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Livaro is a French blue cheese. On the modern gastronomic market, it is very difficult to find a quality livaro prepared according to a classic recipe. Authentic cheese is best sought from small private entrepreneurs who work for quality, not quantity. It is important to understand that the price of one such bar will be much more expensive than cheeses that can be easily obtained in the nearest supermarket.
What you need to know about the dairy product, what to eat it with and is it safe to introduce it into your daily diet?
General characteristics
Livaro is a soft cheese with red mold based on milk of animal origin. The classic version uses cow’s milk, but there are variations with goat’s/sheep’s. The birthplace of the product is Lower Normandy (France). The cheese is made from the milk of Norman cows. This is a special breed intended for dairy production. Cattle are fattened with fortified feed and kept in the most natural conditions. The milk of Normandy cows is valued for its special structure and high protein content.
Feature of the product – rich color. During the ripening period, the crust is dyed with a special dye, which is extracted from annatto. Annatto (Biksa annatovaya) is a small tree, shrub growing in the tropical regions of America. Cultivated in Southeast Asia since the XNUMXth century. The plant gained popularity due to the bright red pigment in the annatto seeds. The substance is used in the food industry as an analogue of synthetic dyes. The pigment is obtained by extraction – the substance is extracted using a specific solvent. The output is a coloring powder or a thick saturated paste.
Annatto pigment is also used to make cheddar, mimolet cheese. The substance gives a characteristic brown-orange tint to the crust, which distinguishes Livaro from other varieties.
The pulp of the product is colored in a delicate yellow-orange hue. The taste is rich, the intensity of aroma and sharpness depend on the ripening period. As it matures, all characteristics become more pronounced. The most valuable is the aged livaro, the aroma of which fills the room, clogs the taste buds and interferes with the normal perception of other tastes. Its crust is soft, but elastic to the touch, the flesh does not spread, but literally melts in the mouth, leaving a spicy aftertaste.
Due to its rich taste, livaro is served at the end of a meal as an independent dish. It is best to pair the cheese with red wine, cider or Calvados.
Production features
Livaro is prepared exclusively from spring to autumn. Round heads withstand from 3 weeks to 2 months. During the ripening period, the cheese must be constantly turned over and washed with brine in order for the product to get the desired taste / texture.
The livaro cheese head is wrapped with 5 strips of dried cattail. Cattail is a tall marsh grass that grows in tropical and temperate zones. Cattail is recognizable by its characteristic inflorescence. Its upper part is formed by an oblong brown male flower, and the lower part by a thicker female flower. Tying with dried cattail protected the mass from subsidence during the ripening period. Why are five strips of cattail used? This number of stripes in France corresponds to the rank of colonel. Because of this feature, the name “colonel” was fixed for a long time for the livaro. Today, there are few enterprises that still use dried cattail. Most often, manufacturers prefer strips of green paper.
Useful properties of the product
Nutritionists claim that blue cheese is much healthier than regular hard/soft varieties. Why? The noble mold penicillium, which is used in cheese production, can reduce the risk of certain diseases and neutralize pathogenic microflora. Most often, mold is injected into cheese. The substance fights harmful bacteria not only inside the product, but also after it enters the body. Additionally, mold normalizes the work of the intestines and has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart.
Blue cheese has an anti-inflammatory effect, improves the condition of the arteries / joints, which helps to avoid heart attacks and arthritis. Also, noble mold inhibits oxidative processes, and hence the aging of the body. It is believed that frequent use of livaro will help get rid of cellulite.
The chemical composition of the product is slightly different from other cheeses. Livaro has more calcium (Ca), potassium (K), retinol (A), calciferol (D) and B vitamins. The nutritional value, like any other dairy product, is high. Fats predominate in the composition, and the calorie content of livaro does not fall below 340 kcal / 100 grams, which is a high indicator. Few people can stop at 100 grams of cheese, so there is a risk of overeating and disrupting the daily balance of BJU.
| Calorie content (kcal) | Proteins (g) | Fats (g) | Carbohydrates (g) | Dietary fiber (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 340 | 20 | 29 | 0 | 0 |
Possible harm from use
Cheese is considered the most salty food product. Salt is necessary to disinfect and prevent the development of bacteria. But manufacturers clearly exceed the permissible norm, and incredible concentrations of salt are gradually addictive. On average, for every 100 grams of cheese, there is at least 1,7 grams of salt. The daily allowance for a healthy adult is 2,300 milligrams. An excess of dietary sodium leads to edema, heart / vascular disease, slowing down metabolic processes.
Another serious danger of dairy products is antibiotics/hormones. Very often, pus from the bladder of cows is found in cheese heads. The reason for this is producers who want to get the maximum amount of milk from cattle, without caring about the humane methods. All antibiotics and hormones fed to cows end up in the human body and provoke a hormonal imbalance, the development of osteoporosis, bowel / breast cancer and other diseases.
Blue cheese is dangerous for pregnant women due to listeria monocyotogenes bacteria. They can cause miscarriage or problems in the development of the baby, so it is better to refuse livaro for the next 9 months.
Do not forget that cheese is addictive and can cause serious diseases, the treatment of which will cost a lot of money and effort. Try to limit your consumption of dairy products or keep it to a minimum. Don’t let your eating habits rule your life and stay healthy.