This question cannot be answered unambiguously. For some, this is just a tasty product that can be used in cooking as an independent dish or an additional ingredient. But most connoisseurs of cheese will definitely mention its extraordinary tastes, smells, shapes and colors. just huge. Given the large number of manufacturers of this product, it is not easy for an ordinary consumer to understand this variety. Belarusian cheese occupies a special niche in the market. Which one is the best? Let's try to figure this out.
A little about cheese
There are many varieties of this product, many of which have a very interesting history of origin. Mozzarella is one of the most famous cheeses. The first mention of it dates back to the 17th century. Roquefort is a blue cheese that is produced from It has an unusual, specific taste. Feta is a product of Greek origin. The olive oil in which it is stored gives it an unusual aroma. Camembert is a dessert cheese with a hard rind and a slight coating of white mold.
It has a spicy taste with a slight aroma of mushrooms. Gouda is a Dutch product, pungent and savory, firm, yellow in color. It has varying degrees of maturity. You can endlessly list varieties, but it will take a lot of time. Some of them are familiar to consumers firsthand. These are gouda, gorgonzola, parmesan, cheddar, tofu, brie and many others. Belarusian cheese is presented in no less quantity. Manufacturers have learned how to make a great product with excellent taste. What are the best cheeses?
History in Belarus
Belarusian cheeses, reviews of which speak of their high quality and excellent taste, have firmly won their niche in the market. The history of production is closely connected with the emergence of this industry in Russia. As you know, cheese was brought to Russia by Peter I, who set up its production with the help of foreign cheese makers. Gradually, schools for the training of their specialists were created. On the territory of modern Belarus began to breed a large number of livestock.
Surplus milk, which remained with the landlords, began to be put into production by purchasing the necessary equipment. At the end of the 19th century, there were already large enterprises producing butter and cheeses in Belarus. This industry began to develop with varying degrees of success. Modern Belarus is the rapid development of agriculture and the processing industry. The country has a program for the development and revival of the village. Thanks to this, we can enjoy the wonderful taste of dairy products from its producers.
The best Belarusian manufacturers
Among the Belarusian producers there are also leaders not only in terms of the volume of products, but also in terms of their taste and compliance with all requirements. For example, "Berezovsky cheese-making plant" produces about 17 tons of cheese per year. "Slutsk cheese-making plant" is the leader among the best. Its volumes are about 20 tons of product per year. You can also highlight "Savushkin Product", "Dairy World", "Shchuchinsky Butter and Cheese Plant" and some other manufacturers.
All of them have equipped their factories with the best equipment that meets all modern requirements. Manufacturers place more emphasis on quick-maturing cheeses. This is due to the large amount of raw materials and limited production volumes. But there are Belarusian cheeses, the names and tastes of which correspond to the best varieties with a long ripening period. Roqueforty cheese with mold is in no way inferior to foreign analogues.
Poshekhonsky cheese
Many are wondering which Belarusian cheese is the best. There can be many opinions here, as they say, there are no comrades for the taste and color. But, according to experts, the best product of this category, produced in Belarus, is Poshekhonsky cheese (Slutsk). It has excellent taste and meets all the parameters. It belongs to the rennet cheeses, which are produced with a low temperature of the second maturation.
Flavor-forming substances are involved in its maturation. Ideally, this cheese has a thin rind without damage. Its taste is slightly sour and well pronounced. It has a homogeneous consistency, breaks on a bend. Its eyes are round or oval. This Belarusian cheese is great for making sandwiches, as an independent dish or as an additional product used in cooking.
Roqueforty
This is an elite cheese with blue mold, which is produced in Belarus. Roqueforti in its taste is not much inferior to its counterparts. It is made from normalized pasteurized cow's milk. This is the main component, but in addition to this, salt, enzymes of animal origin, mold culture, bacterial starter culture and calcium chloride are added to the cheese.
Roqueforti is a hard cheese and has a moderate amount of mold. It has a creamy taste and a light spicy aftertaste. Having a fairly high performance, Rokforti is cheaper than its counterparts, which is its advantage. It is served with wine or as an appetizer before main courses.
Cream cheese
How to choose Belarusian cheeses? Manufacturers of this product cannot always be honest with their consumer. Cheese is made from different raw materials, not always adhering to established requirements. That is why it is important to choose a manufacturer that has proven itself in the market. Cream cheese from the Belovezhskie Syry company is a high-quality product.
