Blessed are the Cheesemakers's topics - tribe.net

Raw Milk Action needed in Wisconsin

2009-11-23T20:43:25Z

Here is a link to the thread on the Nourishing Traditions Tribe regarding raw milk in Wisconsin. http://tribes.tribe.net/traditionalnourishment/thread/3749931b-252e-492d-8e4b-72360d33a9fa
If you are in Wisconsin and care about having access to raw milk, you will want to read this. And if you are in another state, you may want to read as well. The Federal Government is working to shut down interstate transactions of milk as well and it may affect you. This is a freedom of choice issue in my mind.
Blessings
Linda

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 0 replies

tips for boiling milk without burning it?

2009-11-18T04:09:58Z

I get fresh/raw milk from a local farm, and make panir every couple of weeks, a gallon at a time.

Step One: bring the milk to a full, foaming boil.
Half the time, I screw up right away!
No matter how low the heat is, or how constantly and obsessively I stir the milk, it burns about half the time.
I've tried a flat-ended wooden paddle, and the heatproof silicone spatula I use for yogurt and pudding and such.
I keep the heat so low, it takes over 30 minutes to get to a boil- still burned.
I've used my standard enameled stock pot, and also my fancier thick-bottomed stainless steel pot.
My family eats the stuff regardless, but I can't stand that scorched flavor!

Any tips for getting a full gallon of milk to boil sweetly?

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 5 replies

Halloumi -I have a question

2009-11-12T14:07:22Z

I loved this squeaky cheese I had at a barbeque last summer... now I want to try my hand at making it!

There seems to be just one recipe widely available online, repeated verbatim in a few places:
http://www.recipezaar.com/Cyprian-Halloumi-Cheese-63843

It starts with "To fresh milk add rennet and leave until set, about 30 minutes."

How fresh exactly? I have a few gallons that were milked from the cow this morning, but are now refrigerated.

Should I warm the milk to body temperature before adding the rennet? Leave it cold?
I've been looking forward to picking up this milk today so I can try this recipe... now I'm stalling out.
I've never used rennet, so I'm still learning the norms with it...

Help?

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 4 replies

traditional cheddar

2009-11-12T05:08:10Z

have any of you made Ricki Carrols traddional cheddar. she talks about "cheddaring", I'm not to sure what that means.
Thanks

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 2 replies

new here - any other professional cheese makers here?

2009-10-05T08:17:31Z

Howdy.
I work for a small sheeps milk based artisanal dairy in SW Ontario Canada; been making cheese professionally coming on two years now. Just stumbled across this Tribe after lightheartedly googling "Blessed are the Cheese Makers" - and lo! look at all you Blessed Souls. *laughs*

I will be wandering through the posts forever it seems so thought I'd at least start by saying hello and asking if there are any other pro makers out there? Then again, no doubt some of you "non-pro's" have been making cheese longer than I have and have much more knowledge - happy to converse and exchange tips and ideas with anyone!

Be well,
Eric

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 3 replies

vinegar cheese

2009-08-13T16:52:30Z

Hi,
I am wondering, Linda, and all you other cheese makers.....if you have ever mad quesa blanca/vinegar cheese with nourishing herbal vinegar.
I keep wanting to put dandelion root vinegar into the milk. I just love vinegar cheese....it is so sweet. I now have an abundant source for raw cow milk and will soon have one as well for raw goat milk. Peace, Julie

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 11 replies

Chevre

2009-08-10T14:06:38Z

I just bought into a goat co-op and milk 3 goats once a week for a total of about 2 gallons and just made my first chevre out of a gallon of raw goat's milk. I bought the culture from cheesemaking.com, a fabulous company that I fully trust and have wonderful experiences with. Anyway, now I have this deliciously plain glob of chevre. I use the other gallon for my Tara culture (like Kefir but from Tibet and a little more sour to taste) and for my kitties. I use the whey to cook my grains. So delicious.
Does anyone have any ideas/advice on what to do with it now to make it yummy? How do they shape it into cylinders?

Thanks y'all,
Astrid

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 2 replies

Cheese News, from Wisconsin

2009-05-07T16:48:35Z

I have moved to a new level in cheese making thanks to the advanced class I took a month or so ago. I am very excited about the rounds I have been making, which are developing a very nice rind. I bought a temperature control device and connected it to an old refrigerator and it is working really well, to keep my cheese at the right temperature needed for curing. The only issue is I am impatient and want to cut into a round, but really should wait for at least 3 months. Wish me luck.

