A tidbit from a chat conversation, which of course all began with a reference to Monty Python's famous Cheese Shop Sketch:
Me: (As a note, there really IS Venezuelan Beaver Cheese.)
Matt: Oh, *really*?
Liz: Oh, really, what?
Matt: Venezualan. Beaver. Cheese.
Liz: Oh. Yeah, that's a bit odd.
Matt: There are no beavers in South America.
Stam: (Please tell me it's not made from beavers?)
Me: Well, I don't know if it's Venezuelan, actually, but I *was* reading something about beaver cheese.
Me: Wait, no... not beavers. Capybaras?
Me: Damn you, now I have to find the article again.
Matt: Possibly more likely, but still... bullshit detector ringing loudly.
Could I take such a challenge to my librarianly honor sitting down? Well, yes I could, actually, since it's easier to type at this keyboard from a sitting position. But still, I was determined to find the article that had sparked my memory!
Alas, I couldn't recall any specifics of what sort of article I saw, or even the search that tumbled me across it in the first place, although I'm fairly certain it concerned cheesemaking from the milk of some unusual South American animal. (Or maybe a wombat. Did you know that a wombat's "sheer weight makes a charging wombat capable of knocking a man over, and their sharp teeth and powerful jaws can result in severe wounds"?[1] Right. Neither did I. Beware wombats, then, and back to business.) Still, the reference was several years ago, before I'd even heard the sketch, so I hadn't made the connection at the time.
But I remained undaunted, determined to carry out an investigation into the possible existence of Venezuelan Beaver Cheese anywhere in the world (that would be in... um... Venezuela, most likely). After an extensive search, I found that no one seems to carry Venezuelan Beaver Cheese, and no one is likely to for some time (unless some enterprising Python fan has figured out a safe way of milking a beaver). Matters were further complicated by the discovery that there are no beavers native to Venezuela, although consideration has been given to some possible viable interpretations that might work around this little problem. And a simple enough recipe would be available, once you had the milk.
There IS a store in San Diego that claims to have carried it once upon a time, although it's currently out of stock. Perhaps they should change their header picture to include beavers in with the cows and sheep and goats. (Don't believe me? Make with the clicky, and peruse their shop listings, I dare you.) Likewise, the possibility exists that it is an historical cheese, and simply no longer available today. I offer as evidence this list of present and former Cheese Factories & Dairies of Clark Co., WI which, as you note, includes two "Beaver Cheese Factory" listings. (Granted, this would be AMERICAN Beaver Cheese rather than Venezuelan Beaver Cheese, but one takes evidence where it can be found.)
Ah! But what if I was going about this in the wrong way? Certainly, the sketch mentions "Venezuelan Beaver Cheese," but the official language of Venezuela is not English, but Spanish!!! I rushed (well, sauntered) to Babelfish and learned that our cheese would most likely be called "queso del castor" (or perhaps "queso venezolano del castor") in its native tongue (Venezuela has no beavers, but they have a word for them? I find this highly suspicious). Alas, a good thought, but it was not to be. A Google search turned up zero hits on either phrase.
The quest for Venezuelan Beaver Cheese must continue. But it was not in vain! I always turn up the most amusing factoids in such searches, and so these, at least, I can share with you, my noble and dedicated (or should I say committed?) readers. For example, I discovered:
Some people have far too much time on their hands.
Capybara meat is still an acceptible fish dish for Venezuelans during Lent, according to the Roman Catholic Church.
There is such a thing as zebu cheese in the Amazon.
There are, in fact, supposedly many types of milk that produce edible cheeses.
GROSS WARNING
(skip down to the dotted line if you have a sensitive stomach)
Queijo de coalho, a semi-hard cow milk cheese from Brazil, uses an enzyme extracted from the stomach of a local rodent called a moco in the place of rennet. And if this grosses you out, I won't tell you where rennet actually comes from.
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They make some really weird ice cream flavors in Venezuela. (Yes, I know, some of you think this one should've gone above the dotted line.)
The traditional snack break for British workmen in the 18th century known as "elevenses" often consisted of a light meal of bread, cheese, and beer, and was also known as "beaver".
Oh... and while I'm at it, have another wombat. (This is what's become of STUMPERS-L, I discovered. Yay, it's not dead!)
Posted by gris at June 14, 2006 01:23 PM