This question cannot be answered unambiguously. For some, it is simply a tasty product that can be used in cooking as an independent dish or an additional ingredient. But most cheese connoisseurs will definitely mention its unusual tastes, smells, shapes and colors. simply huge. Considering the large number of manufacturers of this product, it is not easy for an ordinary consumer to understand this diversity. 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 mentions of it date back to the 17th century. Roquefort is a blue cheese made from it. 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 light mushroom aroma. Gouda is a Dutch product, spicy and piquant, firm, yellow in color. It has varying degrees of aging. You can list the varieties endlessly, 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 to make a great product with excellent taste. What cheeses can be considered the best?

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 established its production with the help of foreign cheesemakers. Gradually, schools for training their specialists were created. On the territory of modern Belarus they began to raise a large number of livestock.

The surplus milk that remained with the landowners began to be put into production by purchasing the necessary equipment. At the end of the 19th century, large enterprises producing butter and cheese were already found in Belarus. This industry began to develop with varying degrees of success. Modern Belarus is a rapid development of agriculture and the processing industry. The country has a program for the development and revival of rural areas. Thanks to this, we can enjoy the wonderful taste of dairy products from their producers.

The best Belarusian manufacturers

Among Belarusian producers there are also leaders not only in terms of the volume of products produced, but also in terms of their taste and compliance with all requirements. For example, the Berezovsky Cheese Factory produces about 17 tons of cheese per year. “Slutsk Cheese-Making Plant” is a leader among the best. Its volume is about 20 tons of product per year. You can also highlight Savushkin Product, Molochny Mir, Shchuchinsky Creamery and some other manufacturers.

All of them have equipped their factories with the best equipment that meets all modern requirements. Manufacturers place greater emphasis on quickly ripening cheeses. This is due to the large amount of raw materials and limited production volumes. But there are Belarusian cheeses whose names and taste qualities correspond to the best varieties with a long ripening period. Roqueforty blue cheese is in no way inferior to its foreign counterparts.

Poshekhonsky cheese

Many people wonder which Belarusian cheese is the best. There can be many opinions here, as they say, there are no comrades according to taste. But, according to experts, the best product in this category produced in Belarus is Poshekhonsky (Slutsk) cheese. It has excellent taste and meets all parameters. It is classified as rennet cheese, which is produced with a low second ripening temperature.

Flavor-forming and ideally, this cheese has a thin rind without damage. Its taste is slightly sour and well expressed. It has a uniform consistency and breaks at the 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 preparation.

Rocforti

This is an elite blue mold cheese produced in Belarus. Roqueforti is not much inferior in taste to its analogues. It is made from normalized pasteurized cow's milk. This is the main component, but in addition, salt, animal enzymes, a mold culture, a bacterial starter culture and calcium chloride are added to the cheese.

Roqueforti is a hard cheese and has a medium amount of mold. It has a creamy taste and a slight spicy aftertaste. Having fairly high performance, Rocforti is cheaper than its peers, 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 may not always be honest with their consumers. 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 Cheeses company is a high-quality product.

It is made from pasteurized cow's milk, salt, bacterial culture and natural milk-clotting agent. The mass fraction of fat in this product is 50%. The cheese has a pronounced creamy taste and aroma, plastic consistency 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 and bacterial starter cultures. Cheese production technology includes all the necessary operations: shaping, pressing and maturing. The fat content of the product is 50%. Monastyrsky cheese is produced by OJSC “Moloko” in Vitebsk. In terms of its taste, the cheese meets all international 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 culture are used. The ripening period for such cheeses is about 40-45 days. From this category we can distinguish from the Gormolzavod in Minsk. The fat content of the product is 45%. By choosing a responsible manufacturer, you can be sure of the quality of the cheese.

Conclusion

Recently, Belarusian cheeses have occupied a significant share of the dairy products market. Manufacturer names play a big role when choosing. It is not only the opinion of experts that 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. Let's hope that all these indicators will continue to remain at the proper level.

What is real mozzarella, where does it come from and what is it eaten with? About this and more in the control investigation of Vladimir Zuev!

Not every country can boast that the colors of its national flag match the colors of the nation’s favorite products. Italy is an excellent example in this regard. The green color of the tricolor here can symbolize basil and olives, white - both pasta and all kinds of cheeses: mascarpone, mozzarella, parmesan. Well, red, of course, goes to tomatoes. Looking at the famous Italian Caprese salad or simply “mozzarella with tomatoes,” you can’t help but wonder what came first, this popular food or the Italian flag?

However, let’s leave this question for historians, and we’d rather talk about mozzarella.

