Learn To Make Cheese

Jamie Forrest of Curdnerds fame wrote this interesting article on raw milk and raw milk cheese, pasteurization, safety and taste.  As you wade into the discussion, the debate isn’t as simple as it seems.  Raw milk does not post the same health risks as raw milk cheese.  Raw milk cheese usually tastes better than cheese made with pasteurized milk, but there are still some delicious pasteurized milk cheeses out there.   Also, just because the milk is pasteurized, doesn’t mean it’s safe.

The debate continues.  Forrest makes some interesting points about how pasteurization is definitely not the simple answer to making cheese safe.

“There is a theory that pasteurization can in some ways actually be more problematic than using raw milk. Pasteurization kills off any beneficial bacteria that are naturally present in raw milk. These beneficial bacteria could be an important defense against pathogenic growth, especially in a medium such as milk whose high water-content, relatively low acidity and high sugar levels make for a bacteria-friendly environment.”

Serious Cheese: On Raw-Milk Cheese | Serious Eats.