Feeling Sheepish

From Oyster Food and Culture by LouAnn Con

July 11, 2009

I don’t know about you, but some of my favorite cheeses are made from sheep milk. I love the tanginess it imparts. Growing up in the Midwest, and well versed in the ways of cow’s milk cheese, for my first encounter, I am ashamed to say, I sallied forth with some trepidation, I had let myself be swayed by the comments on the “bite” or the “interesting” taste, but thankfully my suspicion proved unfounded, because I became love struck that day, and the feelings have only intensified. I think that’s what happens when you live in a place where the selection was fairly homogeneous – i.e. cheddar, cheese curds, so anything that tastes different was immediately suspect.

first encounters
Sheep milk cheese originated in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean. The composition of sheep’s milk distinguishes it from other milk in that it has a higher fat content and the fat it contains has more of the short-chain fatty acids that lead to its characteristic flavor and the fact that it is easier to digest (shorter fatty chains vs. longer fatty chains). Cheese made from sheep’s milk, as I mentioned in a previous post, is seasonal as sheep only have young twice a year, and therefore only lactate twice a year, so its a cheese that is not often at its peak year round. Of course that depends on a variety of factors including how long the cheese is meant to age, and the methods used to make the cheese, so questions regarding the selection might be a good conversation starter with the local cheesemonger.
Given the composition of the cheese, aside from the distinctive flavor it imparts, it also allows for a relatively high cheese yield. The composition of the mild depends on the breed of the sheep, and like cows, there are dairy sheep. In terms of volume, sheep produce the least, about 1 quart per day, as compared to a cow (8-10 quarts or 8 to 20 L) and a goat (3 to 4.5 quarts or 3 to 4.5 L). To further put it in perspective, 2 quarts of milk produce 8 oz of Camembert. (source: Steve Jenkins Cheese Primer)
I was surprised to learn that Libya is a leading sheep milk cheese producer, and many of the cheeses found there go back several thousand of years. (Sheep cheese representing some of the earliest made.) Surprised only because at least in the United States, Libya is never mentioned in any cheese related conversations, but I intend to keep a look out for some of their cheeses in the future.
Cowgirl Creamery a cheesemonger/cheesemaker based out of California has a great on line tool to identify types of cheeses, I filtered it for sheep milk cheese, et voila: Great Tool.
Quick glance chart of country of origin of sheep milk cheeses (only cheese made exclusively with sheep’s milk are identified, other cheeses exist that are an amalgamation of more than one animal milk).
Source: A Complete Illustrated Guild to the Cheeses of the World (Harbutt 1999)
Country Cheese
Bulgaria Katschkawalj
Czech Republic Abertam
England Friesla, Olde York
France Roquefort, Abbaye de Belloc, Perail
Greece Kefalotiri, Myzithra, Feta
Hungary Liptoi
Italy Canestrato Pugliese, Fiore Sardo, Pecorino Romano/Sardo/Toscano
Ireland Orla
Portugal Serra da Estrela
Romania Brinza
Spain Castellano, Idiazabal, Manchego, Roncal, Zamorano
Turkey Beyaz Peynir, Mihalic Peynir
Libya Al Zahra, Jibnet Grus, Al Naseem
Or listed another way – by type: The famous sheep milk cheeses include (list from sheepmilk.biz):
White fresh cheeses
Burgos (Spain)
Villalon (Spain)
Cachat (France)
Perail (France)
Brined cheeses
Feta (Greece, Italy, France)
Teleme (Romania)
Sirene (Bulgaria)
Halloumi (Cyprus)
Hard and semi-hard cheeses
Pecorino Romano, Sardo, Siciliano, Toscano (Italy)
Kefalotyri (Greece)
Idiezabal (Spain)
Manchego (Spain)
Roncal (Spain)
Ossau-Iraty (France)
Blue-veined cheeses
Roquefort (France)
Cabrales (Spain)
Stretched curd cheeses
Kashkaval (Bulgaria/Romania/Macedonia)
Kaseri (Greece)
Whey cheeses
Ricotta (Italy)
Manouri (Greece)
Requeson (Spain)
Broccio (Corsica-France)
Oregon State University has a great primer on sheep milk cheeses.
A nice idea for using that ricotta.
Ricotta Pudding

from Sunday Suppers at Luques, by Suzanne Goin
Ingredients
2 extra-large egg
1 extra large egg yolk
2 c fresh whole-milk ricotta, drained if wet
1 c whole milk
1 ½ tsp thyme leaves
1 chile de arbol, thinly sliced on the diagonal
salt + pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350º F
Whisk eggs, egg yolk, and ricotta together in a large mixing bowl. Add the cream, milk, 1 tsp thyme, 2 tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Whisk to combine – the mixture will be lumpy.
Taste for seasoning, and pour into a buttered 9″ baking dish. Decorate the top of the pudding with the chile and remaining thyme. Cover the dish with foil, place in a water bath and bake for 1 hour, until the pudding (custard) is set.