What have others been up to with your cheese adventures? Given that the animals are grazing again here in Wisconsin I am wanting to put up as much cheese as possible, so I can have the health benefits during the winter months.

Blessings
Linda

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 6 replies

goats

2009-05-04T03:50:32Z

hello blessed cheese makers. We gor three goats a few weeks ago and we are swiming in mik! We ge two gallons of milk a day. I am in a self imposed crash course in cheese makibng. I hae made a goat cheddar, a traditional cheddar, a basic hard cheese, a jack cheese, a Gouda and a Havarti, not to mentions the pounds and pounds of chevre I have made.It is a little overwhelming. It is so hard to wait all those months to see if you screwed up or not!
I hope to get a milk separator to make cream and butter. I guess I need to start freezing the milk, I understand that goat milk freezes quite well. The milk is sooo good. It is mith that goats milk has a goatie flavor, certainly not if it is fresh and the does haven't been running with the bucks.
Question, my jack cheese is aging in the basement, it is coated with olive oil every few days. It has developed a bit of mold. Why is it so?

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 2 replies

Yogurt adventures

2009-05-01T16:44:53Z

Well I gotta say. I'm new to the culture of cultures, and it's a great feeling.

I made my second batch of yogurt last night/today, and had some questions. First, I'll share some noob experiences.

The recipe I was given was to heat the milk up to 90C, then bring down to 50C and mix in a cup of plain yogurt, let sit overnight in a 50C environment and voila! yogurt!

I learned the hard way on the first batch, that milk has to be STIRRED while heated, or else it burns brown sludge all on the bottom and sides of the pot. That was not in the directions, probably because it's one of those 'common kitchen sense' things that people might forget a guy TOTALLY LACKS common kitchen sense. I spent five minutes picking brown sludge out of the milk before moving on to the next stage. It didn't seem to have any other negative effects, though.

I also learned that milk doesn't go to 90C without boiling, at least not at the elevation I live, which is close to 5K feet. I got up to 85 both batches and couldn't go further without developing the beginnings of a boil, which I was told, you're not supposed to boil the milk. I'm not sure how this affects the yogurts.

I also learned, that different yogurts make different yogurts... DUH.... My first batch was some fancy hippy 'greek organic' stuff for $1.75 for a 6 ounce jar, because I was told to get 'the most organic yogurt you can find, for the most live cultures inside'.... i figured it didn't get more 'organic' than overpriced hippy yogurt, right? Well, it worked fine, but made a yogurt that had a 'grainy' texture and thickness that i didn't like. I'm a yoplait fan, personally, I like the runnier, smoother yogurts. So the second batch was yoplait.

My yoplait batch took for-e-ver to start setting, I presume it wasn't 'hippy' enough maybe? It finally started to congeal after about 3 or 4 hours, and from there I let it sit overnight by the heater after reading it a story and tucking it in. I hope this batch will make better 'starter' for the next batch, it's probably hippy enough by now, being not-pasteurized and all the cultures allowed to multiply and all that.

And I have a QUESTION: the yoplait batch has a bit of a bitter kick to it. It smells good, like yogurt, and tastes good. I don't really mind the bitterness, but it's there nonetheless, and normal yoplait doesn't taste that way. Do you have any idea what this could be from?

Once I get yogurt figured out and mastered, I'll graduate to some easy, soft cheeses. It's a great feeling, especially in this economy and with the cost of dairy products, to be able to fill the fridge with the foods i love, for pennies on what i used to pay. I'm really liking this!

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 41 replies

I am no longer a cheese virgin!

2009-05-01T11:45:31Z

Tomorrow we're having some friends over for dinner and we're planning on making lasagna for them. The recipe calls for marscapone and ricotta. I got the bright idea to try and make both myself. It also calls for mozzarella and provolone, but I'm not ready for that yet. Anyways, the marscapone seems to take quite a bit of time for the whey to separate out, but the ricotta was very fast and is draining right now. I'm so excited!

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 8 replies

And now for something completely different

2009-04-14T05:59:15Z

Thanks everyone so much for the support in making yogurt. I have figured out a recipe that works perfectly for me. I use Dannon as a starter, whole milk, and figured out how to heat the milk to 90C without boiling it. My fourth batch and I feel like i have a pretty efficient method set up, to keep myself in free yogurt from now on. Thanks all, for your contributions.

And now for the next adventure....

