3 things you didn’t know about goat’s milk
Goat cheese is something many people (who aren’t vegan) consider perfectly normal to eat—let’s be honest, incredibly delicious. I never leave my favorite cheesemonger Kef without at least one little goat cheese, and who doesn’t remember the heyday in the nineties of salads/sandwiches with warm goat cheese, honey, and pine nuts? If there’s one dish that represents the nineties (okay, along with carpaccio), that’s definitely it… But why is goat’s milk itself such an overlooked item?
Because I genuinely don’t know many people who drink goat’s milk—let’s just say none. More and more people around me do drink plant-based milk, though. But does goat’s milk taste very different from the cheese, or do people actually feel as though they’re drinking a liquid cheese board? Either way, we’re happy to list these facts for you:
Goat vs. cow
The Consumentenbond and the Netherlands Nutrition Centre leave no room for doubt: there is no evidence that goat’s milk is easier to digest or ‘healthier’ than cow’s milk. It isn’t better for toddlers than ‘regular’ milk, or as baby formula. It does contain more essential fats than cow’s milk, but as an adult you can also get those from flaxseed and sunflower oil. That fatty-acid composition, by the way, is also what gives it its distinctive flavor.
Pair that chèvre with Sancerre
As mentioned, cheeses made from goat’s milk are extremely popular. Not just French chèvre—Dutch goat cheese is hugely popular too! Which wine tastes good with which cheese naturally depends entirely on the exact cheese. If you have a cheese board with different cheeses, it doesn’t hurt to serve a few different drinks as well. With goat cheese, a crisp white wine is a great choice. You can hardly go wrong with a chilled Sauvignon Blanc, for example from Sancerre.
Yogurt
Goat’s milk is also used enthusiastically in Eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. It is made into beautiful cheeses (halloumi for the win!) and yogurt is traditionally made from goat’s milk here too. That famous Ottolenghi labneh with summer fruit can be made with regular yogurt, sheep’s yogurt, or goat yogurt. And be sure to try the labneh balls from the book Falastin by his cooking buddies sometime too!
Also read:
- Goat cheese with sparkling spring wine
- Why is goat cheese white?
- FavorFlav Favorites #5: “Sometimes happiness is a goat cheese sandwich”