It is made from pasteurized cow's milk, salt, bacterial starter and natural milk-clotting agent. The mass fraction of fat in this product is 50%. The cheese has a pronounced creamy taste and aroma, a plastic texture and a beautiful yellow color.
Monastery cheese
This is a rennet solid product, which is made from pasteurized cow's milk with the addition of milk-clotting enzymes, bacterial starter cultures. Cheese production technology includes all necessary operations: shaping, pressing and ripening. The fat content of the product is 50%. Produces Monastyrsky cheese JSC "Moloko" in Vitebsk. According to its taste, the cheese meets all world requirements.
Dutch cheese
Many consumers prefer Belarusian cheeses. Their composition is only natural products of the highest quality. Semi-hard cheeses are considered to be the most delicate, with a delicate taste and aroma. They are well absorbed by the human body. For their production, only high-quality milk and special starter cultures are used. The maturation period of such cheeses is about 40-45 days. From this category can be distinguished from the Gormolzavod of Minsk. The fat content of the product is 45%. Choosing a responsible manufacturer, you can be sure of the quality of cheese.
Conclusion
Recently, Belarusian cheeses have occupied a significant share of the dairy products market. The names of manufacturers play an important role in the choice. Not only the opinion of experts is important here, although only they can give a full assessment of the quality of products and their compliance with standards. The main thing is the opinion of consumers who prefer a particular product. Belarusian cheeses have gained many fans in our country. This happened due to the high quality of the products and their taste properties. Let's hope that all these indicators will continue to be at the proper level.
As a result of food counter-sanctions, most varieties of Italian and French cheese disappeared from stores, but numerous Russian and Belarusian analogues appeared. The Village got some samples from markets and shops and asked an expert sommelier to rate how similar they were to the original.
The essence of the experiment
The expert tastes seven varieties of cheese, evaluates the taste and texture of each and puts a rating on a scale from 1 to 10. The tasting is on the rise: from neutral ricotta to spicy blue with mold - so that the taste of the cheeses is revealed gradually.
ricotta
“Cheese has almost no smell, which is normal for ricotta. A good ricotta should have the consistency of loose cottage cheese but taste like cheese. Everything is in order with this consistency, with taste - in principle, too, although here it is felt that this is either not too bland cottage cheese, or such curd cheese. I tried it before. Belarusian ricotta is not similar to Italian, but it is not bad.”
WHERE PRODUCED:
Belarus, Gomel region, Bonfesto firm
GRADE:
7 points
mozzarella chillegina
“This mozzarella is fresh and tastes more like cottage cheese than cheese. It won't work for something classic like caprese. The taste - cow's milk - is very mediocre. The balls are too big for a chileggini, more like a bocconcini, although they look good on the outside: layered, without air bubbles. And one more thing: the right mozzarella should be stored in brine, ideally in water with sea salt. This brine has a strange smell - like sour milk. There is clearly something wrong here.
This mozzarella would be perfect for pizza. The main thing is that it should be similar in taste and not stretch: this is critical for pizza. It seems to me that when it melts, it will be fine.
Of course, it does not look like the classic buffalo mozzarella (which will probably never be produced in Russia). There are no black buffaloes in our country, from whose milk this kind of cheese is made. I heard that some entrepreneurs imported these animals, but so far they have not succeeded.”
WHERE PRODUCED:
JSC "Shchapovo-Agrotechno", Shchapovskoye settlement
GRADE:
5 points
hard mozzarella
“Maybe my knowledge is not enough, but I don’t understand what this cheese is for. It is salty (which is unacceptable for classic mozzarella). viscous. It can be used for sandwiches, but it has absolutely no taste! This is a substrate that simply lies on the bread. To eat it, you need either salted butter or some kind of bread with additives - something flavorful.
This cheese is perhaps two weeks old: mediocre, young, slightly salty. I can taste pasteurized milk. Warm, not very appetizing.
WHERE PRODUCED:
Belarus, farming
GRADE:
3 points
Maasdam
“I am very fond of Altai cheeses. This one is delicious, has a slight sweetness, with hints of forest herbs. Personally, I do not like sweetness in cheeses, in my opinion, this is not very good for sandwiches.
The structure bothers me. The cheese is very loose, with small holes. Maasdams are characterized by a smaller number of holes: they converge closer to the edge and form larger ones. Perhaps, accelerated maturation was used for this. He can still mature."
WHERE PRODUCED:
GRADE:
6 points
Swiss cheese
“Swiss cheese in the USSR was called Emmental. If you go abroad, you will most likely meet him for lunch (for example, in sandwiches, although sometimes young cheddar is also available).
