How is the cheese flavour affected by seasonal variations in milk?
Milk is a “living” natural product. Its composition, colour, flavour and the flavours that flow from it, including in cheese, are all influenced by seasonal and day-to-day elements such as climatic and feed conditions. There are a host of other variables, including the stage of lactation of the milking animal and the breeding season. The latter is particularly influential in goats’ milk; rampant hormones can result in especially strong ‘goaty’ flavours. Consumers in the “New World” that are mostly urban are generally much less aware of the natural rhythms of life on the farm and expect consistency in their cheese and dairy products. However it is essential to recognise that milk and cheese are natural foods. A key element of the cheesemakers art is to understand the milk he or she is working with and to adapt cheesemaking procedures, based on experience, an understanding of seasonal changes and science, to produce a consistent product. Seasonal changes are a cause for discovery and cel
