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Pickled cheeses represent an impressive group of these fermented milk products, which are in demand all over the world. But most of the inhabitants from the Slavic countries only know that the cheese belongs to the presented camp. Many immigrants from the countries of the former USSR are still unaware of the rest of the bright representatives of this subspecies. As well as many positive properties that each slice of such goodies contains, made according to original recipes.
Energy value
Only the manufacturer can name the exact composition and list of useful components of brine products, since depending on the type, the set of vitamins and minerals will fluctuate here. Moreover, if we are talking about creating products for the mass consumer, then it must still obey the standards that GOST sets.
If a potential consumer wants to repeat well-known recipes on his own, then the technical conditions are simplified and completely depend on the conscience of the cook himself.
The main feature of brine offers is the absence of heat treatment. Thanks to this, delicacies easily retain most of their useful components, increasing them in the process of short exposure. To do this, it is enough not to deviate from the technological scheme and adhere to the optimal conditions for the subsequent storage of the prepared product.
Depending on the specific ratio of ingredients, homemade and factory variations will fluctuate in the percentage of vitamins A, E, PP, B and C. At the same time, any soft cheeses of this format will delight you with a significant amount of folic acid.
It does not do without trace elements, among which the most are magnesium, calcium, potassium and zinc with copper. There is also selenium, as well as organic acids, which the body is not able to generate on its own and must be fished out of incoming food on a daily basis.
All of the above allows you to add at least a couple of slices of treats to the table for almost all categories of citizens. An additional advantage here is a huge amount of protein in the presence of carbohydrates and fats, which are easily digested and dissolved. This means that with moderate consumption, there will be no harm to the body in the form of the formation of characteristic fatty layers. It is not for nothing that even those who are on a diet are allowed to indulge themselves with such a gift.
It is also quite difficult to voice the exact calorie indicator, especially in cases where cooking was done at home. Different types provide fluctuations from 250 to 300 kcal per hundred grams. You can specify this indicator for factory goods on the label. But the calorie content of home analogues can only be established approximately. But in the latter case, the consumer will know for sure that his health will be safe without having to worry about synthetic harmful additives popular in the food industry.
Everything for health
Against the background of the listed vitamins and minerals, it becomes clear that brine solutions perfectly help maintain immunity. It is not for nothing that they belong to the group of those products that are often recommended to be added to the diet of people who have been seriously ill or have recently suffered a strong emotional shock.
Doctors believe that such cheeses should be given little by little to taste even for kids, starting from the age of three. This is explained by the ability to improve quality and strength:
- nail plates;
- hair;
- bone skeleton.
No less useful this addition to the table will seem to teenagers who suffer from acne on their faces. Dermatologists advise supplementing the menu with a few pieces of slightly salty culinary delights in order to save the younger generation from a similar problem.
Such a nutritious component of the menu will also help those who want to constantly maintain metabolic processes at a stable level. Experiments have shown that fans of pickled cheese mass are much less likely to be diagnosed with ailments in terms of the endocrine system.
If you eat sirtaki on an ongoing basis without overeating, you will be able to provide the digestive system with additional help for the rapid digestion of heavy food. A positive “side” effect here will be the prevention of gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea or constipation. And the sheep version is prescribed even for those who suffer from abnormalities in the functioning of the liver and pancreas.
In addition to children, adolescents and pregnant women, the group of those who should definitely eat solid variants of a fermented milk product includes older people. They are much more likely to develop osteoporosis and arthritis than younger people. Thanks to the replenishment of calcium and phosphorus, they will be able to carry out high-quality prevention of these diseases.
Rennet delicacy soaked in salt water is recommended for women during lactation. There, mothers will be able to give newborns the necessary supply of folic acid, which is necessary for the normal development of babies.
When should you expect a catch?
If there is suluguni and other similar solutions in moderation, then they will not bring any harm. The only time the benefit is in question is if the eater has certain chronic or hereditary diseases. Here you need to not only eat your favorite treats in doses, but immediately clarify whether it allows you to add them on the table at all.
Doctors strongly recommend replacing pickled delicacies with something else if the diner suffers from:
- duodenal ulcer;
- stomach ulcer;
- gastritis;
- increased acidity of gastric juice;
- kidney disease;
- deviations in the functioning of the urinary system.
