Rennet for Dummies

Rennet is a word that refers to a substance used in the process of making cheese. But hold on a sec, let me break it down for you in the simplest way possible. Imagine you're baking a cake, and you mix a bunch of ingredients together like flour, sugar, and eggs. Now, think of rennet as one of those ingredients, but instead of making a cake, it helps make cheese!

So, rennet is a special enzyme that comes from the stomachs of certain animals, like cows or goats. These enzymes are really tiny but incredibly important little things that play a big role in the cheese-making process. When added to milk, rennet helps it coagulate, which basically means it helps the milk to become thicker and more solid.

Now, let's talk about the two different definitions of rennet. In the cheesemaking world, there are two kinds of rennet. The first one is called "animal rennet," which is the traditional type made from the stomachs of animals. The second one is called "vegetable rennet," which is made from plant sources. It's kind of like using different kinds of flour when baking that cake we talked about earlier. You can choose between regular flour or a gluten-free option, depending on what you're looking for. Well, the same goes for rennet! Cheese makers can choose between animal rennet or vegetable rennet, depending on their preferences or dietary restrictions.

So, to sum it all up, rennet is a substance used to solidify milk during the cheese-making process. It can come from either the stomachs of animals or from plants, and it helps milk turn into that delicious cheese we all love. It's like a magical ingredient that turns liquid into something solid and tasty!