Ein a lonely evening, storm-free place, no one far and wide who could be bothered by strange smells, and also an appetite? Then it’s time for me: “Me time”!
A packet of hand cheese is quickly unwrapped and a marinade is prepared with onion, vinegar, oil and a little caraway: “Music”, or “Mussigg”, as the local dialect between Rheinhessen, Taunus and Odenwald refers to the tasty dip that is poured over the hand cheese. Accompanied by a sandwich and a glass of white wine.
Actually, you should always have a pack of hand cheese in the fridge. In my experience, it can be kept for several weeks beyond the best-before date. Over time he gets better, to a certain extent. Like all types of cheese, it should be consumed at room temperature. And in the right company you can even enjoy it together. A large bowl or platter enriches any rustic cold buffet. Vegetarians will be delighted.
The hand cheese probably got its name from the fact that the small, valley-shaped loaves of drained sour milk curd were formed by hand before maturing gave them their soft, slightly greasy, but firm consistency. The round thalers were then placed next to each other to form a roll, and another common name was found: the (Harzer) roller. This specialty is native to different regions under different names. According to popular saying, the term “music” comes from the “intestinal winds” produced by the onions, and the caraway provides “digestion”.
Lean and surprisingly full-bodied in taste
Depending on how ripe it is and despite its low fat content of just 0.5 grams per 100 grams of cheese, the lean cheese offers an astonishingly full-bodied taste and, with a protein content of almost a third, is a real protein bomb. On the one hand, this makes it an ideal product for nutrition-conscious or physically active consumers, and on the other hand, it allows you to enjoy it without regret with a nice thick spread of buttered bread and the “music”.
By the way, you only eat the dish in style with the knife, which you use to move the pieces including the “music” from the plate or from a bowl onto the bread. Of course, there are also regionally different preparations. Some people add a little Riesling or apple cider to the marinade and let it mature for a day or two.
The hand cheese can also be prepared like an Obazda as a spread or tartare. Heated with cream and broth, the result is a hand cheese soup. Others bake their schnitzel with it. The black pudding and hand cheese salad was also recommended here in a previous magazine. But nothing beats the hand cheese, just with “music” and fresh bread.
The answer of the humorous owner of a former Mainz wine bar to the question of his companion from Frankfurt is unforgettable: “Can I please get some paprika powder with my hand cheese?” – “No!”
INGREDIENTS
(for an eater)
A packet of hand cheese (200 g)
A small onion, finely sliced or chopped
About 50ml of high quality cooking oil
A good dash of fine vinegar (to taste)
Half a teaspoon of cumin (crushed)
Fresh bread with butter
#Recipe #hand #cheese #music
