Mahón-Menorca
Mahón-Menorca 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 bears its name after the island's capital, Mahón . It has a square shape with rounded corners and edges and a smooth, firm bark of yellowish-brown color. The Menorcan specialty is made on the island of Menorca from cow's milk, which thickens and solidifies at low temperatures. The cheese mass is then wrapped in a cheesecloth and pressed into it, the resulting holes are the size of a grain of rice. After the cheese has been pressed and given its typical shape with the imprints of the folds of the cheesecloth, it is dipped in brine and then matured using the island's traditional production methods. Mahón-Menorca is sold in various degrees of maturity.
properties
This is a cheese made from pressed, unheated cheese mass in a square shape with rounded rind edges, which is produced and matured exclusively in Menorca in a traditional manner and in accordance with the guidelines for the designation of origin. The designation of origin "Mahón cheese" was awarded in 1985, and in 1998 the explanation "Menorca" was added, so that the cheese has been sold under the name "Mahón Menorca" ever since. This cheese was and has always been a symbol of Menorca. Its production goes back to very old, traditionally handed down methods and forms a cornerstone in the history of livestock and gastronomy on the island of Menorca.
history
The first permanent settlements on the island of Menorca have existed since around 2000 BC. BC, as can be seen from the finds of various ceramic pieces from that time, which could have been part of the basic equipment of the island's first cattle breeders for making cheese.
More recent data are of course available. There is evidence that Bishop Severo wrote an encyclical in 417 which also includes comments about “the great abundance of good cattle for human preservation” and confirms that the island's inhabitants are from “lac, caseum et vaccinium “Nourished and thus led to the proof that already existed in his time what later developed into one of the cornerstones of the island's economic income: cattle breeding and especially sheep breeding.
Arabic documents from the year 1000 indicate that there was already an important cheese, wine and meat production on Menorca at that time. The Arab historian Ashashaskandi said of Menorca: "There are good livestock and vines from which good cheese and good wine are made".
As early as the 13th century, good quality wines, meats and cheeses were being produced in Menorca, with which there was a lively trade. The chronicles say that King Pedro III. of Aragon received a welcome gift on his arrival at the port of Mahón in 1282, consisting of “cattle, eggs, cheese, lard and fresh bread”. From this it is clear that cheese was already a highly valued product on the island in those days.
At the beginning of the 14th century, the Dominican Pedro Marsili, chronicler of King Jaime II, wrote the words supposedly coming from the mouth of Pedro Martell that the people of Menorca had milk, cheese, bread and wine in abundance. In the 15th century, the Datini brothers' trading company from Lucca, Tuscany, sent merchants to Menorca to buy wool and cheese; These traders did not wait until they reached the mainland, but were already selling the cheese on Mallorca, where it was very much appreciated. This trade between the two islands has continued to this day and Mahón cheese is possibly the most popular cheese among the people of Mallorca.
The archives of the Crown of Aragon document the importance of Menorcan cattle breeding and Mahón cheese in the 15th and 16th centuries. These branches of trade grew to such an extent that in the 18th century even four ships of their own were equipped, which were used exclusively for the transport of cheese - which was produced in Menorca - from the port of Mahón to Genoa and other important regions of the western Mediterranean. For this reason it was known at its respective destinations as "cheese from the port of Mahón" or "Mahón cheese" for short, although in reality it was found in completely different places on the island, such as Mercadal, Ciutadella, Alaior or elsewhere the island had been made.
For this reason, one can rightly claim that only a few other types of cheese can look back on such an ancient and established " pre-designation of origin " as the Menorcan cheese.
During the entire 18th century, the production and trade of cheese were promoted by the respective island administration to the best of their ability and the livestock was also improved. A clear example of this was given by Governor Richard Kane , who brought in sheep from abroad in order to improve the productivity of the local livestock through new crossings.
Almost at the same time - due to the growing importance of milk and cheese production for the island's economy, together with the vacuum left by the departure of the British - the suitable conditions for a new professional profile were created: that of the cheese maker. The cheesemakers were responsible for distributing all kinds of products for agricultural work among the farmers and picked up the still young cheese, which was made all over the island, in order to then let it mature in their own facilities under controlled and constant conditions and then under sell their own brand names in the island and mainland markets. The profession of cheese maker has survived to this day.
Manufacturing area
The area for milk and cheese production, including the ripening process for Mahón Menorca cheese, is exclusively the island of Menorca.
Menorca has its own microclimate, which is very different from that of the neighboring islands. The reason for this are the few mountainous areas and the, for an island in the Mediterranean, quite abundant rainfall (approx. 600 mm per year), which last from autumn to spring. In addition, this microclimate is favored by the dew that often falls at night. Since the typical Mediterranean temperatures prevail on the island at the same time with values of 5–10 ° C in winter and a maximum of 30 ° C in summer, Menorca is an ideal area for growing fodder crops and thus for grazing cattle.
The dairy cows in Menorca are mostly Frisian cattle and some unique Menorcan breeds.
Manufacturing
The production method of the cheese remained unchanged in all places in Menorca for a long time. It is a series of ancestral techniques that were passed on from father to son: only their use determines and guarantees the authenticity of Mahón Menorca cheese.