Historical sketch

Mozzarella - a young Italian cheese originally from the Campania region. The peculiarity of this product is that it is not stored for a long time, therefore, in order to preserve the taste and freshness of the cheese, it is usually sold in brine. Probably the most delicious mozzarella is giornata (one day old), but it can only be bought in Italy, so, unfortunately, it is not available to ordinary Belarusian consumers.
The production of mozzarella begins in a typical way for any cheese - the milk is coagulated with rennet. Then the whey is heated to 80-90°C and stirred until an elastic mass is obtained, from which pieces are then cut off and cheese is molded into various shapes (balls, braids). This mass is called mozzatura (trimmings) - which, by the way, is where the name of the cheese comes from.
Classic mozzarella is made from black buffalo milk and is called Mozzarella di bufala campana. Mozzarella made from cow's milk is called fior di latte (milk flower). In addition, there is Mozzarella affumicata (smoked). The taste of classic mozzarella is tender, slightly fresh, and slightly elastic. This cheese is perfect for salads, pizza, pasta and lasagna. Mozzarella also goes very well with vegetables and herbs, not drowning out, but rather perfectly complementing and highlighting their taste.

Local mozzarella market

Buying a piece of mozzarella in Minsk today is not particularly difficult. True, you are unlikely to find it in the shops closest to your home, but there is almost always mozzarella on the shelves of large supermarkets. In general, speaking about Italian cheeses presented on the Belarusian market, it is worth noting that the only company that produces them here is IP Viterfood. A distinctive feature of the company is that it is an Italian enterprise created by Antonio Brudello and Enzo Grossi in 2000 near Minsk. By the way, the only milk in these cheeses is Belarusian, however, according to the directors, it is in no way inferior to Italian. Everything else - equipment and technology - is Italian. Weatherfood produces cheeses such as caciotta, mozzarella and ricotta.
As for mozzarella, it is sold in several types in our stores. Let's talk about some of them in more detail.

Mozzarella in brine in the form of a ball. Packaging - bag. The weight of the ball is always 140 g; fat content - 50±1.6%, shelf life - 10 days. You can buy this type of cheese in Korona, Central, Vester (Globo shopping center), and the Preston chain. The taste of mozzarella is delicate, soft, and there is an almost complete absence of the specific smell of hard cheeses. Easily cut and broken into fibrous pieces.

Mozzarella in brine in the form of several balls . Packaging - bucket, 25 balls per fill, net weight 620 g; fat content - 50%, shelf life 10 days. However, I discovered a bucket of cheese balls only in Corona .

Vacuum-packed mozzarella in bar form , on average 400g. Fat content - 50±1.6%, shelf life - 30 days. Sold in most supermarkets.

By the way, I found some kind of mozzarella substitute in Corona. The cheese is produced in Lithuania and is called Pizzarella (a type of mozzarella). It is sold by weight, no vacuum or filling. The taste, in general, is somewhat similar to mozzarella, but the texture of the cheese is harder and drier. If you are not aiming to buy mozzarella specifically, then you can try this cheese, it’s not bad.

As you yourself understand, the best mozzarella in the world is one-day mozzarella, but cunning Italians reserve this delicacy exclusively for themselves. The rest of the world can only eat mozzarella in the filling. (A vacuum, by the way, is used only as a last resort). If I describe the taste of mozzarella in detail, I want to immediately warn that lovers of sharp, rich cheeses are unlikely to like it. Although, if a person really considers himself a gourmet and loves cheeses in principle, then he will definitely appreciate it. Every Belarusian can learn and appreciate the taste of mozzarella if they wish. First, it’s better to try it in a marinade... and it’s always better to try it in a marinade, unless, of course, you are planning to visit Italy in the near future. The price of mozzarella, it seems to me, for such a well-known, and most importantly tasty and healthy product, is quite affordable, and I cannot be pleased with the fact that mozzarella is produced in Belarus by its founders, the Italians. Frankly, I don’t know what we, Belarusian gourmets, would do without this tasty and healthy product!

Caprese salad

Preparation:

Wash the tomatoes, dry and cut into slices ~0.5 cm thick.
Also cut the mozzarella into slices ~0.7 cm thick.
Mozzarella balls come in different sizes. Small balls can be cut in half or placed whole.
Wash and dry the basil.
Place on a plate, alternating, tomato and mozzarella slices.
Season the salad with salt, freshly ground pepper, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Garnish the salad with basil leaves.

Bon appetit!

Vladimir Zuev, especially for

Compound: normalized milk, thickening salt - calcium chloride, milk-clotting enzyme of microbial origin, bacterial starter 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 temperatures from +2 o C to +6 o C at a relative humidity of 75-85%.
Vacuum packed.
Once opened, consume the package 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.

Pizza mozzarella best reveals its taste when exposed to temperature, which is why this cheese is so popular in dishes that require baking and heat treatment, for example, as a topping for pizza and lasagna. At the same time, the scope for using semi-hard mozzarella is much wider: sandwiches, salads, all kinds of cold appetizers - there are countless options.

