Kosher Cheeses

With all these recent (ok two...) dairy recipes we have been trying, I got to thinking about Kosher cheeses. Kosher Hubby and I don't use cholov yisroel cheese (if that is Greek to you, that's ok, I'll explain below) but we try to steer clear of animal rennet. So let's talk cheese.What makes cheese Kosher?

Ok. So first and foremost... if the animal that makes the cheese is Kosh... then so is it's milk. However, there are two types of cheeses... soft and hard. Soft cheese (cream cheese, cottage cheese, even brie) are what they call "acid-set." They add bacterial cultures to milk and it forms soft curds (with liquid whey). These are usually Kosher,  most folks will still look for a hechsher because of the production equipment. It is the hard cheeses that pose some issues.

Hard cheeses are rennet-set. This means they add rennet enzymes to milk then firm cheese curds form with liquid whey. There are so many shades to this conversation but let us say this... rennet comes from the stomach of animals, most often from cows.  Additionally, there are some artificial rennets out there.

Just to add another dimension, some folks ban cheeses that are not made by Jews/Jewish companies. It comes from issues around understanding if the rennet came from a Kosher cow (aka when slaughtered, was it un-diseased). It is literally called gevinat akum (non-Jewish cheese).

What is Cholov Yisroel?

Cholov Yisroel is an extra stringency involving milk and milk products. In this case, every thing from start to finish (milking to packaging) was supervised by an observant Jew. This is to ensure that there are no unseen problems and make sure that your dairy products are of the highest kashrut standards. There was, at one time, fears that a farmer might mix in some milk from a non-kosher animal (horses, pigs) to the cow or goat milk. There are many groups that observe this stringency, including Chabad.

Where can I find yummy Kosher cheese?

Good question! Well, one way is to make it! Perhaps Kosher Hubby and I will make mozzarella one day for the blog. He has done it in the past and said it's delish! But for ease of use, you can buy a lot of good cheese out there. A favorite in the Kosher, She Eats home is Tillamook Kosher Cheddar. We call this "egg cheese" in our house because we love it on eggs in the morning! It's no longer easy to find true Italian Parmigiano that is Kosher any more. Here's an article on the death of this delicious cheese. As mentioned in the article Parmigiano has a nice cousin, Grana Padano. You can find it in stores or here though it is not easy to come by and expensive. The Cheese Guy is awesome. He has TONS of varieties. I haven't tried his brand personally but as far as cheeses I enjoy... check out the Parmesan and Pecorino. He's got a great selection. Here is another site with a decent selection of cheeses. Zabar's has some kosher cheeses too. And one last site with kosher cheese options.

Here is a really good article about how cheese is made and about the Kashrut of cheese: Say Cheese! I really recommend reading it! Great details on most of what I addressed here!

What is Kashrut? Part 1

Keeping kosher is not too scary and it doesn't have to be overly complex. There are some basic rules and some more complex rulings around keeping kashrut. If you are starting from never keeping kosher before, I highly recommend going slowly and learning the law THEN taking on the action.Over the next few posts, I will lay out the basic definition of kashrut and the rules. We can do this together!Keeping Kosher Does Not Mean It's Been Blessed By A Rabbi.I get that question all the time... so your bread/cheese/fruit/chips/juice/meat is kosher. That means a rabbi blessed it, right? Nope... not exactly how kosher works. It's not like a rabbi can bless a pork chop and make it kosher. It isn't magical or ethereal and frankly it's not even really about health. Most of our dietary laws, the laws of kashrut, derive from a need to create separation. We needed to be different, live a different life from our pagan neighbors. And just as most Jews will not put up a "holiday tree" no matter how many people try to convince us it's "not really about x-mas anymore," the laws of kashrut were to remind us that we didn't do those solstice festivals and pray that way. Not to go too off on a tangent but Judaism has always been about (to me) the ability to be separate but friends. Different but equal. Now, I know those are loaded phrases but I believe assimilation is not the key... we don't want to be a melting pot... we want to be a stew or a salad... each food retaining its inherent shape and flavor but adding to the greater good (flavor) and maybe becoming even tastier because of the relationship. Again, these are my personal feelings.Okay, let's get cracking. The word kasher means fit. Kashrut has been translated as supervision. Colloquially, it means Jewish dietary laws. There are a couple of steps to something being kosher:

1. It must be the right "type."
2. It must be handled correctly.

Let's start with number one. It must be the right "type." Okay, so there are things that are inherently permissible and things that are prohibited biblically. You can find these listed in your friendly bible/TaNaCh in a few different places. Many of the laws come in around Leviticus (Vayikrah for those of you playing the Hebrew home edition) but we see them also in Genesis and Deuteronomy (Bereshit and Devarim, respectively). It's a big list... are you ready?Here is what is NOT allowed:

• Non-kosher animals and birds (based on Leviticus 11:3–8 and Deuteronomy 14:3–21):
  • Mammals require certain identifying characteristics (completely cloven hooves and being ruminants)
  • Birds require a tradition that they can be consumed.
  • Fish require scales and fins.
  • All insects are non-kosher apart from a certain type of locust on which most communities lack a clear tradition
• An animal with a significant defect or injury, such as a fractured bone or particular types of lung adhesion
• Blood of kosher mammals and fowl is removed through salting, with special procedures for the liver which is very rich in blood. AKA no blood!
• Particular parts of the abdominal fat of cattle, goats and sheep must be removed by a special process
• The sciatic nerve. Why? According Genesis 32:33, Jacob's was damaged when he fought with an angel therefore, it cannot be eaten and is removed by a special process
• According to Genesis 9:4, a limb torn from an animal that is still alive may not be consumed; this law is considered applicable even to non-Jews. Your meat must be dead before consuming. Pretty good rule...
• Untithed food. This is slightly more complex BUT only relates to produce from Israel. That requires the removal of certain tithes, which in ancient times were given to the Kohanim (priests), Levites and the poor. Makes it harder to buy produce in Israel than one would think!
• Fruit during the first three years of a tree's life. According to Leviticus 19:23, fruit from a tree in the first three years after planting cannot be consumed (both in the Land of Israel and the diaspora).
• In Leviticus 23:14 the Bible prohibits newly grown grain (planted after Passover the previous year) until the second day of Passover; there is debate as to whether this law applies to grain grown outside the Land of Israel
• Wine that may have been dedicated to idolatrous practices.

Whew! Heck of a list. Bonus is that many of these things either don't apply since we don't live in Israel OR are taken care of by the butcher or common sense. How many of us rip off a cow leg and start chowing down while the animal is still alive... NONE I HOPE! So you see, it isn't has hard as it looks!SO we are going to leave it there to start. I don't want to overwhelm you. Look for part two soon when we talk about the infamous No Cheeseburger Rule!