Each strongly influences the character and quality of the final cheese Milks Cheese is milk concentrated five- to tenfold by the removal of water; so the basic character of the milk defines the basic character of the cheese Milk character is in turn determined by the kind of animal that produces it, what the animal eats, the microbes that inhabit the milk, and whether it is raw or pasteurized Species The milks of cows, sheep, and goats taste different from each other (p 21), and their cheeses too Cow’s milk is more neutral than other milks Sheep and buffalo milk have relatively high fat and protein contents and therefore make richer cheeses Goat’s milk has a relatively low proportion of curdle-able casein and usually produces a crumbly, less cohesive curd compared to other milks Breed During the spread of cheesemaking in the Middle Ages, hundreds of different dairy animal varieties were bred to make the best use of local pasturage The Brown Swiss is thought to go back several thousand years Today, most of these locally adapted breeds have been replaced by the omnipresent blackand-white Holstein or Friesian, bred to maximize the milk it yields on standardized feed Traditional breeds produce a lower volume of milk, but a milk richer in protein, fat, and other desirable cheese constituents Feed: The Influence of the Seasons Today most dairy animals are fed year-round on silage and hay made from just a few fodder crops (alfalfa, maize) This standard regimen produces a standard, neutral milk that can be made into very good cheese However, herds let out to pasture to eat fresh greenery and flowers give milk of greater aromatic complexity that can make extraordinary ... standardized feed Traditional breeds produce a lower volume of milk, but a milk richer in protein, fat, and other desirable cheese constituents Feed: The Influence of the Seasons Today most dairy... several thousand years Today, most of these locally adapted breeds have been replaced by the omnipresent blackand-white Holstein or Friesian, bred to maximize the milk it yields on standardized...Breed During the spread of cheesemaking in the Middle Ages, hundreds of different dairy animal varieties were bred to make the best use of local pasturage The Brown Swiss is thought