The cheese was traditionally made for domestic use by crofters and smallholders in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, using milk from the family cow. Its origins date as far back as the Viking era and possibly even earlier to the time of the Picts.[1]
Crowdie is a variety of lactic cheese.[2] These rely primarily on the action of the bacteria converting the milk lactose to lactic acid to create curds. When the milk acidity becomes high enough, the milk will coagulate even without the use of rennet.[3]
Crowdie used to be made by letting raw skimmed milk warm on a windowsill or by the fire until it was thickened naturally by the lactic acid which formed as the milk soured. The thickened milk was then heated gently until curds were formed.[1] The warm curds were hung up to drip in a muslin cloth to drain the whey, then mixed with salt and sometimes a little cream to make a soft, crumbly cheese with a high moisture content and short shelf life. The natural souring of the unpasteurised milk gave the cheese its fresh, slightly citric taste.[4]
Following World War II, crowdie production on a domestic scale declined with the passing of crafting traditions. Its survival is credited to Susannah Stone, who continued to make it near the Ross-shire village of Tain.[4] Apparently, one day in 1962, after making too much, she offered the surplus to a local grocer. Her traditional crowdie became popular enough that she and her husband began to produce it commercially with their other traditional Scottish cheeses.[5]
Crowdie is now usually made from pasteurised milk in which most of the bacteria have been killed, so lactic acid is added to the milk to begin the souring process.[1]
The cheese is often eaten with oatcakes and recommended before a ceilidh, as it is said to alleviate the effects of drinking whisky.[4] There are several variations on the basic crowdie: one variety known as "black crowdie" or Gruth Dubh is made by mixing crowdie with double cream and rolling it in a mixture of pinhead oatmeal and crushed black peppercorns.[6]Hramsa is a crowdie mixed with wild garlic and white and red pepper. Galic hramsa is rolled in crumbled flaked hazelnuts and almonds.[1]
One of the most popular ways of eating the cheese is to turn it into a dessert called "cream crowdie" or "cranachan", traditionally eaten as part of a Burns supper. The recipe usually includes double cream, oats, whisky, honey and raspberries.[7]
Referencesedit
^ abcde"Scottish artisan Crowdie Cheese". Slow Food in the UK. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
^. cheesemaking.com. Archived from the original on 9 February 2019. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
^"What is rennet?". East London Cheese Board. 2019-03-07. Retrieved 2020-04-09.
^ abc"Crowdie – an essentially simple but historic Highland cheese". The List. 2009-04-30. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
^"Our Story". Highland Fine Cheeses. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
^ "Scottish Cheese and Specialist Cheeses from Scotland - Taste of Scotland". 2009. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
^Cloake, Felicity (13 August 2015). "How to make the perfect cranachan". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
External linksedit
Cheese.com entry
Recipe for Crowdie
April 14, 2024
crowdie, this, article, about, type, cheese, called, crowdie, type, porridge, called, crowdie, brose, type, soft, fresh, cheese, made, from, cows, milk, traditionally, from, scotland, country, originunited, kingdomsource, milkcow, milkthe, cheese, traditionall. This article is about the type of cheese called crowdie For the type of porridge called crowdie see brose Crowdie is a type of soft fresh cheese made from cows milk traditionally from Scotland 1 CrowdieCountry of originUnited KingdomSource of milkcow s milkThe cheese was traditionally made for domestic use by crofters and smallholders in the Scottish Highlands and Islands using milk from the family cow Its origins date as far back as the Viking era and possibly even earlier to the time of the Picts 1 Crowdie is a variety of lactic cheese 2 These rely primarily on the action of the bacteria converting the milk lactose to lactic acid to create curds When the milk acidity becomes high enough the milk will coagulate even without the use of rennet 3 Crowdie used to be made by letting raw skimmed milk warm on a windowsill or by the fire until it was thickened naturally by the lactic acid which formed as the milk soured The thickened milk was then heated gently until curds were formed 1 The warm curds were hung up to drip in a muslin cloth to drain the whey then mixed with salt and sometimes a little cream to make a soft crumbly cheese with a high moisture content and short shelf life The natural souring of the unpasteurised milk gave the cheese its fresh slightly citric taste 4 Following World War II crowdie production on a domestic scale declined with the passing of crafting traditions Its survival is credited to Susannah Stone who continued to make it near the Ross shire village of Tain 4 Apparently one day in 1962 after making too much she offered the surplus to a local grocer Her traditional crowdie became popular enough that she and her husband began to produce it commercially with their other traditional Scottish cheeses 5 Crowdie is now usually made from pasteurised milk in which most of the bacteria have been killed so lactic acid is added to the milk to begin the souring process 1 The cheese is often eaten with oatcakes and recommended before a ceilidh as it is said to alleviate the effects of drinking whisky 4 There are several variations on the basic crowdie one variety known as black crowdie or Gruth Dubh is made by mixing crowdie with double cream and rolling it in a mixture of pinhead oatmeal and crushed black peppercorns 6 Hramsa is a crowdie mixed with wild garlic and white and red pepper Galic hramsa is rolled in crumbled flaked hazelnuts and almonds 1 One of the most popular ways of eating the cheese is to turn it into a dessert called cream crowdie or cranachan traditionally eaten as part of a Burns supper The recipe usually includes double cream oats whisky honey and raspberries 7 References edit a b c d e Scottish artisan Crowdie Cheese Slow Food in the UK Retrieved 2019 02 06 Lactic Cheese Making Recipe cheesemaking com Archived from the original on 9 February 2019 Retrieved 15 January 2022 What is rennet East London Cheese Board 2019 03 07 Retrieved 2020 04 09 a b c Crowdie an essentially simple but historic Highland cheese The List 2009 04 30 Retrieved 2019 02 06 Our Story Highland Fine Cheeses Retrieved 2019 02 06 Scottish Cheese and Specialist Cheeses from Scotland Taste of Scotland 2009 Retrieved 2011 05 20 Cloake Felicity 13 August 2015 How to make the perfect cranachan The Guardian Retrieved 14 November 2020 External links editCheese com entry Recipe for Crowdie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Crowdie amp oldid 1180966365, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
