| Kesong puti | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country of origin | Philippines |
| Source of milk | Carabao,Goat,Cow |
| Pasteurised | Yes |
| Texture | Soft |
| Aging time | None |
 Related media on Commons | |
Kesong puti is aFilipino soft, unaged, whitecheese made from unskimmedcarabao milk and salt curdled withvinegar,citrus juices, or sometimesrennet. It can also be made withgoat orcow milk. It has a mild salty and tart flavor. When an acidifying agent is used, it resemblesqueso blanco orpaneer. When rennet is used, it resemblesbuffalo mozzarella. Moisture content can also vary, ranging from almost gelatinous to pressed and firm. It can be eaten as is, paired with bread (usuallypandesal), or used in various dishes inFilipino cuisine. It is usually sold wrapped inbanana leaves.[1]
The name, also spelledquesong puti, isTagalog for "white cheese" and is its name in the provinces ofLaguna andBulacan. InCavite it is known askesilyo (alsokasilyo orquesillo); while in northernCebu it is known asqueseo orkiseyo.[2]
Kesong puti is fromSpanishqueso ("cheese") with theTagalogencliticsuffix-ng, and Tagalogputi ("white"). In other parts of the Philippines,Caviteñokesilyo orkasilyo andCebuanoqueseo orkiseyo, are all nativized spellings of Spanishquesillo ("little cheese").[2]
Mostkesong puti is made by directacidification, similar to numerous other cheeses likequeso blanco,paneer,ricotta,mascarpone.[3] It is usually made withcarabao milk, but it can also usegoat orcow milk, though the latter has lower yields.[4][5]
The most common way of making homemadekesong puti is by heating (but not boiling) fresh strained carabao milk with one to four teaspoons of salt for about ten to fifteen minutes while stirring constantly. The ideal temperature is around 72 to 75 °C (162 to 167 °F), as long as it does not reach 95 °C (203 °F) and above. Higher temperatures will denature the proteins, resulting in slower or even no curdling. This alsopasteurizes the milk, destroyingpathogens and allowing the cheese to last longer. Around a fourth of a cup ofvinegar orcitrus juices (or both) are then added to induce coagulation. It is left to curdle for around 30 minutes to an hour. Thecurds are strained with acheesecloth (katsa) leaving the soft gelatinous-like version ofkesong puti. It can be further pressed and molded to squeeze out morewhey if desired.[4][6][7][8][9] In commercial versions, the salt is usually added after the curdling either through manual mixing or by soaking the cheese in weakbrine solutions.[10]
An alternate way of makingkesong puti is withrennet dissolved in a small amount of water. The rennet can either be vegetable-based or fromruminant stomachs. The steps are similar to the vinegar or citrus method but requires that the milk be cooled after it is taken off the heat, ideally to 40 to 45 °C (104 to 113 °F). This is because rennet is deactivated at higher temperatures, while lower temperatures result in slow or no coagulation. Like in the previous method, it is left to coagulate for 30 minutes to an hour. The curds are strained then cut into small cubes and left to stand for another 15 minutes to allow more moisture to seep out. This method results in more curds and a firmer type of cheese once pressed. It is the method used by thePhilippine Carabao Centerkesong puti.[9][11]
Kesong puti made with rennet is similar to theItalianmozzarella di bufala. It lacks the sour vinegary smell that usually characterizes the vinegar or citrus versions.[12]
Kesong puti is usually sold wrapped inbanana leaves. It has a mildly salty and tart flavor and ideally has little or no odor. It can be eaten as is, either fresh or grilled on a pan.[11][13] It is also commonly eaten with bread orkakanin rice cakes, includingpandesal,puto, andbibingka, It can also be used in various dishes inFilipino cuisine; including dishes likepaella negra andginataangpakô.[5][14][1]
Kesong puti has ashelf life of only around a week. It depends on the amount of salt used as well as the consistency of the cheese. Softer cheese spoil faster than firmer versions. It can be extended to about two weeks to a month if packaged correctly and refrigerated. However, it should never be frozen as it will form ice crystals that damage the smooth texture.[9][11][15]
There are four main regions producing variants ofkesong puti that probably originated independently:Laguna,Cebu,Cavite, andBulacan. The following are the most prevalent production techniques for commercialkesong puti among the regions:[10]
Lagunakesong puti orquesong puti is originally fromSanta Cruz, Laguna. Its production is centered in the towns of Santa Cruz,Pagsanjan, andLumban, with the milk used coming from neighboring towns (mostly from Lumban andJalajala). Lagunakesong puti traditionally use rennet from carabao or cowabomasum. It undergoeslactic acidfermentation during the process. The salt is added afterwards and mixed by hand until the texture becomes smooth. It is similar to the Cebu version and is firmer than the Cavite and Bulacan version.[10] Santa Cruz celebrates an annualKesong Puti Festival.[16][17][18]
Cebuanoqueseo orkiseyo production is centered on the town ofCompostela and the city ofDanao. It is very similar to the Laguna version and is made using the same processes. It differs only in thatqueseo typically use more salt and the molds are lined withmuslin cloth. The muslin cloth may be pressed with a weight. It is a fermented cheese and is also usually firm, like the Laguna version.[10] The town of Compostela celebrates an annualQueseo Festival.[19][20][21]
Caviteñoquesillo,kesilyo, orkasilyo production is centered in the cities ofGeneral Trias andCavite, and the municipality ofTanza. It uses vinegar as the coagulant. It is not a fermented cheese, unlike the Laguna and Cebu versions. Salt is added to the milk beforehand. A small amount of vinegar is then heated to around 60 °C (140 °F) in a small, clay pot (palayók) and the milk added and stirred until curds form. The curds are strained and molded in small cups and then further soaked in a weakbrine solution. The resulting cheese has a softer consistency in comparison to the Laguna and Cebu versions.[10]
Bulacankesong puti production is centered in the towns ofSanta Maria,Meycauayan, andSan Miguel. It is similar to the Caviteño version in that it is not a fermented cheese and primarily use vinegar. It differs in that more vinegar is used and it is not heated while curdling. The curds are molded and then soaked in a weak brine solution.[10]
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