Mozzarella Pizza and Mozzarella Fior di Latte differ mainly in moisture content and fat content in dry matter. Pizza mozzarella is characterized by low humidity and a reduced mass fraction of fat, which increases shelf life and improves the characteristics of the cheese after melting. Pizza mozzarella, 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 casseroles, lasagna, and pies. Pizza's most famous Mozzarella pie is the calzone. Buy Mozzarella Bonfesto (Bonfesto) Turov Belarusian.

“Enrico Cerea, the chef of the Italian restaurant Da Vittorio, which his father founded 50 years ago, is visiting Minsk. The restaurant has three Michelin stars. The last one was received by Enrico and his brother Roberto in 2010. In between the master classes and the gala dinner, Enrico stopped by 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. We bought parmesan, mozzarella, ricotta and mascarpone at the supermarket closest to the office. There, in the bread section, they looked at ciabatta, and for variety, they put the usual cottage cheese with five percent fat in the basket.

First of all, Enrico picks up the ciabatta. In the store this bread costs 2 rubles 46 kopecks is positioned as “dark Italian”, but the chef believes that “Belarusian” ciabatta is more like toast bread.

“Too soft,” the cook says first. — Ciabatta should be crispy, with a crust that would break in your hands. And this one is very rubbery. But it smells delicious, the flour is of good quality. Perhaps the wrong processing was chosen or a lot of liquid was added to the dough. Porosity must be distributed, this is not the case here, and we can talk about low quality.

As for the packaging, it is similar to what Italian producers use, 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 (no. 1 in the photo).

- Parmesan.

- Parmesan? — the chef asks, looking at the cheese with annoyance. — Of course, it doesn’t look like Parmesan at all. It is similar to Dutch cheese in both consistency and color. Parmesan has certain granules that form it.

Our parmesan had a monochromatic, even structure and, according to Enrico, the technology necessary to make such cheese was not followed.

- But the cheese tastes good. But this is not Parmesan, and the packaging says otherwise.

“It should be softer, creamier, and there are a lot of granules here.” The taste is vaguely reminiscent of mascarpone. Very, very fatty cheese.

We tell the Italian that the store also had Italian mascarpone, but we were looking for Belarusian one. 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 realizes that yes, the product is not Italian, but simply different, why not use it?

“Is this called mozzarella? It’s even insulting!”

There are several more untouched products on the table. Among them are two types of mozzarella.

- And what's that? Is this called mozzarella? It must be said that it’s 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 grated onto low-end pizzas. Perhaps the product he is holding in his hands is designed for this.

— These sausages were simply cut and packaged to be sold. But it didn't work out very well. Now I’ll try this magical mozzarella,” Enrico jokes and adds: “No, I didn’t insure my life!”

The Italian says that this product can be called whatever you like, but it has nothing to do with mozzarella. But he likes the other mozzarella (No. 6).

— The consistency is acceptable. It's different for me because I'm used to eating a different product. And, apparently, this leaves an imprint. Still, you can eat it.

The ricotta we bought has more granules than the cook is used to, but it's an acceptable consistency. But the taste seems unsaturated, without any peculiarity.

— The taste is neutral, more like Yoka cheese than ricotta (cheese No. 5). And, of course, we are not talking about any fruits with ricotta. The berries can be combined with yogurt or added to dumplings if you are making them from cheese and flour.

The second type of ricotta also reminds the chef of another type of cheese.

“It’s very hard, all the water has been taken out of the cheese.” And it is completely impossible to eat! It’s simply impossible, like plastic,” Enrico hastened to put down product No. 7.

After the tasting, the Italian chef from a restaurant with three Michelin stars apologized for the criticism and noted that his assessment was subjective.

- This is only in my opinion, taking into account my taste and experience.

“You don’t have to repeat after someone else, it’s better to create something of your own”

When all the “Italian” Belarusian products were tasted, the turn came to cottage cheese, which Enrico put aside at the very beginning. At first glance, in the still closed package, he identified it as “something that is not made in Italy.” Let's try.

- If you ask me which cheese of all (and Italians also call five percent cottage cheese cheese) I would like to eat with this bread, I will take this one (points to cottage cheese. - Website note). There's a good level of sourness here, it feels good in the mouth, it's delicious. I like the structure. Add two tomatoes, two cucumbers and a little olives to it - and it will be some kind of Belarusian salad, which is not found anywhere.

The Italian believes that Belarusians should use traditional products. Then the dishes made from them will be authentic.

“After all, it is not necessary to repeat what has been created by other people, especially when these products do not meet the given 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 cheeses (albeit very distantly) to the original. But their level is low, even below average, Enrico believes.

“If I came to work in Belarus, I would be happy if I could bring my mozzarella,” he smiles. - 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 traveling.