Lucca, Italy - continued

From Oyster Food and Culture by LouAnn Con

February 6, 2009

I spent the past few days mulling about the banned ethnic food in Lucca, Italy, and felt compelled to add to my previous post. When I first identified this issue of Lucca banning what city leaders deemed ethnic food from the city center, I did so as an immediate response to the news, and because I also thought it would be a good segue to compare France’s desire to have their cuisine listed with UNESCO. I participate in several food and culture related groups, and this topic prompted great discussions where issues and opinions were raised that I never considered.

My background includes international business, so my instinct is to look at these decisions through the lense of my experience and education. My fellow groupies include chefs, food historians, anthropologists, with several living as expats in other countries, consequently they bring very different opinions - so I was intrigued as they shared their thoughts.

One woman stated the ban is akin to farmers markets requiring vendor’s to only sell food they grow, or cities banning chain restaurants and allowing only locally owned businesses. Living in San Francisco, I’ve witnessed the desire to keep fastfood restaurants out of neighborhoods.

I spent the past few days mulling about the banned ethnic food in Lucca, Italy, and felt compelled to add to my previous post. When I first identified this issue of Lucca banning what city leaders deemed ethnic food from the city center, I did so as an immediate response to the news, and because I also thought it would be a good segue to compare France’s desire to have their cuisine listed with UNESCO. I participate in several food and culture related groups, and this topic prompted great discussions where issues and opinions were raised that I never considered.

My background includes international business, so my instinct is to look at these decisions through the lense of my experience and education. My fellow groupies include chefs, food historians, anthropologists, with several living as expats in other countries, consequently they bring very different opinions - so I was intrigued as they shared their thoughts.

One woman stated the ban is akin to farmers markets requiring vendor’s to only sell food they grow, or cities banning chain restaurants and allowing only locally owned businesses. Living in San Francisco, I’ve witnessed the desire to keep fastfood restaurants out of neighborhoods.

An ethics professor asked if the reaction would have been as strong if the ban was against McDonalds as opposed to a kabob vendor? She further suggested we might have created a Disney-like scenario where the good guys and bad guys are easily identified, when, in truth, it might not be so clean cut.

Another contributor, a writer living abroad, asked - Do you eat the local cuisine of your new home and lose your cultural identify, or do you hang on to your cultural identify and import food from abroad?

Seeing these questions made me pinpoint what really captured my attention with this issue. What struck me was the fact that Lucca’s city elders considered the culture static. Why did they select only one period to represent the food of Lucca? I suspect that the make up of the people of Lucca is different now than when the cuisine they seek to preserve was created.

Similar arguments could probably be made for every country. Is mole representative of Mexican cuisine? I would give it a resounding “yes” as that would be my first example of Oaxacan cooking, yet the Spanish are credited for bringing Moorish influence to Mexican food with their sauces, and before that came the influence of Persian food on the Moors. So is mole truly Mexican? The more I think about it, the more convoluted it becomes.

This situation reminded me of my recent trip to Omaha, Nebraska. I had not been back in awhile, and when I drove, I followed the interstate as much as possible. But on this last visit, my father shuttled us around the neighborhoods of his youth, and while I recognized the structures, little else remained the same. The runza restaurants, Polish and Czech butchers and Bohemian cafes common in my youth, were replaced by brightly colored tacquerias and Mercados. New culture had supplanted old.

I strongly believe preserving culture is critical and something that is commonly overlooked in our fast paced world. I am not convince the the city elders of Lucca are on the right path, but we need to maintain our identify; to learn what makes us unique as Americans, French, or Filipinos. I struggle with determining where the line should be drawn to define what represents a culture for a locality? I think this is a problem of globalization, as we grow more mobile do we break our ties with where we are from and embrace where we are? How do we define who we are, if we cannot define where we came from?