Once again, my parameters are that i have a very small apartment with an even smaller kitchen. And let's not forget that I've turned out to be a slow learner with this kind of stuff. I am very interested in someday learning all the odd cheeses and dairy products from far parts of the world... But for now, I think I want to stick to something domestic(ish) which I can easily use in lots of foods at home. I think the more consumable cheeses I might eat with many foods, will make need for more batches in a shorter time, and more opportunities to learn the craft. What would you suggest as a good next-step for me? Some kind of soft cheese? I wouldn't even know where to start. I am open to all suggestions.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 4 replies

uses for whey

2009-04-14T02:04:59Z

Anyone have any good recipes/uses for whey strained from yogurt/cheese etc? I'm wondering if it would be good to use as the water part in bread recipes, etc?

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 10 replies

Off to take an advanced cheese making class

2009-04-07T01:37:54Z

Hi all,
I am off this weekend to take an advanced cheese making class. I am wanting to refine my skills of handling the curds for hard cheese and in creating a curing environment in my home. And of course I am hoping that eating cheese will be involved. I am looking forward to the class and will update you all when I return.
Blessings
Linda

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 1 reply

Success

2009-03-14T03:28:27Z

I made my first batch of Queso Fresco this past weekend. It came out like a mild feta. Wonderful! Thanks Linda for all the moral support and great advice on books.
Doc

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 8 replies

What is cheese?

2009-02-20T03:42:36Z

So I love to ask this question in my cheese making classes and will pose it to all of you:

If I were from another planet and said to you what is cheese? What would you tell me?

Linda

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 12 replies

nuts in cheese..

2009-02-19T05:07:46Z

is there a certain way to add nuts to your cheese, or is this a no - no? I'm just starting out you see, and really want to make a nutty cheese

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 3 replies

Smoking Cheese

2009-02-16T20:07:48Z

Hi all. We are getting ready to do our annual cheese smoke. I save rounds of gouda and cheddar. Sometimes I make mozarella and chevre to smoke as well. It is sooo fun and yummy. It gives us something to look forward to in the middle of January in Wisconsin..smile.

Does anyone else smoke cheese? We have two smokers that we put on top of each other and put the cheese on the top rack, so that it does not melt. We use cherry, alder or whatever other wood we have available. I like the cherry a lot.
Blessings
Linda

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 5 replies

Cheese making books

2009-01-24T00:09:18Z

Greetings just wanted to list my favorite cheese making books. If you have some favorites please list them as well.

American Farmstead Cheese by Paul Kindstedt
Making Great Cheese at Home by Barbara Ciletti
Making Artisan Cheese by Tim Smith

Home Cheese Making by Rikki Carrol (good but a little too much of a promotion for her products)

Blessings
Linda

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 5 replies

Newbie

2008-12-04T19:15:15Z

I am interested in basic cheese making in the new year. I do a lot of canning and jam making and would like to add another skill to my expanding belt.
What items would I need to start?
Thanks.
C.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 3 replies

goat cheese cheesecake #1

2008-11-18T05:45:38Z

i got a little lazy and just tried the goat cheese (lemon juice, hang....no rennet or culture) i pureed it with sugar eggs and vanilla and made a cheesecake. the kind with the sweetened sour cream topping.
it is ok, in small bites it is palatable to non goat cheese lovers.
but i am on a quest now! on to buttermilk cultured- will re post with the next cheesecake (whenever that'll be...)

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 4 replies

uses for whey ...

2008-11-13T05:25:03Z

so i just made my first cheese off of that shmindling website using milk and vinegar for a cottage cheese. i was wondering if i can use the whey produced from it for anything. i read that acid wheys no longer have protein content.
thanks for your help!

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 9 replies

Whey Cheese - What Went Wrong?

2008-11-05T17:00:37Z

I made paneer and was trying to make a whey cheese from the residue. According to the recipe you're supposed to boil the whey, skim and reserve the foam, boil until volume is reduced by 25% and add the foam at which time it should thicken.

First, there was no foam even though the whey boiled.

Then, I kept reducing. It still wouldn't thicken.

So I'm left with a slightly more opaque whey that isn't going to turn into cheese near as I can tell.

Any ideas what went wrong?

What can I do with the whey? Use it instead of water when I make bread?

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 7 replies

looking for cream cheese recipes

2008-10-24T18:23:29Z

we are swimming in milk, and tired already of the indian cheese. we have no rennet and i still think it possible to make a cream cheese with out it, right?

