The color changes too — from ivory white to yellow — due to higher levels of beta-carotene, picked up when the animals graze on fresh grasses and flowers that contain the pigment. This excited us but also gave us pause. Yak milk during prime months contains around 7. That might make it unsuitable for producing many common cheeses, such as cheddar and Gouda.
But there are other classes to which cream is added, and for those, yak milk might be ideal. After breakfast, we toured the farm. The family opened the corral and the yak made their way past us on their way out to pasture, two hundred of them trotting and grunting, sometimes pausing to consider us.
Our host scooped up a week-old baby yak and handed it to Kristi. She held it against her body and pressed her face into its fur. Tom took a turn holding the yak, and after he put it down, the newborn followed us around as if we were its adopted parents. Eventually its mother intervened, and the pair wandered back toward the group. Next we learned about the milk collection system. While simple by Western standards, it gets the job done.
The yak are milked once each day, by hand, in a process that requires around two hours to complete. Each yak produces about a quart of milk per day. The milk is collected in cans and is then transferred into a mobile bulk tank system, cooled by a diesel-powered condensing unit, that is supplied to farmers by a nearby processing plant.
A tanker arrives daily to pick up the milk, and the system is cleaned in place with a standard CIP system. Two of our most pressing questions had now been answered: yes, yak milk is clean-tasting and capable of making cheese that foodies would love; and yes, yak milk collection and transportation systems can deliver high-quality milk for cheesemaking. The primary question remaining: which products would best showcase this spectacular resource and bring pride and recognition to Tibetans? Later this month, we will travel to Spain and Portugal, countries famous for their sheep milk cheeses.
Since sheep and yak milks contain similar levels of fat and protein, we may find our answer. We will keep our eyes open. In the meantime, if you have suggestions, we would love to hear from you! Read more about the history of Bingham Hill Cheese Company here. Are you a Cheeseweasel? We post once a week and you can always opt out. See you soon! Email Address. One can never have enough varieties of cheese.
Everything you tell makes me happy for you, for yak farmer, for Tibet. And how well you write! Dear Kristi and Tom. You two live life to the fullest! Loved the story of your trip to Tibet and the experience of sampling Yak milk. So fascinating that I want to go there too. I would love to sample Yak cheese. Good luck, you amazing two!!! Frankie Leggett. Skip to content Menu. Email Address Subscribe. I loved going on your adventure with you to Tibet— even from my comfy chair.
More Barbara. So true — one can never have enough varieties of cheese! Thank you for the encouragement! We will keep you posted with news as it comes along!
I am sure you would love it, Frankie! Thanks for the nice note. Click here to download full-sized version. Goat milk People with dairy sensitivities can often digest goat milk becaue it has a lower lactose content than cow milk. White Tastes similar to cow milk, but can be tangy and "goaty" depending on the proximity of bucks to milking does. Used to make cheese, yogurt, ice cream, cajeta, soaps and lotions Sheep milk Sheep's milk is naturally homogenized, meaning the fat won't separate out.
Buttery yellow Sweeter than cow and goat milk Used mostly in yogurt and cheese like feta, ricotta, Roquefort, manchego, pecorino Romano or casu marzu Has more fat, protein, vitamin C and calcium than cow milk Yak milk Yaks produce milk tinted with blood right after they calve. This protein-charged pink milk is called "beastings. Pink or white Tastes sweet and rich, with a strong fragrance Has more fat, protein, calcium and iron than cow milk Used to make butter tea, milk wine and chhurpi Yak butter is used as lamp fuel, to polish fur coats, and as a medium for traditional Tibetan sculpture.
White Tastes salty and sweet Used to make butter and cheese, but neither are easily done. More often consumed as plain milk or fermented into a fizzy, sour chai or shubat.
Sometimes it is blended into high-end chocolate. Has more vitamin C than cow milk Has less fat, protein and lactose than cow milk Bonus milk: Reindeer are the only source of milk in northern Scandinavia because no other dairy animals can survive there Kumis, or fermented horse milk, has been popular for centuries among the people of the Central Asian steppes.
Herodotus wrote about the production of kumis in the fifth centruy B. OK Learn More.
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