Outwardly, this variety looks decent, it does not even look like a Russian product. It has some very nice holes. Looks like Emmental. If I had seen this cheese in the window, even without the indication of the manufacturer, I would have decided that it was worthy of attention.
In taste, of course, it is inferior to real Swiss cheese: Altai cheese is more bland. I'm not sure how he will behave if you give him more time to mature (maybe he hasn't reached the condition). But when I eat it, I feel like I'm eating good cheese."
WHERE PRODUCED:
Altai Territory, farming
GRADE:
5 points
Cheddar
“I didn’t like this cheese at all. I love aged cheddar, the kind where you cut it and it crumbles. Moscow cheddar is very soft, almost plasticine. He was either removed early, or he simply cannot mature any further. It tastes like an unboiled pan.”
WHERE PRODUCED:
Moscow, Algoy LLC
GRADE:
1 point
Kuban blues (blue cheese)
"Are you sure it's fresh? Leaking from the package. A good blue cheese should not run.
The Kuban blues does not have such a pronounced mold: it falls short of the same Swiss samples. Boring taste, no interesting point. But there is a plus - it is unsalted. Many Russian cheeses are terribly salty (they are easier to make this way), and salt interrupts the delicate taste of mold. In general, a good sample.
This variety is good for salad or pie - where it will be secondary. For wine, probably not. I would not recommend, the taste will be lost.
WHERE PRODUCED:
Krasnodar Territory, firm "Kaloriya"
GRADE:
5 points
Conclusion
“Historically, cheesemaking has not been very developed in Russia. Now, thanks to the embargo, many beat their chests with their fists: “I'll take it now!” But I'm skeptical about this: in Europe it took several centuries.
If you want to make money, it's more profitable for you to sell the cheese faster in order to return the money. The sooner the money will turn around - the more you get. We produce a lot of decent soft cheeses because they are easy to make and hard to mess up. This is mainly done by small farm cheese dairies. We do not have complex aged cheeses (such as parmesan, for example), and it is unlikely that we will soon.
Good cheese (especially with white mold and goat cheese) is made by Lefkadia in the Krasnodar Territory, there are worthy examples from small farms - Signore Formaggio, Cosa Nostra, but, unfortunately, they reach few places.
Compound: normalized milk, salt sealant - calcium chloride, milk-clotting enzyme of microbial origin, bacterial ferment of thermophilic cultures.
Nutritional value of 100 g of product:
Proteins - 20.1
Fat - 17.6 g
Energy value - 238.8 kcal (999.8 kJ)
Store at a temperature from +2 o C to +6 o C at a relative humidity of 75-85%.
Vacuum packed.
After opening the package, consume within 48 hours.
TU BY 490871155.002-2011
TI RB 490871155.002
Semi-hard cheese Mozzarella Pizza (Italian: Mozzarella Pizza) is the most famous cheese of the Pasta Filata group.
Mozzarella Pizza reveals its taste best under the influence of temperature, which is why this cheese is so popular in dishes that require baking and heat treatment, for example, as a topping for pizza, lasagna. At the same time, the scope of using semi-hard mozzarella is much wider: sandwiches, salads, all kinds of cold appetizers - an endless variety of options.
Mozzarella Pizza and Mozzarella Fior di Latte differ mainly in terms of moisture content and fat content in dry matter. Mozzarella Pizza is characterized by reduced moisture content and a reduced fat mass fraction, which contributes to a longer shelf life and improves the characteristics of the cheese after melting. Mozzarella Pizza, unlike varieties such as Provola and Scamorza, does not ripen - this cheese is suitable for packaging immediately after preparation.
Mozzarella Pizza is great not only for making pizza, but also for casseroles, lasagna, pies. The most famous mozzarella Pizza pie is the calzone. Buy Mozzarella Bonfesto (Bonfesto) Turov Belarusian.
» Enrico Cerea, the chef of the Italian restaurant Da Vittorio, founded 50 years ago by his father, is visiting Minsk. The restaurant has three Michelin stars. The last one was given to Enrico and his brother Roberto in 2010. In between the master classes and the gala dinner, Enrico looked into the TUT.BY editorial office to evaluate the “Italian” cheeses offered by Belarusian producers.
“It tastes good, but it’s definitely not what it says on the package”
We did not set ourselves the goal of offering Enrico all the Italian cheeses that are produced in Belarus. Parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta and mascarpone we bought in the supermarket closest to the office. In the same place, in the department with bread, they looked after ciabatta, and for a change they put the usual cottage cheese with five percent fat in the basket.