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 12 replies

easiest cheese and variations ever

2008-10-20T00:11:35Z

With frequent stirring, heat one gallon of milk to 185 degrees F.
2. Add 1/4 cup vinegar, stir briefly.
3. After 10 minutes, strain through a cheesecloth-lined colander.
4. Hang to drain.

Here are Variations to make Above cheesy nom - nom - able.

1. HERB CHEESE: Add 1/2 cup of dry sherry and spices (oregano, thyme and basil)to the milk, plus salt to taste, and proceed with cheesemaking. Rather than hang-draining it, you might wish to press to form an attractive, compact shape. Roll in minced parsley, ground pepper, chopped nuts, etc.

2. NACHOS: Into food processor or blender add eight ounces cheese, one or two seeded jalapeno peppers, 1 small garlic clove or a small onion, and salt to taste. Arrange large taco chips on cookie sheet and top each with spoonful of cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, serve hot.

3. DILL DIP: Into food processor or blender add eight ounces cheese, one garlic clove, 1/2 cucumber (seeded but not peeled), one tablespoon dry dill and salt to taste. Process, and serve with raw vegetable dippers.

4.CHEESECAKE: Au natural vinegar cheese is ok, but for more flavor, add 1/2 cup of a liqueur - amaretto or kirsch, etc. to the milk, then proceed with cheesemaking. And use cheese in your favorite cheesecake recipe.

TO MAKE BOURSIN: process cheese, garlic cloves, thyme and salt to taste.
FOR CREAM CHEESE: process cheese with a bit of milk or cream until very smooth.
FOR RICOTTA: briefly process cheese with a few grains of nutmeg and milk to moisten. More milk plus sugar and a drop of vanilla, thoroughly processed, yields a dessert topping. A no-cook filling for pies, tortes, cakes, etc., is made by the addition of fruits, chocolate and/or liqueurs.

NATURAL COTTAGE CHEESE
1 GALLON MILK
JUICE OF 2 LEMONS
6 TABLESPOONS CREAM (OPTIONAL)

Heat milk to 186 degrees. Slowly add the juice of two lemons, or about 1/2 cup. Cool until it can be handled. Drain, rinse and salt if desired and add cream. Use fresh as any cottage cheese.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 0 replies

Blue cheese

2008-05-31T23:10:06Z

Hello all,
I am making some Blue cheese from a recipe from Fankhausers cheese page, which is great by the way. Check it out
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/cheese.html
anyway, my cheese is VERY fuzzy. Not to yummy looking. I am a person who really enjoys a stinky, strong flavored cheese but I don't know if the cheese is supposed to look this way.
Anyone have any experience on such matters? I am very new to cheese making.
Thanks
Amanda

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 5 replies

New moderator

2008-03-18T00:45:53Z

Hey, I nominate Linda Conroy as moderator- she's already a mod of another well-run Tribe (Herbal Wisdom I think) and makes cheese.

what say you people?

Mark

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 14 replies

'Ferment Change' event at Ecology Center in berkeley, March 22

2008-03-10T20:39:06Z

This is a mostly offtopic to cheese (sorry), but I thought the fermented foods aspect of this event was going to be fun for a lot of people. I'm about to make some yogurt cheese-based cheesecakes so I might bring one as my contribution (the idea of cheesecake that some dairy-sensitive people can eat seems like a novel concept):

http://www.ecologycenter.org/calendar/event.php?eventID=25195

Saturday, March 22, 2008
Ferment Change! A Benefit for West Oakland's City Slicker Farms

Come join us for a fermented food feast and celebration of Urban Agriculture to Benefit West Oakland's City Slicker Farms "growing fresh and affordable produce for West Oakland". There will be a presentation on the work of City Slicker Farms by founder Willow Roesenthal, a slide show of international urban agricultural by UCB lecturer Nathan McClintock, live music by Zoyres Eastern European Wild Ferment, and a live ferment workshop. Bring a fermented food and get entered in a drawing to win Homebrew, Sauerkraut, Plant Starts, and Gift Certificates to the Berkeley Farmer's Market.

Time: 7pm - 10pm.
Location: Ecology Center, 2530 San Pablo Ave, near Dwight Way, Berkeley.
Cost: A donation of $10-30 sliding scale is requested, no one turned away due to lack of funds..
Info: 510-548-2220 x233, max@ecologycenter.org.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 0 replies

kefir cheese

2008-02-22T21:52:05Z

I've been making kefir for a year or so, and think it's been really good for my body. Recently I branched out into two new 'products' to do with it:

kefir sour cream: this is just kefir made with half-and-half or cream. It really tastes like fantastic sour cream.

kefir cream cheese: I got a windfall of 'free' half and half from our local food co-op- our household begged and pleaded and was given the 'out of date' half and half. I kefired some of it, made yogurt with the rest, and then made ordinary strained cheese out of both. That was just a matter of putting it into a cloth in a strainer, waiting for some of the whey to drip out, then tying up the cloth and hanging it for a day or so.

