cheese

Mahon -Menorca cheese is a traditional hard cheese made from cow's milk, which is registered with the European Union as a protected designation of origin. It is produced on the Balearic island of Menorca and is named after the local island's capital, Mahon. He has a square shape with rounded corners and edges and a smooth, solid crust of yellowish- brown color. The minorcan specialty is produced on the island of Menorca from cow's milk that thickens at low temperatures and becomes solid. The curd is then wrapped in cheesecloth and pressed into this, the resulting holes are the size of a grain of rice. After the whole cheese was pressed and has retained its characteristic shape with the impressions of the folds of cheese cloth, it is immersed in a brine, and then aged according to the traditional manufacturing methods of the island. Mahon - Menorca cheese is sold in various stages of maturity.

Properties

Hiebei is a cheese made ​​from pressed, unheated cheese mixture in square shape with rounded edges beef, which is produced in Menorca in the traditional manner and in accordance with the Guidelines for the Designation of Origin and matured. The origin of "Mahon cheese " was awarded in 1985, in 1998 we added another explanation " Menorca " added, so that the cheese has since been conducted under the "Mahon - Menorca ". This cheese was and has always been a landmark of Menorca. Its production goes back to very old, traditional traditional method and is a cornerstone in the history of animal husbandry and gastronomy of the island of Menorca.

History

The first permanent settlements on the island of Menorca exist since about 2000 BC, as the findings of various ceramic pieces can be taken from that time that are part of the basic equipment of the first ranchers of the island may have been for cheese production.

From more recent times are of course much more data available. Thus, there is evidence that Bishop Severo wrote in an encyclical 417, which also comments on " the large deposits good cattle for human preservation " are noted and confirmed that the inhabitants of the island of " lac, Caseum et Vaccinium " malnourished and thus led evidence that already existed in his time, which later evolved into one of the cornerstones of the economic returns of the island: the livestock and especially the sheep breeding.

Arabic documents from the year 1000 it can be seen that it has at that time already been an important cheese, wine and meat production in Menorca. Thus, the noted Arab historian Ashashaskandi about Menorca: " There is a good livestock and vines from which good cheese and good wine are produced ."

Already in the 13th century was created in Menorca wines, meats and cheeses of good quality, with those flourishing trade was driven. The chronicles say that King Pedro III. of Aragon during his arrival at the port of Mahon received a welcome gift in 1282, which consisted of "cattle, eggs, cheese, lard and fresh bread." This can be seen clearly that the cheese was a highly valued product already on the island in those days.

At the beginning of the 14th century, the Dominican friar Pedro Marsili, chronicler of King Jaime II wrote the allegedly derived from the mouth of Pedro Martell words, that the inhabitants of Menorca possessed milk, cheese, bread and wine in abundance. In the 15th century, the trading company of the brothers Datini sent from the Tuscan Lucca merchants to Menorca to buy wool and cheese; but these traders did not wait until they reached the mainland, but sold the cheese already in Mallorca, where he was much appreciated. That trade between the two islands has been preserved to the present day and Mahon cheese is probably the most popular cheese in other residents.

In the archives of the Crown of Aragon, the importance of Minorca livestock and cheese from Mahon in the 15th and 16th centuries as a result. This trading divisions grew to such an extent that in the 18th century as many as four separate ships were fitting out exclusively for the transportation of the cheese - were used by the Port Mahon to Genoa and in other important regions of the western Mediterranean - which was produced in Menorca. For this reason, he was known to its respective destinations as " cheese from the port of Mahon " or simply as " Mahon cheese ", although he in reality in quite different parts of the island as Mercadal, Ciutadella, Alaior or elsewhere on island was prepared.

For this reason, one can rightly claim that few other cheeses on a so ancestral and established look back "pre- designation of origin " as the Menorca cheese.

During the entire 18th century manufacturing and trading of cheese from the island of administration were supported by forces and also improves the livestock. A clear example of this was the Governor Richard Kane, the sheep from abroad introduced to improve by new hybrids productivity of domestic livestock.

Of the cheese maturer: the right conditions for a new professional image created - were almost the same time - due to the growing importance of milk and cheese production for the economy of the island, together with the vacuum that the departure of the British had left. The cheese makers were responsible for distributing all kinds of products for the agricultural work among farmers and brought the young cheese, prepared throughout the island, from, to leave then attack him in their own facilities under controlled and constant conditions, and then under their own brand name to sell in the markets of the island and the mainland. The profession of cheese maturer has survived to the present day.