- Yes, I come in and try it because I’m interested. I spent a lot of money. Seriously, I've spent a fortune going to other places I've eaten at. But I also try completely ordinary food, some nonsense, street food. The main thing is that food should be tasty and bring pleasure, give emotions.

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 obtained several samples from markets and stores 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 consistency of each and gives a rating on a scale from 1 to 10. The tasting proceeds in an increasing order: from neutral ricotta to piquant blue with mold - so that the taste of the cheeses is revealed gradually.

Ricotta

“The cheese has almost no smell - this is normal for ricotta. Good ricotta should have the consistency of unsticky cottage cheese, but the taste should be like cheese. The consistency of this one is all right, and the taste is basically the same, although here you can feel that this is either not too bland cottage cheese, or some sort of curd cheese. I've tried it before. Belarusian ricotta is not similar to Italian, but it’s not bad.”

WHERE PRODUCED:
Belarus, Gomel region, Bonfesto company

GRADE:
7 points

Mozzarella cigliegina

“This mozzarella is bland and tastes more like cottage cheese than cheese. It won't be suitable for something classic like caprese. The taste of cow's milk is very mediocre. The balls are too big for cigliegini, more like bocconcini, although they look good in appearance: layered, without air bubbles. And one more thing: proper mozzarella should be stored in brine, ideally in water with sea salt. This brine has a strange smell - like sour milk. Something has clearly gone wrong here.

This mozzarella would be perfect for pizza. The main thing is that it tastes similar and does not stretch: this is critical for pizza. I think once it melts it will be fine.

Of course, it is not like classic buffalo mozzarella (the production of which will probably never appear in Russia). In our country there are no black buffaloes, from whose milk this type of cheese is made. I heard that some entrepreneurs were importing these animals, but so far they haven’t succeeded.”

WHERE PRODUCED:
JSC "Shchapovo-Agrotechno", Shchapovskoe settlement

GRADE:
5 points

Hard mozzarella

“Maybe my knowledge is lacking, but I don’t understand what this cheese is for. It is salty (which is unacceptable for classic mozzarella). Stretchy. It can be used for sandwiches, but it has absolutely no taste! This is the base that just sits on top of 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. Warmed up, not very appetizing.”

WHERE PRODUCED:
Belarus, farming

GRADE:
3 points

Maasdam

“I have a very good attitude towards Altai cheeses. This one is delicious, has a slight sweetness, with notes of forest herbs. Personally, I don’t like sweetness in cheeses; in my opinion, it’s not very good for sandwiches.

The structure confuses 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. It can still ripen."

WHERE PRODUCED:

GRADE:
6 points

Swiss cheese

“Swiss cheese in the USSR was called emmental. If you travel abroad, you will most likely encounter it at lunch (for example, in sandwiches, although sometimes young cheddar is also available).

Externally, this variety looks decent, it doesn’t even look like a Russian product. He has very decent holes. Similar to emmental. If I had seen this cheese on a display case, even without the name of the manufacturer, I would have decided that it was worthy of attention.

The taste, of course, is inferior to real Swiss cheese: Altai cheese is blander. I’m not sure how he will behave if he is allowed to mature further (maybe he has not reached condition). But when I eat it, I feel like I’m eating good cheese.”

WHERE PRODUCED:
Altai region, farm

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. It was either taken off early, or it simply cannot mature any longer. It tastes like an unboiled pan.”

WHERE PRODUCED:
Moscow, LLC "Algoy"

GRADE:
1 point

Kuban blues (blue cheese)

“Are you sure it's fresh? The packaging is leaking. A good blue cheese shouldn't leak.

The Kuban blues do not have such a distinct moldiness: it does not reach the same level as the Swiss samples. Boring taste, no interesting spice. But there is a plus - it is unsalted. Many Russian cheeses are terribly salty (it’s easier to make them this way), and salt overpowers the delicate taste of mold. Overall a good example.

This variety is good for a salad or pie - where it would be secondary. For wine - probably not. I wouldn’t recommend it, the taste will be lost.”

WHERE PRODUCED:
Krasnodar region, company "Kaloriya"

GRADE:
5 points

Conclusion

“Historically, cheese making has not been very developed in Russia. Now, thanks to the embargo, many are beating themselves in the chest: “I’ll get it now!” But I’m skeptical about this: in Europe it took several centuries.

If you want to make money, it is more profitable for you to sell the cheese faster to get your money back. The sooner the money turns around, the more you will get. We produce a lot of decent soft cheeses because they are easy to produce and difficult to spoil. This is mainly done by small farm dairies. We don’t have complex aged cheeses (such as Parmesan, for example), and it’s unlikely that we will soon.

Good cheese (especially with white mold and goat cheese) is made by “Lefkadia” in the Krasnodar region, there are decent examples from small farms - Signore Formaggio, “Cosa Nostra”, but, unfortunately, they don’t reach many places.”