The kefir cheese put the yogurt cheese to shame, it's tangy without having the mild bitterness of yogurt (though I've also heard that yogurt is supposed to get less bitter if you strain it this way as some of the bitter flavor goes out with the whey, but that wasn't my experience with these particular yogurt cultures). It was just much more flavorful as cheese.

I made plain 'cream cheese' this way, added herbs and garlic to some of it, and eventually made a bunch of cheesecakes with it. It doesn't freeze well- the texture breaks up into something granular on thawing- but that worked fine for cheesecake.

Anyone else have kefir cheese ideas? the Dexter Cattle kefir cheese creamery that I just linked to in another thread (Finger Lakes Creamery) apparently ages theirs, so there's more of a process involved. I'm going to have to go seek out their cheese next time I'm in their area (luckily my boyfriend's family lives up in that area so I'll get to).

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 1 reply

Dexter (miniature) Cattle kefir dairy article

2008-02-22T21:39:53Z

I just read about this farm in an old newsletter for a breeds conservancy organization:

http://www.smallfarms.cornell.edu/pages/resources/aboutsmallfarms/FarmProfiles/FLDC.pdf

the farm's website:

http://www.kefircheese.com/microdairy.html

They've milking Dexter cattle, which are miniature cows (I'm not sure if they 'officially' qualify as miniature but they sure are small), and making kefir-based cheese in a tiny dairy building re-cycled from used equipment. There are several "firsts" about this whole operation

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 0 replies

Good cheesemaking books or websites?

2008-02-06T19:18:09Z

I'm having an offline conversation about cheesemaking with a couple of people, and thought I'd bring it here.

I'm learning how to make cheese. we're starting to get expired milk from our local food co-op occasionally, which makes this inexpensive hobby suddenly. I mostly do kefir or yogurt soft cheese (ie the 'hang from cheesecloth bag till yogurt turns into cream cheese' method)

What's a good reference book or good website for learning all the other cheesemaking methods?

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 1 reply

Yogurt -> cheese

2008-01-24T23:20:29Z

I tried making yogurt with an old batch of homemade yogurt. I left it sealed, and in the dehydrator, much too long, so the bacteria went crazy and produced a bunch of acid. Thus, super sour yogurt. Now, for some reason, I have some rennet, and figured I'd just add some in, along with some salt, to the yogurt.

Any advice? If this works out as miraculously easy as I think it will, I'll post some results and tell how I plan on aging the cheese, if indeed I do.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 1 reply

Where are all the Cheese Makers?

2008-01-03T22:29:23Z

Was hoping to meet other cheese makers. Where is everybody? I have been making cheese in my own kitchen for over a decade. It is fun and yummy. What types of cheese are folks making. I make cheddar, gouda, chevre and feta on a regular basis. I also make fresh soft cheeses reguarly as well. Today I am going to makde gouda, I hope to make a few rounds and then smoke them. I love smoked cheese.

Cheese Blessings
Linda

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 5 replies

Cheddar

2007-10-08T22:40:43Z

Especially for Big Daddy.
This info is from Leeners.com/cheesehard.html
This website has numerous recipes, they sell cheese kits, lots of info, etc. !!!! They also sell the mesophilic culture that you need for this recipe.

CHEDDAR CHEESE
* 2 gallons skim milk
* 1 quart heavy cream
* 1/4 teaspoon Mesophilic A
* 1 teaspoon calcium chloride

