String cheese

String cheese
Traditional Korbáčiky from Slovakia

String cheese refers to several different types of cheese where the manufacturing process aligns the proteins in the cheese, which makes it stringy. When mozzarella is heated to 60 °C and then stretched, the milk proteins line up.[1][2] It is possible to peel strings or strips from the larger cheese.

Central Europe

In Slovakia, korbáčiky is made,[3] which is a salty sheep milk cheese, available smoked or unsmoked. It is traditionally made by hand-pulling steamed sheep's cheese into strings and braiding them. Cow milk versions are also available.[4][5]

Eastern Europe/West Asia

In Armenia, traditional string cheese is made with a white base. The type of milk used usually comes from an aged goat or sheep depending upon the production methods of the area of choice.[6] It includes black cumin[7] and a middle-eastern spice known as mahleb, and it comes in the form of a braided endless loop.[8] The cheese forms strings because of the way it is pulled during processing. There is also Syrian cheese processed this way. Other cheeses are only cut and pressed, not pulled, and don't develop strings.

In Georgia and Russia string cheese is known as tenili (ru:Тенили). It is made from fermented sheep's milk and cream allowed to mature for 60 days in a salted and dried veal stomach.

Western Europe

Cheestrings became a popular snack in the UK and Republic of Ireland in the early 1990s. They are made from processed cheese by Kerry Group and the mascot is a cartoon character called Mr Strings.[9] The original advert had a theme tune based on the popular song "Bend Me, Shape Me", but with different lyrics ("You got a cheese string day or night, you got a cheese string you're all right").[10] The first version of this advert was set at a kids' disco, and a later remake was set at a funfair.[11] Originally Mr Strings was a wild cartoon character who pulled himself apart[12] but by the late 1990s the packaging had been redesigned with a more simplified mascot.[13] On television the original Mr Strings was phased out during the mid 2000s and replaced by an unseen character who played creepy practical jokes on teenage consumers. In the late 2000s the design of Mr Strings was changed for a third time[14] to appear more child-friendly and was given a new catchphrase ("Hey, I'm just cheese").[15]

In the present day, cheesestrings are available in cheddar, mozzarella, and the two colour cheddar and red leicester twisters.[16] Discontinued flavours include cheddar and smoky bacon, and pizza.[17] Kerry exports Gouda cheesestrings from Charleville, County Cork to Holland, and a Gouda-Emmental mix to France, where the product is known as Ficello.[18] Low cost imitations of the original cheddar cheesestrings were formerly manufactured in the UK by Tesco, Dairylea, and currently by Dunnes Stores.[19] An item in the product range of the original Kerry cheesestrings, known as Attack-A-Snack (a rival to Dairylea Lunchables), packaged with a tortilla wrap or cracker, sachet of tomato ketchup, and piece of processed ham has been available from the late 90s.[20]

North America

Mexico

In Mexico, the first type of string cheese was invented in 1885 by Leobarda Castellanos García at 14 years old. A very popular type of string cheese called Quesillo is sold today in balls of various sizes. It is also known as "Queso Oaxaca" or Oaxaca cheese referred to the place of origin it was invented, and now it's widely popular in all Mexican territories.

United States

American string cheese

In the United States, string cheese generally refers to snack-sized servings of low-moisture mozzarella. This form of string cheese is roughly cylindrical, about 6 inches (15 cm) long and less than 1 inch (2.54 cm) in diameter. The common term is a "cheese stick" which is cut and packaged, either individually or as a package of several lengths. The cheese used is nearly always a form of mozzarella, or a combination of mozzarella and cheddar. This type of string cheese gets its name because it can be eaten by pulling strips of cheese from the cylinder along its length and eating these strings.[21] It was invented in 1976 by Frank Baker and Jeb Cubbs.[22]

Oceania

In Australia, string cheese is sold by Bega Cheese and is called Bega Stringers. Also, string cheese can be sold in a can.[23][24]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "What Makes String Cheese Stringy?". Huffington Post. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
  2. ↑ Julie R. Thomson (6 March 2017), The Real Difference Between String Cheese And Mozzarella Cheese, retrieved 16 February 2018
  3. ↑ Slovak Cheeses – The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia
  4. ↑ Versatility of sheep milk – Typical Slovak craftsmanship, folk skills and traditions – Slovak Folk Culture Through Amateur Eyes
  5. ↑ Orava natives cheesed off by Polish competition for beloved wares – The Slovak Spectator
  6. ↑ AOH food – String cheese
  7. ↑ "Middle Eastern salad". The Boston Globe. 11 April 2007.
  8. ↑ Karlacti Armenian String Cheese
  9. ↑ Kerry Group
  10. ↑ Cheese strings official website
  11. ↑ Cheese Strings ad, 2002
  12. ↑ original Mr Strings
  13. ↑ Replacement Cheese strings mascot
  14. ↑ current Mr Strings
  15. ↑ Cheese strings official website
  16. ↑ Cheesestrings twisted
  17. ↑ original Mr Strings
  18. ↑ Irish Times
  19. ↑ Kerry sues Dunnes
  20. ↑ Cheesestrings Attack A Snack
  21. ↑ "What Makes String Cheese Stringy?". Kitchen Daily. The Huffington Post. 16 April 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  22. ↑ Basu, Tanya (21 November 2014). "The Secret Life of String Cheese". The Atlantic. Atlantic Media. Retrieved 23 November 2014.
  23. ↑ "String Cheese". Bega Cheese.
  24. ↑ "Stringers Cheddar". Bega Cheese.
  • Process of making mozzarella cheese — US Patent 5567464
  • "Kraft Polly-O String Cheese". Kraft Brands.
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