Esrom
Niels W. gades Vej, 7 - 8000 Aarhus C
Hjaltesvej, 8 - 7500 Holstebro
Drained cheese, semi-hard to hard, mature, manufactured from Danish cows' milk.
Composition:
— Esrom 20+: minimum fat in dry matter 20 %, minimum dry matter 47 %.
— Esrom 30+: minimum fat in dry matter 30 %, minimum dry matter 48 %.
— Esrom 45+: minimum fat in dry matter 45 %, minimum dry matter 50 %.
— Esrom 60+: minimum fat in dry matter 60 %, minimum dry matter 57 %.
Shape and weight (whole cheese):
a) rectangular, length approx twice the width. 1: height 3,5-4.5 cm, weight 0,2-0,5 kg. 2: height 4,0-7,0 cm, weight 1,3-2,0 kg.
b) rectangular. Height 4,0-7,0 cm, min. weight 2 kg.
Exterior: thin, supple, yellow to yellowy-orange edible rind with a clean, almost dry, thin and uniform yellowish brown to reddish brown outer skin. Older cheeses have a slightly greasy surface due to the regeneration of the outer skin.
Colour: uniformly yellowish to white colour.
Build: evenly distributed irregular holes approximately the size of rice.
Consistency: uniform throughout the whole cheese. Soft but easily cut.
Smell and flavour: mild, acidic, aromatic with hints of surface ripening. The smell and flavour from the surface ripening become dominant as the cheese ages.
Maturation time: minimum 2 weeks.
Raw Danish cows' milk is standardised as regards fat content and pasteurised at low temperature. Starters and curdling agents are added. The curd is cut with a knife once an appropriate level of firmness has been reached; it is then stirred, the whey is drawn off and it is heated. The curds are poured into moulds and the cheese is then lightly pressed. The cheeses are allowed to cool, salt is added, the surface is treated with a culture and the cheeses are then stored at a high air humidity. After the maturation process the cheeses are washed, dried and packaged.