Culinary Racism

From Oyster Food and Culture by LouAnn Con

February 6, 2009

Last week, city officals of Lucca, Italy banned any ethnic food that was not its own. The ruling applies only to the fortified area of town, and included in the ban are kabob vendors and takeaway pizza stands. The City’s leaders want people eating local dishes consisting of ingredients such as salted cod, bean and rabbit. They intend to preserve “the culinary traditions and the authenticity of structure, culture and history, establishments whose activities can be tracked to different ethnicities will not be allowed to operate.”

I simply do not understand the motivation - actually I do - I just disagree with it. People are predisposed to the food they will eat, and will go out of their way to get to it. If someone wants a slice of pizza or a hamburger, they will not substitute salted cod or rabbit. It will not happen. I think this decision will have a detrimental effect on the local economy and some unintended consequences. This story brings to mind a woman I met from Chicago while staying at a B&B in Auckland, NZ. This was her second trip abroad, and for both trips she went to the same place, and stayed at the same B&B because they fixed her eggs like she got them at home. She did not venture from that B&B. She did not have to - her travel preferences were met by that establishment. The inspiration for her trips to New Zealand? Why her all time favorite television show: Xena - Princess Warrior. I kid you not.

This woman was not going to try to local cuisine, no way, no how. She is not alone. Culinary preferences are strong, and they do not vary solely by country, but within countries as well - think US foods ranging from Philly Cheese Steak to Tex-Mex. Forcing limited options on consumers usually backfires because intrepid entrepreneurs find ways to game the system. A better approach would be to highlight the cuisine - offer cooking classes or culinary events that showcase the local food and culture. What about you, what do you think of this approach? The French have their own ideas for dealing with this issue, but that’s a topic for another post.

Risky Business that Fugu

From Oyster Food and Culture by LouAnn Con

February 5, 2009

Fugu fish eating can be dangerous business, but that does not stop it from being a national pastime. Just this past week, the San Francisco Chronicle reported another case of poisoning. The poison, tetrodotoxin is 100 times more powerful the potassium cyanide - Agatha Christie eat your heart out. No antidote exists for the powerful neurotoxins this fish contains. The only method used to treat the victims is to support the respiratory and circulatory systems while the poison wears off. If the victim can live beyond the first 24 hours, chances are good for a recovery.

Why risk it? I’ve been trying to understand myself, but apparently its for the risk lovers among us who live on the edge with the knowledge that if the chef screwed up, its lights out. From what I understand, the taste alone is not enough to enduce this sort of daring do. The tastiest, and most poisonous part of the fish is the liver, although you will not find the liver served at restaurants today as it has been illegal to serve it since 1984.

The toxin is not in the meat itself, but in the fish’s organs, so the chef must not nick any of those lethal innards in creating his delicacies. Some diners claim to experience a slight numbing of their lips, and even a feeling of euphoria as a result of the meal. I’d feel euphoric too if I just ate something that could have killed me, but lived to see another day.

Only one type of knife is legally used in the making of fugu sashimi called the fugu hiki, which translates to the puffer fish-puller. This knife must be stored separate from the chefs other knifes to avoid possible cross contamination.

As you might imagine, not just anyone makes fugu sashimi, a chef must be licensed and apprenticed for three years. After completing his apprenticeship, he must take a rigorous exam where the pass rate is less than 30%. Most deaths are fisherman who figure that they can make the sashmi at home rather than pay for the expensive meal which can run up to $200 US .

In addition to the sashimi, the fugu is also served as chirinabe and the fins are toasted with hot sake poured over them. This sake is commonly drunk as an appertif.
Despite the obvious drawbacks, 10,000 tons of fugu are consumed in Japan each year, with most fish coming from Yamaguchi. You can find puffer fish in some restaurants in the United States, mostly around New York City. Licensed chefs in Japan have removed the poisonous bits before shipping them to the United States.
Any takers on fugu sashimi? I might try, but I suspect it would depend on the amount of sake consumed ahead of time.

Should French cuisine be added to UNESCO’s Heritage List?

From Oyster Food and Culture by LouAnn Con

February 5, 2009

Last year, French President Sarkozy requested that French cuisine be added to the UNESCO’s heritage list. Specifically, the UNESCO’s Convention of Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. This category includes oral traditions, performance art, traditional crafts and social practices. Sarkozy claims listing the French cuisine with UNESCO would preserve the best cuisine in the world, to which Le Figaro countered it was more like mummifying cassoulet. Sarkozy contends that French cuisine is under attack from fast food, foam, syringes, you name it. This argument is countered by food lovers that say the last exciting movement from French cuisine was noveau French of the 1970s.

