From Cow to Cheese
Making cheese starts with cows in the pasture. The Dutch black spotted cow is very popular worldwide. There are about 1.5 million of them in the Netherlands. The province of Noord-Holland has mainly black spotted cows; they produce more milk than brown spotted cows, which have more muscle and meat.
The grass cows eat (graze) is transmuted into milk in their four stomachs. Producing cheese involves concentrating the major part of solid substances in milk (proteins, fat, and minerals), which are separated from liquid. The production of one kilo of Gouda cheese requires about ten litres of milk. A cow produces about twenty litres of milk per day, obtained via the milking machine and stored in a cooled tank. Tank lorries collect milk from the farmers and take it to the factory.
In the factory, milk is first pasteurised, meaning that it is heated to eliminate bacteria. Then, lactic acids and coagulants are added: lactic acids ensure good taste and longer storage life, and coagulants causes the solid substances, milk proteins and milk fat to coagulate, causing the milk to thicken.
In a round tank, the thick milk is cut into small white grains, also referred to as “curd”. This is the first stage of cheese. The remaining liquid is called “whey”, which is used in drinks such as Taksi. Curd is pressed into a tank, moulding the cheese into its form, and draining liquid away. The Rijkskaasmerk is printed in the cheese: this mark stands for quality and states the date and place where the cheese was produced. After several hours, the cheese is immersed in a bath with salt water (brine bath). The salt soaks into the cheese, making it firm, tasteful, and ensuring long storage life.
After the brine bath, the cheese is transported to the cheese warehouse where it matures for at least another four weeks. Cheese matures at a temperature of 12-15 degrees Celsius, during which it is regularly turned to maintain its shape. Cheese comes with a plastic coating to prevent mould and dehydration.