First of all, Enrico picks up ciabatta. In the store this bread for 2 rubles 46 kopecks positioned as "dark Italian", but the chef believes that "Belarusian" ciabatta is more like bread for toast.
“Too soft,” the chef says first. - Ciabatta should be crispy, with a crust that would break in your hands. This one is very rubbery. But it smells delicious, the flour is of good quality. Perhaps an unsuccessful processing was chosen or a lot of liquid was added to the dough. Porosity must be distributed, this is not here, and we can talk about low quality.
As for the packaging, it is similar to the one used by Italian manufacturers, says Enrico. With the exception of two products (No. 1 and No. 3).
- What it is? he asks about the packaging, which does not have the name of the product in Latin letters (in the photo - No. 1).
— Parmesan.
— Parmesan? - the chef asks with annoyance looking at the cheese. “Of course, it doesn’t look like parmesan in any way. Similar to Dutch cheese in both texture and color. Parmesan has certain granules that shape it.
Our parmesan had a monotonous even structure and, according to Enrico, the technology that is necessary for the manufacture of such cheese was not followed.
But the cheese tastes good. But this is not parmesan, and the opposite is written on the package.
- It should be softer, creamy, and there are a lot of granules here. It tastes a bit like mascarpone. Very, very fatty cheese.
We tell the Italian that the store also had Italian mascarpone, but we were looking for Belarusian. Enrico nods understandingly and says, if the price is lower, you need to be prepared for the result.
— Italian products are expensive. But if a person is aware that, yes, the product is not Italian, but simply different, why not use it?
“Is it called mozzarella? It's even embarrassing!"
There are several more untouched products on the table. Among them are two types of mozzarella.
- And what's that? Is it called mozzarella? This, I must say, is even a shame that such a product was called mozzarella (No. 3).
Enrico explains that there is mozzarella in the form of sausages, which is rubbed on low-end pizza. Perhaps the product he holds in his hands is designed for this.
“These sausages were simply cut up and packaged to be sold. But it didn't work out very well. Now I'll try this magic mozzarella, - Enrico jokes and adds: - No, I didn't insure my life!
The Italian says that this product can be called anything, but it has nothing to do with mozzarella. But he likes another mozzarella (No. 6).
- The consistency is acceptable. For me, it is different because I am used to eating a different product. And, apparently, it leaves its mark. However, you can eat.
The ricotta we bought has more granules than the chef is used to, but the consistency is acceptable. But the taste seems unsaturated, without any particularity.
- The taste is neutral, more like yoka cheese than ricotta (cheese No. 5). And, of course, there is no question of any fruits with ricotta. Berries can be combined with yogurt or added to dumplings if they are cooked from cheese and flour.
The second kind of ricotta also reminds the chef of another kind of cheese.
— It is very hard, all the water was taken from the cheese. And it is absolutely impossible to eat! It’s just impossible, like plastic,” Enrico hurried to put product number 7 aside.
After the tasting, the Italian chef from the restaurant with three Michelin stars apologized for the criticism, noting that his assessment is subjective.
— This is only in my opinion, taking into account my taste and experience.
“It is not necessary to repeat after someone, it is better to create something of your own”
When all the "Italian" Belarusian products were tasted, the turn came to the cottage cheese, which Enrico put aside at the very beginning. At first glance, in a still closed package, he defined it as "what is not made in Italy." We try.
- If you ask me which cheese of all (and the Italian also calls five percent cottage cheese cheese) I would like to eat with this bread, I will take this one (points to cottage cheese. - Approx. site). There is a good level of acidity, it is pleasant in the mouth, it is tasty. I like structure. Add two tomatoes, two cucumbers and a little bit of olives to it - and it will be some kind of Belarusian salad, which is nowhere to be found.
The Italian believes that Belarusians should use traditional products. Then the dishes from them will be authentic.
- After all, it is not necessary to repeat what was created by other people, especially when these products do not meet the specified standards. Maybe you need to develop something of your own?
As for the rest of the products, the Italian called mozzarella (No. 6) and mascarpone (No. 4) similar cheese (albeit very remotely) to the original. But their level is not high, even below average, says Enrico.
“If I came to work in Belarus, I would be happy if I could bring my mozzarella,” he smiles. - And if not, then I’d better come up with recipes with this (points to cottage cheese).
Enrico has already tried Belarusian sour cream and was delighted.
— I would serve it with caviar. Or with smoked salmon, dill cream and bottarga.