Particular attention should be paid to cases where production took place in factory conditions. We are talking about dishonest authors who, instead of spending money on the execution of all instructions, resort to methods to reduce the cost. These include processing with liquid smoke, which allows you to achieve a smoked flavor. The range of savory products of this type is quite wide, but it is unlikely that the cardiovascular system of even a healthy buyer will thank you for this. Categorically abandon smoked variations should be people who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract, both during the period of exacerbation, and who are prone to them due to heredity.
Regardless of which brine-format cheeses will be on the table, people with hypersensitivity or individual intolerance are strictly prohibited from eating them. Due to the high salt content, they should also be excluded for those patients for whom it is contraindicated.
Delicious Features
Despite the stereotype that the presented products are eaten only in their pure form, gourmets advise not to dwell on this statement. Many Europeans add their favorite varieties to mixed vegetable salad. The most frequent guest of summer vegetable dishes is feta, but this does not mean that other types are less popular.
In order to please the purchase with pleasant aromatic and taste characteristics, you should choose only original offers. They have their own distinctive features, which are expressed in the following principles:
- white or cream color;
- the absence of any colored spots that are characteristic of moldy solutions;
- dense structure without crumbs and visible delamination;
- milky smell without admixture of sourness and extraneous aromas.
Despite the name, the mass should not be too salty. Otherwise, you can suspect that the maximum allowable storage has been pretty long, and the dodgy sellers decided to soak the product in brine to score notes of the perishable mixture.
If the goodies were prepared at home, then it is better to send it immediately after the completion of the technological process to the refrigerator, after placing the head in a covered container with a solution. In this form, mozzarella freely withstands about two weeks. But if there is no liquid left, then the head is tightly wrapped in foil. This will keep the mixture for about five days.
A wide variety
Among the most popular representatives of this category, three camps should be distinguished. It:
- Mozzarella;
- suluguni;
- feta cheese.
And this is not to mention dozens of modifications that came to us from Georgia and other countries. If we add to this the ability to cook not only from cow’s milk, but also from goat’s milk, sheep’s and even camel’s, then there will be no end to the encyclopedia of cheese making.
Ossetian cheese deserves special attention, which today has literally a second youth. Russian-speaking culinary specialists have come up with at least dozens of interpretations of the classic recipe, customizing them to personal preferences and budget possibilities.
But mozzarella still remains the stable unspoken leader of the rating, which is not added anywhere:
- in salads;
- for sprinkling pizza;
- for sandwiches.
Italy is considered the birthplace of goodies. But there it is prepared from buffalo milk, which is quite problematic to find in the expanses of the countries of the former Soviet Union. Because of this, even a small piece of the original treat will pull an impressive amount in specialized stores.
To reduce costs, people began to use the cow analogue. Only in this case it is worth preparing for significant differences in taste and aroma. The Italians themselves claim that their national pride, which is sold in Russia at a budget price, is bitter and too dry.
Another favorite of buyers is suluguni, which has overtaken vats in popularity. It is made from several types of dairy raw materials:
- sheep;
- goat;
- cow;
- buffalo
In rare cases, even a mixture of several types is allowed. Unlike numerous brine analogues, prolongation of the aging process is required here so that the mass has time to sour well. It is not for nothing that such cheese has the postscript “chadderized”.
After increasing the acidity, you can safely twist the cheese dough into bizarre shapes, achieving a characteristic layering. Suluguni lovers do not have to choose what to cook from it, because the treat goes well in its pure form.
It is enough just to follow the absence of crumbs and bitterness. If there are any, then this indicates a violation of the established instructions. Due to the 7% salt concentration, the taste is very unusual without any aftertaste. Also, a simple composition plays into the hands of manufacturers, which provides only sourdough with milk and an enzyme.
Bryndza closes the top three, the recipe of which is known to almost every villager who keeps cows. But for mass production, specialists do whatever they want, they do not always follow the already simple instructions for creating a delicious product.
Because of this, many people got used to making cheese on their own, getting perfectly white heads. Some went a little further and, using Georgian wise advice, learned to add greens, spices, dry paprika and even walnut kernels to the composition.
Experimenting at home, the hostesses find the best option for themselves and claim that their culinary masterpiece will be able to compete with store-bought President cheese.
Separately, it is worth highlighting the fact that for cheese in different regions they take different milk. Some prefer the nutritious goat formula, while others prefer the more common cow’s milk.
The salting solution is also diluted in proportions that a particular family likes. Someone generally tries to avoid too salty liquid, taking care of health. The most important thing in this case is to know your measure and strictly adhere to it in order to avoid serious overeating for joy.