French food is not hip in the sense that new trends and developments are coming from its chefs - no foam king like Ferran Adria of Spain or uber-creative types Wylie Dufresne of WD 50of the United States. Who do we associate with French cuisine? My guess is that its Escoffier, and he died in 1935.

But, is that bad? With French cooking, and all its rules you know exactly what you get, and comfort can be taken with that fact. To me, French food defines quality and technique. Now, before I get way off topic, let me get back to Sarkozy’s desire to get a UNESCO classification for French food. France is not the first country, or region to request this status. Mexico and loyalist of the Mediterranean diet have gone before. Mexico was declined, and a ruling has not been made for the Mediterranean diet.

The Mexican National Council of Culture and the Arts argued that Mexican cusine was part of a culture system dating back 8,000 with strong spiritual roots. The UNESCO jury was not convinced and thought the arugument lacked evidence of symbolic and ritual importance. With Mexico, I guess that some of the intended consequences were gained despite its being declined, Mexico received an increase in culinary tourism. But in doing so, the focus may be too much on the food and not on the culture that defined it. Similar, I imagine to a visit to EPCOT Center in Disney World - a very unsatisfactory, tantalizing hint of what a culture is made of.

This approach arrives at the same result of Lucca’s foray into banning ethnic food. Who made the governing officials experts? Cuisine that typifies a country or region is not static. What makes food authentic - what is the criteria?

While the concept of regional cuisine is constantly changing, we can still identify certain foods that we associate with a region. But this solution, may also not be the best. For example, having the EU’s PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) limits what can be called by that name. Champagne is the obvious example. However, feta just achieved this status, so now feta can only be called feta if it hails from Greece. Other countries have been making feta style cheese for just as long and have strong connection with it, but now they have to come up with a new name. Stilton is a good example. Stilton is another example of this effort is taken to an extreme. Stilton can only be made with pasteurized milk, despite the fact that until recently Stilton was unpasteurized. What about Stilton made with unpasteurised milk? Its called Stichelton, instead. Stilton used to be made with unpasteurized milk, but a few years back, people got sick and blamed the Stilton, the cheese makers responded by switching to pasteurized milk, now what was originally Stilton cannot be claimed as such. Its very mucky, if you ask me.

Is iconicing your food to preserve it better than letting natural progression run its course?

Wine judges, do we trust them?

From Oyster Food and Culture by LouAnn Con

February 4, 2009

. and if we do, should we? When I select my wine, the scores posted along with the description of the wine certainly influence my decision. My assumption is that the educated folks making the decisions are professionals after all, and as for me, I’m imbibing purely for pleasure. Sure, I know what I like, but I am not confident enough to voice my opinion when pushed for details. In truth, I wilt like yesterday’s parsley if questioned by someone I perceive as more knowledgeable. But should I be so hard on my abilities? I’ve consumed wine for a number of years, and really enjoy the experience. My husband, while he drinks, is content with a glass of wine at dinner.

If I had my way, and for quest of scientific knowledge only, I would open a few bottles of zin to do comparison tasting. But being a properly raised mid-western gal I have waste issues, as I know my husband would not keep up his end. (My dream job belongs to Jeffery Steingarten at Vogue) Then there is the matter that we get up at 5 am to run. If you’ve never tried it, I do not recommend early rising after a delightful evening of sipping the juice.

Back to my original question, a study was performed at the California Wine Fair that showed only 30 of the 65 judges achieved consistent results. Each judge received a flight of 30 wines, in which were embedded triplicate samples poured from the same bottle. Only 10% of the judges replicated their selections in a single award category. Put another way, 90% of the judges could not repeat their work! 90% - that’s huge! To get a better picture, 80% of those judges scored the same wine from as a gold medal winner to no medal.

Given that ratings can directly affect the price charged for a wine I wonder why this issue is not raised, or the vineyards challenge the rankings. Before you say, ah but its just the California judges that have this problem, I have news for you. The American Association of Wine Economists AAWE agrees that this problem is systemic across the industry. (Bet you didn’t know there was an American Association of Wine Economists)

Given the issue, and implications, the industry is trying out various solutions. One suggestion for improving the rating system was to take the average of a small group of judges. When this method was used, the results proved more consistent. I do not know about you, but my self confidence soared after reading this news. Now, I know that the experts face the same issues, they can be overwhelmed as well.