1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet
Combine skim milk and heavy cream in your cheese pot. Pasteurize the mixture in a double boiler then cool it to 88oF. Add 1/4 teaspoon of Mesophilic A starter. Stir in thoroughly. Allow the milk to ripen for 45 minutes.
In a glass dish combine 1 teaspoon of calcium chloride with 2 tablespoons of distilled water. Add this mixture to the milk and stir gently for 25 seconds.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of liquid rennet to 4 ounces of cool distilled water. Add this mixture to the 90oF milk and stir gently. Allow the milk to set at 90oF for 45 minutes or until the milk has shows a clean break.
Cut the curd into 1/4 inch cubes. Let the curds set for 10 minutes.
Slowly raise the temperature of the curd to 100oF over a 30 minute period by increasing the temperature 2o every 5 minutes or so. Cover the pot and allow the curd to settle for five minutes, then pour off the whey into another pot.
Pour the curds into a cheesecloth lined colander. Knot one corner of the cloth around the other three corners and hang the bag of curds to drain for one hour.
Pour the drained curds into a bowl and gently break them up with your fingers into walnut sized pieces. Thoroughly mix in 1 tablespoon of cheese salt.
Place the curds into the plastic cheese mold which is lined with cheesecloth. Pull up on the sides of the cloth to avoid any bunching of the cloth. After pouring all the curds into the mold, lay the excess length of cheesecloth evenly over the top of the curds. Place a suitable sized plate or saucer on top of the curd and set a one pound weight on top of the plate. A plastic1 quart jar of water works well. Press the cheese for 15 minutes.
Remove the cheese from the press and take it out of the cheesecloth. Place the cheesecloth back in the mold and return the cheese to the mold upside down. Fold the excess cheesecloth over the cheese and again put the plate on top of the cheese. Now press the cheese with 4 pound pressure for 12 hours This can be done with 1/2 gallon plastic jug of water.
Air dry the cheese for 1-3 days. Wax the cheese and store for aging at 40 to 50oF for at least three months. Turn the cheese over daily for the first month and several times a week thereafter.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 2 replies

Is queso fresco the same as queso blanco?

2007-07-06T18:09:22Z

i'm looking for a recipe for queso fresco,i see the above post about queso blanco,wondering is it the same ?
Hugs.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 2 replies

cheese making supplies

2007-06-02T15:54:02Z

Hello,

I'm a newbie to cheese making. Just made my first batch of farmer's cheese. Could you tell me the best place to go for getting supplies? I found a few online places but I was wondering if there are any local places in the bay area that sell stuff.

Thanks
Paul

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 1 reply

Feta cheese

2007-04-25T19:06:23Z

I'm looking for an easy recipe for feta cheese.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 1 reply

New tribe- ethnic and traditional foods and food lore

2007-04-11T06:48:50Z

I started a new tribe for discussing 'ethnic food' in general, and also for discussing food traditions- what people eat on traditional holidays and other special occasions, food in religious ritual, and anything else related to what the grandma's did besides cook the stuff.
We're vegetarian-friendly over there, too.

www.tribes.tribe.net/foodtraditions

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 2 replies

Butter Making

2007-01-27T14:53:03Z

Do you realize how easy it is to make fresh butter?
I know it sounds silly, since it's easy enough to BUY butter, but that's not the point. Making stuff is fun!
I originally got started because I'm into antiques. I bought an old glass butter churn one day, for my kitchen, and then decided to try it out.
This is a favorite holiday activity for me because first the cream turns into whipped cream as you churn it. I like to remove about half of the whipped cream to sweeten for pies. The remaining cream is beaten into butter and salted.
It's that simple.
Start with about a half gallon of heavy cream. Go to Smart and Final, or another bulk food store if you are a city slicker like me, and don't have access to a cow. Country folks must think we're nuts to even BE so fascinated with this process, but I for one, can't get enough!
Someday, when the power grid goes down, and everything is in chaos.?..I'll still be able to make butter and cheese and sew things on my treadle sewing machine, and know how to dry and preserve foods, and how to use a spring house to keep things cold, grow a garden, etc. Besides, it's fun to make as well as a satisfying knowledge to have.
So after aquiring a large quantity of heavy cream (Chilled. You want the cream kept very cold)....find a device for beating it. If the powergrid is in action, try using an electric mixer. It is the fastest easiest way, and if Granny had one, she used it. Butter in about ten minutes.
You can also use a jar with a marble in it, or a hand crank mixer, or a paddle in an old crock, the way they did about 200 years ago. Keep in mind that some methods are faster than others. I like my old glass butter churn the best. It takes about twenty minutes of cranking, hand over hand, but it's very satisfying. I would love to find an old churn attatched to a rocking chair. They were probably fairly inefficient. I'll bet a lot of butter was made just from the agitation of a wagon bumping across the Plains at one time too. Electricity has made buttermaking so easy that we don't even think about it anymore.
Let's assume you are using an electric mixer. Fire it up. Hopefully you have the cream in a bowl that is narrow with high sides. The cream will double in volume as it whips, and narrow sides on the bowl ensure that none of the cream gets left on the sides unwhipped. Keep beating, past the peaked stage of whipping cream. The cream will start to turn yellow and get a pebbly texture. Keep going!
Then a miracle of kitchen science occurs! It looks like a disaster. The cream separates. I should say, the butter separates from the milk. Now you have slushie. Keep beating until the butter clearly forms clumps. The remaining liquid is buttermilk. Even if you don't like cultured buttermilk (and I don't) you should taste this stuff! It's good and you'll want to save it. I like to pour it into a little pitcher to use the next day in scones or buttermilk dressing. Strain the butter through a strainer or a piece of cheesecloth. Put the butter in a bowl.
Now the butter HAS to be washed. Yep, that's right. Washed.
The butter still contains tiny pockets of buttermilk. If you just salt it and use it without washing it, it will spoil in about three days. The buttermilk goes sour. So you want to gently "work the butter". Traditionally paddles were used to turn the butter over and over while washing the butter in cold water. I still love the heft of a good butter paddle in my hand, and I am sure that many a paddle was used on childrens behinds at one time, as it seems the perfect size for either job. I used to tell my kids that too, but never tried it out! Ha.
Smash the butter. If it gets too smushey....chill it again first. Keep washing until the liquid runs clear, and then squeeze and drain the water away. Now the butter is finished, except for salting.
Salting helps to preserve the butter as well as adding flavor.
Be careful not to use too much. A little bit of salt goes a long way, and oversalted butter is bad. Just plain bad, but fresh soft homemade butter is delicious and you'll get spoiled. Try it!

