Epuas cheese with creamy flesh and meaty aroma. How it is made, the benefits and harms of using. Gourmet recipes and history of appearance.
Epoisse is a French cheese made from whole, unpasteurized milk. It stands out from the group of fermented milk products with a rich aroma of fresh meat - just cut beef. It smells so strong that, according to the laws of France, it cannot be carried on public transport. Available in two types - 0.7-1.1 kg and 0.25-0.35 kg. The dimensions of the heads, which have the shape of flat discs: height - 3-5 cm, and the diameter varies between 17-19 cm and 9, 5-11, 5 cm. The texture is delicate, creamy, velvety; color - creamy, with a shade of beige and with a slight yellowness under a shiny thin crust, which changes with aging. At first it resembles ivory, then it darkens, turns brown, and then turns red brick.
How is Epuas cheese made?
The raw material, cow's milk, is not fortified or pasteurized. Preparation is limited to the removal of impurities - cleaning. The mixture is heated to 30 ° C, lactic acid bacteria and thermophilic cultures are poured onto the surface, allowed to stand for 5 minutes and only then mixed with a special stirrer from top to bottom.
At the next stage, the production of Epuas cheese is carried out using a special technology. Guarding occurs naturally: the rennet is injected quite a bit, so much to stimulate the clotting process. That is, the souring passes on its own. The duration of this process is 16-24 hours, and thanks to this stage, a pronounced sourness appears in the aroma and taste of the final product.
Next, the formed kale is cut into cheese grains. Heating, in order to speed up the process of lowering the curd mass to the bottom, and rinsing is not carried out, however, the temperature is kept constant - 30 ° C. When all the grains are at the bottom, a third of the whey is poured out and the contents of the cauldrons are mixed. The cheese mass is distributed in special forms without adding spices, dyes or flavorings. All processes are natural.
In the cheese, 50-55% of dry matter from whole milk remains, everything else flows down along with the whey. Pressing is not carried out, otherwise the creamy texture of the texture will not work.
To obtain a characteristic meaty smell, the salting process is changed. To stop the vital activity of pathogenic microorganisms, the heads are immersed in brine for a day. Some cheese makers, when solving the problem of how to make Epuas cheese, immediately dissolve salt in grape pomace, apple cognac or Burgundy vodka. But this is undesirable: such a composition does not kill listeria bacteria that are dangerous to humans. Strong alcohol is safer to use during the aging stage. The cylinders are soaked and only then placed in special chambers or cellars.
The first week, washing is carried out 4-5 times with salt water. Then, during the entire aging period, the surface of each cylinder is wiped with special brushes with a solution with special microorganisms that give the crust a reddish color, and strong alcohol.
Private cheese factories use a special way of making Epuas cheese. The cheese mass is kept in apple brandy for about a week, without closing the boiler lid so that it “breathes”. During this time, the intermediate product changes color to beige and acquires a characteristic odor, stronger than when prepared in an industrial environment. Only then do they move on to pressing. And then the heads are salted in brine and then transferred to the cellars. The product is ready for use in 2-3 months.
The quality of mature Epuas cheese is judged by its appearance and smell. The middle of the head should sag, and among the thick meaty smell, there should be a slight aroma of ammonia, but very weak - if it is clearly audible, the product began to deteriorate. The highest quality products are prepared from July to February.
Composition and calorie content of Epuas cheese
The nutritional value of a fermented milk product depends slightly on seasonality. Fat content relative to dry matter varies from 45 to 50%.
The calorie content of Epuas cheese is 271-288 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 16.5 g;
- Fat - 24 g;
- Carbohydrates - 1 g.
The prevailing vitamins are: A, E, C, K and group B - panthenol, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, cyanocobalamin. Minerals in the composition of Epuas cheese: calcium, potassium, phosphorus, copper, selenium and zinc.
The pulp contains a high amount of cholesterol, fatty acids, saturated and polyunsaturated, as well as amino acids.
Useful properties of Epuas cheese
For medical purposes, this product is not used to recover from serious illnesses and operations, despite its rich vitamin and mineral composition. But this is due only to a specific smell and high cost.
The benefits of Epuas cheese have been proven experimentally:
- Due to natural souring in the pulp, a high amount of lacto- and bifidobacteria, which creates favorable conditions for the development of beneficial microflora that colonizes the small intestine. The work of the digestive system is normalized, stagnant processes are prevented. Bad breath is eliminated, bowel movements are normalized.
- Highly digestible protein not only normalizes the stomach, but also prepares it for the digestion of other types of food. If Epuas is used as an aperitif, digestive enzymes are produced, and the work of the pancreas is stimulated. There is no heaviness in the stomach, even when overeating.
- The skeletal system is strengthened - it contains a lot of calcium and phosphorus. Reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis, arthrosis, osteochondrosis. Caries stops, the regeneration of mucous membranes is accelerated.
- The work of the cardiovascular and nervous systems is normalized. Mood improves, falling asleep is restored.
- The taste buds are excited. Many lovers have their "mouth water" as soon as they feel the characteristic aroma of a delicacy.
- The quality of the skin and hair improves, the development of age-related changes slows down.
Due to the delicate structure of the cheese, a protective film is formed on the mucous membrane of the digestive organs, the aggressive effect of hydrochloric acid is reduced.
Epuas for men is an aphrodisiac. The libido increases, no "misfires" occur during intercourse. Some tasters believe that the smell is not "meaty", but feminine, setting you in a romantic mood.
Contraindications and harm of Epuas cheese
A fermented milk product made in accordance with all technological and sanitary and hygienic requirements has beneficial properties. If the technology and storage conditions are violated, the vital activity of bacteria dangerous to humans - listeria - increases.
Since 1990, outbreaks of listeriosis have been reported 3 times with the consumption of uncooked cheese. Therefore, contraindications to the use of Epuas are: pregnancy, lactation, rehabilitation period after various diseases, age up to 6 and after 64 years. People with reduced immunity should refuse an expensive product.
A weakened body is unable to cope with a serious illness. Irreversible changes in the nervous and reproductive systems may develop, and the work of the digestive organs may be disrupted.
Harm from Epois cheese can appear with increased acidity, with stomach and duodenal ulcers, chronic gastritis and pancreatitis, reflux esophagitis and liver failure. Abuse should be avoided with exacerbation of gout, varicose veins, with the risk of thrombus formation and obesity.
