Making Cheese

[docsconz]

Sounds like he ate it. Nothing quite like fresh ricotta. Sounds like a fun time for everyone.

[JosephB]

Sounds like he ate it. Nothing quite like fresh ricotta. Sounds like a fun time for everyone.

Yeah

[picaman]

Well that answers that. None of that cooking bother for you. Sounds delicious!

Jamie

[alacarte]

Sorry the mozz-making didn't turn out as planned. But from what I've heard about slkinsey's pizza, it sounds like you all had a real treat! Which I'm sure was sorely needed after the Lombardi's bomb.

[Placebo]

We have cheese-making supplies (cultures, hoops, etc) at Beecher's and you can always order them from www.cheesemaking.com as well. You may be able to get Smith Farms products via the Pike Place Creamery. We ordered our first few rounds of cream through them before we started having it delivered directly to our door. I'm currently on the hunt for goat and sheep milk for home cheese projects myself.

[stumptwngardener]

Ok, all this talk about cheese is a little too far north for my taste. Is there anyone in Portland reading this thread? Who's up for a mozzarella party in Portland?

I'm not suggesting that I know anything about making it, but I do want to learn.

--Dan

[girl chow]

We have cheese-making supplies (cultures, hoops, etc) at Beecher's and you can always order them from www.cheesemaking.com as well. You may be able to get Smith Farms products via the Pike Place Creamery. We ordered our first few rounds of cream through them before we started having it delivered directly to our door. I'm currently on the hunt for goat and sheep milk for home cheese projects myself.

Thanks Placebo. I bought all my moz cheesemaking supplies at Beecher's.

I have to say, I was a little disappointed on a recent visit that the two counter folks at Beechers knew nothing about cheese cultures and couldn't give me any direction or answer any of my questions, other than how much they cost (and there were no "cheese officials" around for them to ask). I bought Ricki Carroll's "Home Cheesemaking" book and that has given me a lot of great direction and now I feel pretty comfortable with the whole concept of cultures. I highly recommend the book for all beginners like myself.

I now have such a good list of sources for cow milk, I don't need to look anywhere else. However, like you, I am absolutely now in search of goat and sheep milk.

[Placebo]

Yes, I'm still working on training materials for the retail staff regarding cheese cultures. In general, if you aren't sure what you're looking for, culture-wise, it's probably best to either startt with a kit or take home one of the books, pick out something you'd like to try and then come back for the supplies. The thing is that the cultures are pretty generic and most of what you need to worry about is in the making progres. You'd probably use the same cultures (if you're using New England Cheesemaking supplies) for jack, cheddar, havarti and a bunch of others with the differences being largely in what you do with the milk and curds as you make the cheese. There are specialized cultures for things like buttermilk, yogurt, fromage blanc and chevre, but most other cheeses you're likely to try at home will simply use either thermophilic of mesophilic cultures. For anything more specific you would probably need to move to professional grade cultures and their suppliers. In any case, I'd be happy to try and answer any further questions you have on cheesemaking processes. Buying the book was the right move and is probably what I would have suggested had I been here at the time (being one of the "cheese officials" and such).

[Woods]

Hello all,

Is anyone aware of a thread that discusses home cheese making? I am not sure how to search on this site for one. Thanks, Woods

[Gifted Gourmet]

A couple of them:

one such cheesemaking discussion here

a cheesemaking kit ...

website for a guy who makes cheese and wrote a blog ...

which is here: The Secret Life of Milk and Cheese

Hope that is a good place to start your journey!

[piazzola]

This is a really good site http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese.html

[torakris]

start a new thread!!

I too am just starting in cheesemaking, I bought this deluxe kit from Leeners and am about to try making my first one today; a 30 minute mozarella.

I am sure I will have many questions for those much more knowledgable than myself.

[iain]

I've made cheese at home a few times in the past - and just finished a three-month cheesemaking apprenticeship at Bobolink Dairy. I plan on doing some more home cheesemaking - using some of my new-found knowledge - while I figure out a way to do it professionally. Perhaps we can use this thread to document projects? This way we can all learn from each others successes and mistakes.