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 6 replies

Sampled my first homemade hard cheese

2007-01-02T13:18:40Z

I made this cheese a month ago.
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese98.htm
I had followed all the directions up to the end, but I didn't wax it, just kept the rind salted.
Tried it last night. Tasted good, but was too dry and crumbly. Guess I'll wax the next time.
dave

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 0 replies

Dry your cheese before sealing it.

2006-11-27T00:29:49Z

In my last post I mentioned that I let my cheese dry for a day before sealing it in plastic on my 1st and 2nd cheeses, but decided to skip that step on my 3rd & 4th cheeses. Well, if nothing else I found out why that is an essential step. After several weeks in storage, the cheeses that weren't dried turned the color of whey. I even took one out of its package to see if it was damp, but it had the same dryness and firmness that it had originally. I re-sealed it so it can finsih aging. I'll let you know when they are aged if the flavor is different.

P.S. My family sampled my 1st cheese on Turkey Day. It was a big hit. I may have convinced a few others to join our hobby.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 0 replies

goat milk brie at Trader Joe's

2006-11-10T03:13:29Z

ooh, lala, there's goat milk brie at Trader Joe's again- I dont think they always have this cheese.

Yummy stuff.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 2 replies

My adventures in cheesemaking

2006-11-03T10:42:33Z

I posted a while ago about my 1st home-made cheese--a Queso Blanco. Since then I've purchased a cheese press and made three cheeses.

The press is a CheesyPress from schmidling.com. Its construction is quite simple and is something anyone with access to a bandsaw and a good hardware store could make themselves. However, I was interested in making cheese, not making cheese presses. So it was worth the money.

The recipe I started with (and deviate wildly from, as you will see) calls for 1 gallon reconstituted powdered milk, 1 pint whipping cream, 2 tblsp mesophillic starter, 1 tsp rennet, and some salt.

For the mesophillic starter I let a quart of buttermilk ripen on the counter overnight. The next morning I was going to pour it into icecube trays to save 2 tblsp doses of starter for later, when I remembered that I have an automatic icemaker and therefor no icecube trays (doh!). So I said, "What the heck" and just use all of the buttermilk. In the end it turned out fine. The buttermilk just added more flavor and milk fat.

To cook the cheese, I use a 1 quart pot and a great big metal salad bowl as a double boiler. It holds all of the ingredients above with enough room to allow for gentle stirring. If I want to make larger cheeses, I'll have to break out my 5 gallon brewing pot and cook directly on the stove.

So I mix all the milk together and heat it to 90. Then I fiddle with the stove's knob every 15 minutes for an hour so the starter can party. This is where I wish I had a gas stove instead of electric. Electric burners are binary--they are either on or off. The low setting just means its off for most of the time. What I want to do is keep the milk at a constant temp. What I can do is keep the milk between 85 and 95.