A distinction is made between two types of cheese, depending on which process the milk used for the cheese with protected designation of origin has previously gone through:
- Mahón-Menorca cheese: Made from milk that has been previously preserved using certain procedures / methods in approved industrial cheese factories.
- Artisanal Mahón Menorca cheese ( artesá ): Cheese made from raw milk , which is produced in the authorized specialist workshops.
At the height of milk production, which in Menorca lasts from the end of September to the beginning of June, the artisanal Mahón Menorca cheese is prepared twice a day. The only pre-treatment the milk undergoes is filtering, for which a cellulose filter or a folded, so-called “Fogasser” (see below) is used in the dairy.
The milk used for the industrial production of Mahón Menorca cheese is first chilled, preserved on site at a temperature of less than 4 ° C and then transported in refrigerated trucks to the respective dairies, where it is pasteurized before the cheese is made.
Both types of cheese are made using the same basic processes, but there are certain differences that affect the properties of the end product.
With regard to the manufacturing process , the provisions differentiate between the following stages:
- The cream cheese is prepared with rennet of animal origin at a temperature of 30–34 ° C, while the Mahón Menorca cheese thickens for at least 30 minutes, while the artisanal cheese takes 40 minutes.
- For the shaping of the handcrafted Mahón Menorca cheese, the cream cheese is filled into the Fogasser (a piece of cloth made of linen or cotton). The Fogasser is held at all four ends and filled with a sufficient amount of cream cheese to get the desired cheese size. Then the cloth with the mass is placed on the table provided for cheese production, which has a wide and smooth surface so that the cream cheese mass can sit. All four corners of the fogasser are then tied together with a fine cord, at the end of which is a small piece of wood ( Lligam ), without tying them. The Fogasses formed in this way are the traditionally made cheeses , which are more or less square in shape, of medium height and whose rind and edges are rounded.
- In the case of artisanal cheese, the pressing is carried out with a lever press and in the case of industrially produced Mahón Menorca cheese, it is pressed with a pneumatic press. This pressure pushes the cord tie through on the surface as well as the folds that Fogasser has made. The cloth and cord leave the imprint typical of the artisanal Mahón Menorca cheese on the rind, the so-called mamella .
- Salting is carried out by immersion in a saturated water-salt solution for a period of maximum 48 hours and at a temperature of 10-15 ° C.
- The salted, clean and dry pieces of cheese are ventilated on so-called cañizos , shelves made from wooden slats, so that the air can circulate and act on the cheese wheels.
- The cheeses aerated in this way are then transported to the cheese makers, where they gradually develop the characteristic aroma of Mahón Menorca cheese. The loaves are placed on wooden lattices again - at the appropriate room temperature and humidity, which are around 15 ° C and 80–90% humidity. These conditions can be achieved in two different ways: either by maturing the cheese in natural caves or in a maturing room. The loaves are turned over at regular intervals so they don't stick to the wooden shelves and have a more even appearance. They also experience various additional treatments: for example, the cheese wheels are B. smeared with olive oil to get the right degree of ripeness. Sometimes the oil is mixed with paprika powder - depending on the custom and practice of the respective cheese master.
The duration of the maturation process is very different and depends on the desired degree of maturity. However, it is precisely this degree of ripeness that causes the different types of Mahón Menorca cheese: a maximum of 150 days for a medium-aged cheese and an even longer period for a mature cheese.
Special properties
The Mahón-Menorca cheese has a very characteristic, square shape and a height of 5–7 cm, whereas the industrially produced type has a constant height of 9 cm. Its weight is generally 1–4 kg, but in most cases the loaves are around 3 kg. In the case of industrial Mahón Menorca cheese, due to the standard of precision with which the manufacturing processes are carried out, the weight is fairly constant and is usually around 2.5 kg.
In the case of the artisanal Mahón Menorca cheese, the imprint of the mamella , i.e. the folds of the cheesecloth on the top, is an important distinguishing or identity feature .
In general, the cheese mass has a fixed structure that - depending on the degree of ripeness - is subject to a constant development process. The color of the cheese varies between milk white and golden yellow. A special peculiarity is the formation of the "eyes" called holes of different sizes, which are never bigger than a pea.
Medieval cheese - semicurado
The rind is compact and the color spectrum ranges from pale yellow - for young cheese - to orange or even brown for artisanal cheese. It is of a consistent structure, easy to cut and originally yellowish-ivory in color, but darkens as it matures. The middle-aged Mahón-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 remarkably elastic. It is delicate in taste, slightly salty or sour and has a mature milk aroma with certain hints of butter and roasted nuts (hazelnuts), which are well pronounced and very characteristic.
Mature cheese - curado
A reddish rind can usually be seen on the mature cheeses. If no paprika was used for coloring, the rind is yellowish and more or less dark.
When cut, the ripe Mahón-Menorca shows an intense dark yellow color. The number and size of the holes decrease 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 firm and harder than that of medium-aged cheese. It crumbles when cut against the cutting direction and can even break through if it ages accordingly.
Taste and aroma are very distinctive, multifaceted and intense, its aftertaste lingers in the mouth for a long time. It is reminiscent of old wood, tanned leather and cave aging. The salty taste is more intense and slightly piquant, which weakens the milk aroma.