[Woods]

I've only made kefir, quark and just ordered the indgredients for feta. I am looking for a bread baker or pastry cook job without much luck so far. What do you suggest as a hard cheese to start with?

I bought some local (MD) goat camembert that was quite good the other day. Thus far I only have only found store bought milk and only cow at that. What did they use in you appreticeshop?

It would be a good idea to document projects. I'm up for it.

Woods

I've made cheese at home a few times in the past - and just finished a three-month cheesemaking apprenticeship at Bobolink Dairy. I plan on doing some more home cheesemaking - using some of my new-found knowledge - while I figure out a way to do it professionally. Perhaps we can use this thread to document projects? This way we can all learn from each others successes and mistakes.

←

[JEL]

woods........

if i was going to make a hard cheese i would start with some simple cheddar curds..........

they're fun to eat, (squeeky), and you wont wrap up a bunch of time in affinage........

i make mostly a fresh chevre, that we sell commercially, but i made a few hundred pounds of an interesting bloomy rind cheese this summer, it is in a 6" wheel and about 1 1/2 " thick.......

a few weeks ago i took some of the acid set curd we make and rolled in in ash, then sprayed it with a pen. candidium.....

it has grown a VERY nice bloom, it is in the fridge now, waiting to become nice and gooey..........

i hope to make a few hundred pounds of a washed rind / trappist style cheese yet this fall before we dry the goats off......

there's a lot of things that can be done with an old refrigerator as a ripening cabinet, including growing molds on store bought chevre logs....

or how about growing a white mold on a cheese formed from a high end cream cheese, and blue cheese crumble.......

fusion cheese.............blue notes on the inside, agressive white mold on the outside, high fat content, and a dessicating gooeyness that makes you want to eat it with a spoon..........

crazy?????????

[Woods]

woods........

if i was going to make a hard cheese i would start with some simple cheddar curds..........

they're fun to eat, (squeeky), and you wont wrap up a bunch of time in affinage........

i make mostly a fresh chevre, that we sell commercially, but i made a few hundred pounds of an interesting bloomy rind cheese this summer, it is in a 6" wheel and about 1 1/2 " thick.......

a few weeks ago i took some of the acid set curd we make and rolled in in ash, then sprayed it with a pen. candidium.....

it has grown a VERY nice bloom, it is in the fridge now, waiting to become nice and gooey..........

i hope to make a few hundred pounds of a washed rind / trappist style cheese yet this fall before we dry the goats off......

there's a lot of things that can be done with an old refrigerator as a ripening cabinet, including growing molds on store bought chevre logs....

or how about growing a white mold on a cheese formed from a high end cream cheese, and blue cheese crumble.......

fusion cheese.............blue notes on the inside, agressive white mold on the outside, high fat content, and a dessicating gooeyness that makes you want to eat it with a spoon..........

crazy?????????

←

Thanks for the advice. It sounds like you are a professional. I just got rid of an old refridgerator I had use for beer making. I even had a thermostat. Ah well, being a friend of Bill precludes some things.

I'll try cheddar curds, they sound good! Woods

[JEL]

i'm hardly a pro.........

keep us posted on the squeeky curds, they are so much fun to eat.........

[Woods]

Hello all, 

    Is anyone aware of a thread that discusses home cheese making?  I am not sure how to search on this site for one.  Thanks,  Woods

←

I made feta the other day. I used cow's milk but will use goat's milk next time. Its expensive but worth a try. The feta fresh is very good but more spreadable than commercial feta. The taste is wonderful. I added lipase which gives an earthly flavor. The recipe says to age for 4-5 days after salting so I'll see.

Woods

[iain]

I've only made kefir, quark and just ordered the indgredients for feta.  I am looking for a bread baker or pastry cook job without much luck so far.  What do you suggest as a hard cheese to start with? 

I bought some local (MD) goat camembert that was quite good the other day.  Thus far I only have only found store bought milk and only cow at that.  What did they use in you appreticeshop?

It would be a good idea to document projects.  I'm up for it.

Woods

←

For hard cheese, the first I made was Montasio out of Ricki Carrol's Home Cheesemaking book (which I suggest picking up - it's a great beginner's resource). The resulting cheese was, um, boring. But it was cheese and that was certainly a step in the right direction.