Finally, we asked the Michelin-starred chef if he goes to expensive restaurants when he travels.
- Yes, I go in, I try, because I'm interested. I spent a lot of money. Seriously, spent a fortune visiting other places where I ate something. But I also try completely ordinary food, some kind of nonsense, street food. The main thing is that food should be tasty and bring pleasure, give emotions.
Aram Mikhailovich, are you going to Moscow with an inspection or are you planning to open a new restaurant? Now is just the right time - a crisis, a favorable period for growth, as economists say.
I'm not with the inspection, but for the pleasure! Before, before Traffic jams on Tsvetnoy, Moscow was perceived by me as a city where I would not want to work. I can't mess around, and I didn't have my place here. I did not understand what it was like to have your own restaurant in Moscow. Now everything is different: I come here to have fun, because I really like my restaurant in Moscow.
So, maybe you need to start a second one, and you will be twice as happy?
No, I will not have a second restaurant in Moscow. I don’t like to promise, but I definitely don’t plan to open new restaurants in the capital.
Three months of the food embargo, and it seems that nothing has changed. Has it changed or not changed in your opinion?
It has changed, of course. It is not noticeable to the consumer, but chefs and restaurateurs have added a lot of unnecessary trouble associated with obtaining products that were previously at hand. Of course, this is not catastrophic, but it is distracting.
Are you currently cooking with alternative products or are you using original leftovers?
Cheese from Serbia and Morocco will never replace French and Italian, there is nothing to talk about. And Belarusian mozzarella sorry, this is funny. The product, its gastronomic qualities are determined by the place of origin - climatic factors, local traditions. In Russia we cannot make cheese, we can only cook it. We never had cheese making, cheese making only. And Far Eastern oyster is a fundamentally different product. Some people like it, but it will not replace those classic oysters that we are used to.
But once again I emphasize: all this is not critical. Understand that the disappearance of French and Italian cheeses, Dutch vegetables, Polish apples is not noticeable to the people. Now, if they cut guilt, the consumer would immediately feel it.
And we forgot about the rest. The restaurant needs a stable food supply situation. The market is freed up, new suppliers feel a free niche, and here comes the flow of new products, including very good, impeccable quality.
What is so new and interesting appeared in our market?
Products from Iceland- fish, meat... I have been to Iceland many times, I love this country and its people very much. Whenever I'm there, my friends open up new restaurants, foods and dishes for me, and every time it's delicious! Not for me, but for our market, Iceland is a discovery. Icelandic products have always been expensive, but now, after their crisis and under the embargo, they have become quite affordable. Argentine meat yet again...
Did you have to change the menu a lot?
Twenty percent. Most importantly - cheeses and salads. There are no high-quality green salads in Russia in sufficient quantity. And what is there does not meet any requirements. Holland has disappeared from the shelves, and with salads, seams. Almost all of my restaurants are Italian. For the preparation of some dishes, those products that are under the embargo are required. The hardest thing with cheeses: Parmesan, buffalo mozzarella- there is no substitute for them. But of course, we can always maintain the authenticity with a fine selection of Italian wines and my favorite Italian water. San Benedetto.
Is the crisis in the restaurant industry already here?
The general economic situation naturally affects restaurants. People have less money, and they are very biased in choosing establishments based on price and quality. Time for fierce competition. Anything done on the knees will fall apart. This applies primarily to the entire service sector - and travel agencies, and hairdressers, and restaurants. Everything of good quality will remain.
What are your personal criteria for evaluating a good restaurant?
The main thing in the restaurant is the atmosphere. It would be a mistake to think that the atmosphere can be formed by the interior. The atmosphere is people: both guests and the restaurant team. How they smile at me at the entrance, how they accept my clothes, how they escort me to a table - everything is important. In a good restaurant, all employees know everything about their restaurant, menu, dishes, wine, history, that is, they live this place.
What do you associate the success of Cork on Tsvetnoy with?
Only what is done harmoniously and in balance can be successful. A wonderful team, a clear simple menu, stability in everything. We are a classic gastronomic restaurant, very high quality. We don't do anything too original, we go from season to season.
Well, seasonality is some strange, alien concept in our realities ...
Yes, the season in Russia is a non-existent concept. Why do we have a season - by and large, only pumpkins and mushrooms, and what else? Smelt in St. Petersburg! In Russia, few domestic products are produced, there is no developed agriculture. Therefore, the cuisine does not differ in variety. Although, as you know, we have opportunities for all this to appear. Therefore, we will believe that we will cope and will find another renaissance of Russian gastronomy.
