Kesong puti

Kesong puti is from Spanish queso ("cheese") with the Tagalog enclitic suffix -ng, and Tagalog puti ("white"). In other parts of the Philippines, Caviteño kesilyo or kasilyo and Cebuano queseo or kiseyo, are all nativized spellings of Spanish quesillo ("little cheese"). ==Production==

Most kesong puti is made by direct acidification, similar to numerous other cheeses like queso blanco, paneer, ricotta, mascarpone. It is usually made with carabao milk, but it can also use goat or cow milk, though the latter has lower yields. The most common way of making homemade kesong 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 , as long as it does not reach and above. Higher temperatures will denature the proteins, resulting in slower or even no curdling. This also pasteurizes the milk, destroying pathogens and allowing the cheese to last longer. Around a fourth of a cup of vinegar or citrus juices (or both) are then added to induce coagulation. It is left to curdle for around 30 minutes to an hour. The curds are strained with a cheesecloth (katsa) leaving the soft gelatinous-like version of kesong puti. It can be further pressed and molded to squeeze out more whey if desired. ==Culinary uses==

with kesong puti, pandesal, sinangag (garlic rice), and a longganisa sausage Kesong puti is usually sold wrapped in banana 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. It is also commonly eaten with bread or kakanin rice cakes, including pandesal, puto, and bibingka, It can also be used in various dishes in Filipino cuisine; including dishes like paella negra and ginataang pakô. Kesong puti has a shelf 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. ==Variants==

There are four main regions producing variants of kesong puti that probably originated independently: Laguna, Cebu, Cavite, and Bulacan. The following are the most prevalent production techniques for commercial kesong puti among the regions: Santa Cruz celebrates an annual Kesong Puti Festival. Cebu Cebuano queseo or kiseyo production is centered on the town of Compostela and the city of Danao. It is very similar to the Laguna version and is made using the same processes. It differs only in that queseo typically use more salt and the molds are lined with muslin cloth. The muslin cloth may be pressed with a weight. It is a fermented cheese and is also usually firm, like the Laguna version. Cavite Caviteño quesillo, kesilyo, or kasilyo production is centered in the cities of General Trias and Cavite, and the municipality of Tanza. 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 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 weak brine solution. The resulting cheese has a softer consistency in comparison to the Laguna and Cebu versions. Bulacan Bulacan kesong puti production is centered in the towns of Santa Maria, Meycauayan, and San 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. ==See also==