Area of ​​production

The area for the production of milk and cheese production, including maturation of the Mahon -Menorca cheese is exclusively the island of Menorca.

Menorca has its own micro-climate, from that of the neighboring islands differs greatly. Reason for this are the few mountainous areas and for an island in the Mediterranean quite high rainfall (about 600 mm per year), which last from autumn to spring. In addition, this micro-climate, is favored by the dew which often falls at night. However, since the same rule on the island of the typical Mediterranean temperatures with values ​​of 5-10 ° C degrees in the winter and a maximum of 30 ° C in summer, Menorca is an ideal area for the cultivation of fodder crops and thus for grazing of livestock.

In the dairy cows in Menorca is mainly Friesians and some unique, Menorca breeds.

Production

The method of preparation of the cheese remained unchanged for a long time in all places of Menorca. There are a number of ancestral techniques that have been passed down from father to son: To be used only their application and guarantees the authenticity of the Mahon -Menorca cheese.

A distinction is made between two types of cheese, depending on which method has passed through the milk used for the cheese with protected designation of origin before:

• Cheese Mahon - Menorca: Made from milk which has been previously preserved with certain procedures / methods in the approved industrial dairies.

• Artisanal Mahon -Menorca cheese ( Artesa ): produced from raw milk cheese that is made ​​in the approved craft specialist companies.

In the heyday of milk production that continues to Menorca from late September to early June, the Mahon -Menorca cheese artisanal is scheduled twice a day. The only pretreatment experienced by the milk, the filters, what is used in the Melkerei a filter of cellulose or a folded, so-called " fogasser " (see below).

The milk used for the industrial production of the Mahon -Menorca cheese is first cooled, preserved at a temperature of less than 4 ° C on site and then transported in refrigerated trucks to the respective dairies, where it is pasteurized before cheese making.

Both cheeses are made by the same basic method, but there are certain differences, which affect the properties of the final product.

With regard to the manufacturing process, the following stages can be distinguished in the regulations:

The duration of the ripening process is very different and depends on the desired level of maturity. But it is precisely this level of maturity that causes the different varieties of the Mahon -Menorca cheese: a maximum of 150 days for a middle-aged cheese and an even longer period of time for a mature cheese.

Special Features

The Mahon -Menorca cheese has a very distinctive, square shape and a height of 5-7 cm, the industrially manufactured type rather has a constant height of 9 cm. His weight is generally between 1-4 kg, in most cases, the loaves are but about 3 kg. When Mahon -Menorca cheese industry, the weight is due to the precision standards with which the manufacturing process are performed fairly constant and is normally about 2.5 kg.

When Mahon -Menorca cheese artisan is the imprint of the Mamella, so the folds of cheese cloth on the top, an important distinguishing feature or identity.

In general, the cheese has a firm structure, which - depending on the achieved level of maturity - is undergoing constant development process. The color of the cheese varies from milky white to golden yellow. A unique characteristic is the formation of the "eyes" said holes of different sizes, which are never larger than a pea.

Medieval cheese - semicurado

The bark is compact and their colors range from pale yellow - for young cheese - to orange or even brown when it comes to artisan cheese. She has a consistent structure, easy to cut and initially yellowish ivory color, but darkens in the course of ripening after. The middle-aged Mahon - Menorca has many irregularly distributed holes of different sizes.

The gate is easy and the surface remains smooth, intact and shiny. The cheese is soft and of remarkable elasticity. It is delicate in taste, slightly salty or sour and has a mature milk flavor with some hints of butter and toasted nuts (hazelnuts ), which are well marked and very characteristic.

Matured cheese - curado

In the mature cheeses can commonly find a reddish bark. If no pepper was used for staining, the bark is yellowish, and more or less dark.

The cutting of mature Mahon - Menorca shows an intense dark - yellow color. The number and size of the holes decreases significantly with increasing age. It is difficult to cut and the surface at the gate is wrinkled - rough and rather dull. The structure is very solid and harder than the middle-aged cheese. He crumbles when cut opposite to the direction of cutting and may even break through in accordance with advanced aging.

Taste and aroma are very pronounced, diverse and intense, his taste remains in the mouth long received. It is reminiscent of old wood, tanned leather and cave-aging. The salty taste is intense and slightly spicy, making the milk flavor is weakened.