Posted on 09/12/2013 1:57:59 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The world's first commercially-produced camel cheese has hit supermarket shelves in the Middle East.
A dairy was established in Dubai in 2006, with just 100 camels.
Kirsten Lange, from Emirates Industry for Camel Milk and Products, says it's grown to more than 3,400 camels, staffed by 250 employees.
"We have an automatic machine quite similar to cows," she said.
"Again this is the first ever.
"It has been developed especially for camel milking because the camel needs the feeling that the calf is sucking.
"If you cannot really artificially create that feeling, the camel won't give milk.
"The challenge with camels is they give a lot less milk than cows, seven litres per day as opposed to 25 litres and more."
Ms Lange says the camel milk is now being used in three new cheese products, ice-cream and chocolate, that are all growing in popularity.
People tend to say that Dubai absorbs everything from outside, so this is basically our chance to bring something to the world. Kirsten Lange, Emirates Industry for Camel Milk & Products "The cheeses are actually quite smooth in taste," she said.
"It's quite close to cow's cheese.
"I always say you might not even taste the difference.
"But it's a bit limited at the moment, 3,400 camels can only produce so much.
"So it's really premium outlets where we sell our cheeses.
"We have to be selective and we want to be selective, because the material we're dealing with is rare."
Camels are milked for about two years after calving.
Ms Lange says the calves are never removed from the mother or milk production will stop.
"The camels here are treated very well. They get a pedicure and are walked four kilometres every day.
"Every group of 25 camels has their own person looking after them, so it is quite intense when it comes to staff.
"A camel needs to be kept happy. You cannot treat a camel like a cow.
"If a camel doesn't like you, you will definitely taste it in the milk, see it in the amount of milk it gives and a camel always remembers."
Ms Lange says the nutritional benefits of camel milk are driving demand for the dairy products.
She says camel milk has twice the amount of vitamin C of cow's milk, and is lower in fat.
Emirates Industry for Camel Milk and Product is now focusing on the development of pharmaceutical products, but has also gained the necessary approvals to export its products to Europe and Malaysia.
"The camel milk industry is growing very fast," Ms Lange said.
"It makes us very proud, because people tend to say that Dubai absorbs everything from outside, so this is basically our chance to bring something to the world."
I thought that was some kind of euphemism.
If this catches on there will be lonely goats all over the Middle East.
Nah. I just did a search, and this isn’t the first.
It’s been available in New York for at least a few years.
http://lactography.blogspot.com/2010/09/camel-cheese.html
Maybe they can use that new technology to combat the wide-spread ‘camel toe’ epidemic at Wal-Mart! *CHORTLE*
Somewhere, Joe Camel has a big grin on his face.
I am a Country Girl through and through, but I can’t stand goat or sheep cheese.
So, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be likin’ camel cheese, LOL!
Hump day, yeah!
A Wednesday Special at your local 7-11 ...
I’m a Cameljack and I’m okay
I sleep all night and I jack all day
He’s a Cameljack and he’s okay
He sleeps all night and he jacks all day
I jack the camel, I eat my lunch
I go to the lavatory
On Wednesdays I go shopping
And have buttered scones for tea
He jacks the camel, he eats his lunch
He goes to the lavatory
On Wednesdays he goes shopping
And has buttered scones for tea
I’m a Cameljack and I’m okay
(He’s a Cameljack and he’s okay)
I sleep all night and I jack all day
(He sleeps all night and he jacks all day)
I cut down trees, I skip and jump
I like to press wildflowers
I put on women’s clothing
And hang around in bars
I wonder how it has more vitamin C. I didn’t think any milk did. She says it tastes like cow’s milk, so I’ll try it if I ever run across it. Hate goat cheese with a passion, too.
well done, HG... well done.
Nooooo! Camel calves sure are CUTE, though! :)
We know of a large herd of Buffalo a number of acres away. It takes close to three years to bring them up to butchering size, and if you’ve ever seen a Buffalo up close, that is a LOT of grass, water and grain to go through in that time; they get top dollar for that meat.
No word about Buffalo cheese, but it might not be a bad sideline for them!
I cannot WAIT to get my dairy cow. I ALMOST have Beau to the breaking point, I whine about it so much, LOL! Our steer, ‘Dinner’ is coming along well - grass fed with a bit of grain and minerals thrown in there for good measure. He has about 60 days to go and then he’s freezer-bound.
Life Is Good. :)
Very cute! I’m sending that on! :)
13.6 Animals / Human.
Typical of the Middle East: Too stupid for words.
My local enviro-nut farmer has >150 animals per person.
That commercial just cracks me up....funniest thing in years..if I wasn’t a 25 year GEICO customer. I’d switch to them tomorrow...and BTW the Gecko was getting old..
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.