Page 22 - Almanacco_ENG_2015

22 AlMAnACCoHistorically, milk production has al- ways had a role of secondary impor- tance, serving only to ensure breeders and their families the right amount of protein during their travels. Since raw milk has a limited market and goes off quickly, it is processed to make it easier to preserve and carry. Therefore Sahel breeders produce hard cheeseswith the milk of their cattle and other ruminants, adding a piece of dried goat’s stomach as rennet. The cheese is then laid out on mats and dried in the sun and used to flavor soups and other dishes.Other traditional African cheeses are produced with vegetable rennet or by heating the curd and adding enzymes. In the north of Benin, gi- ant milkweed (Calotropis procera), a flowering plant, is used to make a ricotta-like fresh cheese known as wagashi or milk biscuit. Fermented© PAolA viESi / olivEr MiGliorE