During my apprenticeship we made cheese every day using milk from the farm's small herd of cows. Assuming you don't have your own herd, you'll probably have to buy milk. Whatever you decide to get, stay away from anything ultra-pasteurized. It's actually impossible to make cheese from UP milk - the curd never sets (I know this from experience). This rules out most of the mass-market organic brands. If you live in a state that allows consumer access to raw milk, get that. It will make tastier cheese, and it's actually easier to work with.

I made a soft-ripened cheese at home last week and was mostly successful. It's now aging in my little wine refrigerator (bought specifically for this purpose). We'll see if it actually turns out the way I was expecting. Next time I make cheese I'll try to document the process in this thread.

Edited September 14, 2005 by iain (log)

[McDuff]

←

I made a soft-ripened cheese at home last week and was mostly successful. It's now aging in my little wine refrigerator (bought specifically for this purpose).

←

I've read Ricki Carroll's book, bought her mozzarella kit and made some, spent beaucoup bucks on a couple of vintage cheesemaking books, found a source for raw milk ( guy also had a whole cheesemaking suite in the barn for lease) but have nowhere to ripen the stuff, so I'm interested to find out about the wine refrigerator, because that's exactly what I thought would work.

[chardgirl]

I looked through my unnecessarily extensive collection of cookbooks that should have answers to any question I have and I didn't come up with:

how to make cheese? Any kind?

My children love cheese, and we've access to 2 gallons a week of raw local milk from a cow we are acquainted with. We have lots of cream and we've been (they've been) shaking it into butter. we have buttermilk and we're making muffins and pancakes with that. any cheese: with the bounty of milk, with the buttermilk, with the cream...

Any suggestions on a basic book that tells us how to make cheese? Amazon has several titles that might fit the bill, but I thought I'd ask you guys first!

I think the science behind making the cheese would be an excellent science class for my homeschooled 9 & 11year old. They're just stuck with hopelessly slow food parents.

cg

ps I searched and didn't come up with any similar threads, and had to decide whether this was 'adventurous eating, cooking, or general food topics'.

[rooftop1000]

You may want to start here

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Cottage/1288/

BUT...this is one of very few pages that didnt start out with major no nos about fresh cheese with raw milk....sermon over

Queso fresco is tasty and you can cut into slices and fry till crispy and golden

tracey

[torakris]

I have just recently started making cheese at home and reallt enjoy it.

Currently the only book I have is Home Cheese Making by Ricki Carroll

I think this may be the only book you need as there is a huge variety of cheese recipes and tons of information.

I have made most of the non-aged cheeses (I am not patient enough for aged cheese!) and haven't been disappointed. Her 30 minute mozarella is incredibly easy and so much fun that my kids always insist on getting involved.

I would love to see more cheesemaking discussion here.....

[chardgirl]

Yes, I promise to post about our experiences. I've already looked at the webpage that Rooftop1000 recommended and plan on trying that this week with the (human) kids. We're hoping to bite the bullet and start milking a couple of our milk goats, with neighbors promising to fill in when we want to leave for the day!

I've also ordered two cheese making books from our local library, then I'll decide which one to buy.

I also found your (Kristin) posting on paneer, but I know NOTHING about Indian food except how to eat it when it's served to me.

I'm looking foward to making the cheese! stay tuned, even for a photo or two in the next 3-5 days.

cg

[dougal]

The best online resource I have found is

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese.html

Dr Fankhauser explains things with appropriately scientific rigour.

One needs an extraordinary large amount of milk, to produce a seemingly insignificant quantity of cheese!

As to kit and skills, for making hard cheeses one needs to be able to hit and hold *steady* temperatures in the range of 30-40C. We are talking about maintaining a temperature to within 1C (say 2F) for quite extended periods. Thats tricky! And one needs some form of press. I found a glass bottle that was a nice fit inside an offcut of PVC pipe. Upturned bowls provided a stable weight on my bottle/piston.

Obviously a decent thermometer is called for, as is a large water bath to surround your (large) milkpan, to steady the temperature, making all changes slow.

While its fun to have a go at, (and the results were pretty satisfying), I shan't be stopping buying cheese just yet...

Edited March 19, 2006 by dougal (log)