The world’s most expensive cheese comes from the pule donkey. It is produced only on one farm. No other farm in the world is known to prepare it. It takes much longer to prepare this cheese as compared to other cheeses. One pound of this cheese will cost you $600. But why is this cheese so expensive? Read on to find out.
Pule Is Rare
Pule donkey cheese is found in Serbia, on the Zasavica Special Nature Reserve, founded by Slobodan Simić, about 24 years back. Only this former Yugoslavian region protects this endangered species of Balkan donkey. Pule is prepared with 40% of goat’s milk and 60% of donkey’s milk, and it needs many months as well as many donkeys to make it.
Luck by Chance
Slobodan Simić happened to come by the recipe by chance. The aim was to preserve the donkeys in Serbia. The numbers were as low as 1,000. With this mission in mind, he builds the first-ever farm for donkey-dairy farming. By the time they had about 200 donkeys, there was surplus milk. The first thing that came to mind while thinking about what to do about all this milk was to make cheese. And lo behold, it is now the most expensive cheese in the world. The farmers on this reserve now take care of about 250 donkeys.
Many Tried but it Was All in Vain
The recipe is a secret. It involves goat milk and a mixture of unknown bacteria and additives. This mixture helps the milk form curds, which is a crucial stage of making cheese, the world over. However, without this mix, it is impossible to make pule. Well-known experts have tried to make it but it has all been in vain. The lack of these additional substances and bacteria is what helps the milk coagulate.
Slobodan Simić is just happy to have created something so great. Apart from creating some amazing pule donkey cheese; he has also been able to save endangered species. His friends helped him too.
A Nutritionist Explains How Cinnamon Affects Body Health
If there’s one spice that makes everything feel like fall and Christmas, it’s cinnamon. Aside from its amazing aroma, however, it also has a number of anti-inflammatory, immunity-boosting, anti-microbial, antioxidant, and potential heart disease and cancer prevention qualities. This curious spice is packed with so many health benefits that once you know more about it, you will want to include it in your meals, not just during the festive season.
Cinnamon Fights Bacteria
Stephanie Papadakis, a certified nutrition consultant and founder of Gut of Integrity, says that cinnamon’s antimicrobial and antibacterial properties help protect the skin from allergic reactions, rashes, and other forms of irritation. What’s more, the spice can also fight bacteria that cause bad breath and serves as a natural breath freshener.
Cinnamon Balances Blood Sugar Levels
According to Papadakis, the spice lowers blood sugar levels and improves the sensitivity to insulin, which is crucially important for people with diabetes and high blood sugar. Cinnamon does that because it blocks the activity of certain digestive enzymes that slow down the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream. Just when you thought the spice couldn’t get any better than this, right?
Debunking the Myth: Cinnamon and Weight Loss
Although the Internet is full of people who believe that cinnamon can speed up a person’s metabolism and help them shave off a couple of pounds, that’s not exactly true. Papadakis says that there isn’t sufficient research to back that claim. However, such conclusions may be based on the fact that cinnamon can stabilize the body’s blood sugar levels, which in itself is not directly related to the metabolic rate.
Papadakis suggests that people add the spice in their daily lives and not just in festive goodies. For example, you can sprinkle some cinnamon in your oatmeal, cereal, coffee, tea, baked goods, and you can even use it to marinate meat. It’s such a versatile spice!