[Sca-cooks] pinto cheese

[Huette von Ahrens]

--- ranvaig at columbus.rr.com wrote:


> Orange cheese is artificially colored, usually
> with annatto which is 
> new world. Is there any evidence for bright
> orange cheese in period? 
> Safflower or other dyes could be used for this,
> but is there any 
> evidence that it was?

According to the Oxford Companion to Food, 
annatto was being imported to Europe in the
17th century.  It also states that annatto
replaced marigolds and carrots as a food 
colorant in cheese, but didn't say anything about
saffron.  It also states that cows that eat
fresh summer grass give milk that can be turned
into yellow cheese.  Cows that eat winter fodder
give milk that makes white cheese.
> 
> The mixed cheese is made by mixing dyed and
> undyed curds.   I believe 
> that cutting the curds in that manner is part
> of the cheddaring 
> process, which I don't believe is period.  But
> I suppose Pinto cheese 
> could be speckled in some other way.

I was thinking, just a guess on my part, that
it could be spotted with molds.  A French tomme
cheese is dotted with red, grey and yellow molds.
Sounds like a pinto to me.

Huette



=====
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they 
shall never cease to be amused.


		
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