Goat & Sheep's Milk Cheeses

[vyapti]

My daughter has an intolerance to lactose. We pulled her completely off of anything milk-related and have begun reintroducing things. She loves cheese (makes her daddy proud), and did fine with fresh, buffalo milk mozzarella ($25/lb-ouch!). I've also given her Pecorino and Romano Reggiano.

I want to cook something cheesy this weekend and our local cheese shop will let us come in and sample their cheese. I'm not too familiar with goat & sheep's milk cheeses.

Can anyone make any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[pdswife]

Feta is good, a little strong but still good. Melted it is DELISH!

 

[ironchef]

Goat cheese is my all-time favorite cheese. It's very strong though so you would definitely use it with a light hand. You can use it for simple things such as sprinkling it on salads, or in sandwiches (think roasted vegetable panini).

 

[ChefJune]

Your daughter may be able to tolerate the goats or sheeps milk cheese, where she can't the cows milk. I can't tolerate cows milk at all, tho I can have some cheeses, the harder the better.

Parmigiano is made with cows milk, but Romano is always sheeps milk cheese, as far as I know. Roquefort is always sheeps milk, but other blue cheeses are likely to be cows milk. Humboldt Fog is goats milk, tho, and it is delicious!

Be careful of Feta, tho... some feta is made with cows milk! be more concerned with the kind of milk the cheese is made from than the name of the cheese.

 

[jennyema]

Your daughter may be able to tolerate the goats or sheeps milk cheese, where she can't the cows milk. I can't tolerate cows milk at all, tho I can have some cheeses, the harder the better.

...but Romano is always sheeps milk cheese, as far as I know.

I cook for someone who cannot tolerate any cow product but can enjoy goat and sheep's milk products just fine.

I suggest that you ask the cheese shop to let you sample various hard/semi/soft goat and sheep cheeses because there are so many of them I wouldn't know where to start with a recommendation. Good cheese shops will always let you taste before you buy. Goat cheeses, for example, can range from something firm and somewhat sharp, like goat gouda to soft, creamy spreadable varieties. The tastes and textures are all over the map, so it's really a matter of personal preference. The harder the cheese, the less the lactose.

Note, though, that much Romano cheese is made with cow's milk, especially that made in the US, so look for Pecorino Romano. "Pecorino" means "sheep."

Also, many cheeses are made with both goat & cow and/or sheep & cow, so make sure you read the label or carefully confer with the cheesemonger.

One other thought, Greek goat yogurt is delicious and can sub for sour cream and cream in many recipes.

 

[Gretchen]

Goat's milk gouda is delicious and because it is such an assertive flavor goes a long way.
There is a DK guide to French cheeses that will give the origin of cheeses--or undoubtedly available online.

 

[vyapti]

One other thought, Greek goat yogurt is delicious and can sub for sour cream and cream in many recipes.

I'll have to find that. It'd be nice to use yogurt again.

 

[Gretchen]

regular yogurt may be low enough in lactose to use. It seems swiss cheese is very low also.
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/

 

[jennyema]

regular yogurt may be low enough in lactose to use. It seems swiss cheese is very low also.
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/lactoseintolerance/

You say she ate "Romano Reggiano." Do you mean Parmigiano Reggiano ? There is Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano (sheep romano) and several other varieties of Romano, but not, to my knowledge, a Romano Reggiano.

If she can tolerate P-R, that's, like June said, a cow's milk cheese. But it generally is so well aged that it contains hardly any lactose. You might be able to look at Gretchen's chart and try other cow products that are low in lactose.

 

[vyapti]

You say she ate "Romano Reggiano." Do you mean Parmigiano Reggiano ? There is Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano (sheep romano) and several other varieties of Romano, but not, to my knowledge, a Romano Reggiano.

That's what it said on the package. I thought Reggiano referred to the region grown/processed. I'm game for a lesson if anyone knows for sure

 

[lulu]

I think I eat more goats than cows cheese. I love the soft spreadable young goat cheeses and the umbiquitous slices of french goat's cheese log. But we have some good producers in my area. There are mild hard goats cheese that have a good clen taste and a nice melted texture. I guess experimentation is the key, and it will will be wonderful experimentation!

 

[BreezyCooking]

Another cheese that is a big favorite of mine that your daughter might enjoy as well is Kasseri. It's a semi-firm Greek sheep's milk cheese that is delicious & can be enjoyed in many ways. It's salty, but mild - if that makes any sense. Definitely not as salty as feta or some parmesans. Is terrific on crackers, melted on sandwiches, or grated onto salads. Worth seeking out. While our local supermarkets "sometimes" have it, natural-food markets like Whole Foods seem to always have it in stock.