Goat Cheese

Goat cheese, or chèvre, is cheese made out of the milk of goats.

Cow's milk and goat's milk have similar overall fat contents. However, the higher proportion of medium-chain fatty acids such as caproic, caprylic and capric acid in goat's milk contributes to the characteristic tart flavor of goat's milk cheese.

The West has popularized the cow, goat milk and goat cheese are preferred dairy products in much of the rest of the world. Because goat cheese is often made in areas where refrigeration is limited, aged goat cheeses are often heavily treated with salt to prevent decay. As a result, salt has become associated with the flavor of goat cheese.

Goat cheese has been made for thousands of years, and was probably one of the earliest made dairy products. In the most simple form, goat cheese is made by allowing raw milk to naturally curdle, and then draining and pressing the curds. Other techniques use an acid (such as vinegar or lemon juice) or rennet to coagulate the milk. Soft goat cheeses are made in kitchens all over the world, with cooks hanging bundles of cheesecloth filled with curds in the warm kitchen for several days to drain and cure. If the cheese is to be aged, it is often brined so it will form a rind, and then stored in a cool cheese cave for several months to cure.

Goat cheese softens when exposed to heat, although it does not melt in the same way many cow cheeses do. Firmer goat cheeses with rinds are sometimes baked in an oven to form a warm viscous form of the cheese.

Uses of Soft Goat Cheese:

1.Spread on toast or bagels. 

2.Substitute for cream cheese in dips. 

3.Swirl or layer with pesto to spread on crackers.  

4.Top green salads with crumbled cheese, or with slices briefly warmed in the oven. 

5.Use goat cheese in lasagna. 

6.For a simple pasta sauce, mix goat cheese with pesto. 

7.Slice goat cheese, warm in the oven, arrange in a pool of chocolate sauce on a dessert plate, and sprinkle with chopped nuts. 

8.Use in place of sour cream on baked potatoes. 

9.Arrange whole or sliced plain goat cheese on a serving plate. Sprinkle with fresh or dried herbs of your choice and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil or vinaigrette. Serve with crackers or bread. 

10.Place two whole or split a 5-ounce goat cheese round in a pint jar. Add garlic, cloves, parsley, a few peppercorns, a spring of thyme, and 1/2 of a bay leaf. Cover all with extra-virgin olive oil and let sit for a few days. Serve with crackers or bread. 

Health Benefits of  Goat cheese:

1.Goat Cheese is Relatively Low in Calories and Fat

2.Goat Cheese Can Help to Boost Metabolism

3.Goat Cheese is High in Protein

4.Goat Cheese is Suitable for Those who are Lactose Intolerant

5.Goat Cheese Contains Probiotics

Read More at Wikipedia
Uses of  Goat Cheese