After an hour I add the rennet and stir for at least 5 minutes. While I'm stirring, I raise the temp. to about 105. I keep it at this temp. for three hours. At this point, I'm supposed to see curd that you can cut with a knife. I've yet to see that. Instead I see the whey has separated and the little specs of curd are sticking to each other. The longer I cook the cheese, the more curds stick together. I just let it cook until most of the curds have formed a big clump. Then I turn off the heat and pour off the whey. I add a few pinches of salt and stir gently until I think its well distributed. Then I pour the curds into the press lined with cheese cloth.

The pressing process is kind of fun. First, you don't just dump the curds into the cheese cloth. There's an art to arrainging the cheese cloth in the press so that it won't let cheese squish out and also won't bunch up in the press or in the finished cheese. The instructions that came with the press say to replace the cloth with a "bandage" on the third press. I did that the first time I used the press, but I found that its not necessary.

After the cheese is in the press, you give it about 10 cranks (half turns) and let it sit. Whey will leak from the bottom of the "tube" during the entire pressing. After 15 minutes, flip the cheese. With this press you can disassemble it in a way that it can be re-assembled with the same pressing force after the flip. Wait 15 minutes, then give 5 more cranks. Wait an hour. Flip. Wait an hour. 5 more cranks. Wait an hour. Flip. Crank it all the way and let it sit overnight. Flip. Let it sit 8 hours and its done pressing.

On my first pressed cheese, I let it sit uncovered for a day to dry out. This might be needed if your going to wax your cheese, but I vaccuum seal mine. So now, I just pat it dry.

I ate the first cheese about three weeks after puting it up. It was a lot like Provalone, but more flavorful. The second and third cheese are still aging in the fridge. On the second cheese, I followed the recipe. On the third, I got to thinking. One of the reasons I like cheesemaking is self-reliance. If I have to run to the store to get fresh whipping cream, I might as well just buy cheese. So on the third cheese I left out the cream and doubled the powder used for the powdered milk. The finished cheese was smaller than the first two, which might be due to lower milk fat or finer curds that got through the cheesecloth.

LAST WORD: If you do the math from what is described above, you can see that making one cheese takes a whole day. The beauty of it is that it doesn't require constant attention. It can easily be done while watching football or NASCAR. So now when my wife asks, "Are you going to watch TV all day?" I reply, "No, I'm making cheese."

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 0 replies

What is your favorite type of cheese?

2006-11-03T06:53:23Z

Mine is Old Amsterdam..an aged Gouda I think. It has this great crunch from little salty crystals! Any other votes?
P.S. Is anyone else familiar with "squeaky cheese"? I bought it once at a dairy farm around Sonoma, and it was yummy and fun "cause it reallu did squeak when you ate it!

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 10 replies

Has anyone tried this?

2006-07-23T18:48:25Z

I came across a cheese-making course syllabus on an Ag. School website. They were describing a technique with hard cheeses (it was a swiss). After the brining of the pressed cheese, they vacuum-sealed it rather than waxing it.

Has anyone tried this? Would it work (without affecting the quality of the cheese)? It would sure make aging easier...

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 2 replies

1st attempt at cheese making

2006-07-20T18:44:23Z

I just made my first cheese! I used the directions for "Bare Bones" on this link: http://schmidling.com/making.htm

I was surprised how quickly the whey separated from the curd when I added the vinegar. I opted not to add salt, because I wanted to see what the curd tastes like. The answer--not much. Its very plain, yet slightly sweet.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 1 reply

note from tribe.net: please assign a moderator

2006-01-13T14:27:23Z

Hey there, "Blessed are the Cheesemakers" members--

This Tribe doesn't have a moderator, but as a matter of policy, Tribe.net likes all groups to have a leader.
Could you collectively choose someone to moderate your Tribe?

When you've reached consensus, have the new moderator send a note to help@tribe.net, letting us know that you've selected a new leader.

Thanks,
-- TOU (Terms of Use) Guy

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 5 replies

Portuguese Queso Fresco?

2005-11-13T08:16:31Z

I was in Lisbon, Portugal on business and went to a restaurant for lunch. As a pre-cursor to our main course the waiter brought each of us a small cylindrical cup of very soft, very fresh cheese. It was almost custard like in nature, had a creamy texture, and very subtle flavor. It was fantastic! Not salty, loose curdles, tastes like a milk custard but definitely cheese.

I have been searching high and low for it in the States but haven't been able to find it (or even know what to call it). One of the other diners said that they used to eat this cheese back in Israel but haven't found it in the U.S. yet.

It is definitely not Quark (something I picked up at a cheese factory near Tracy that reminds me more of a whipped Ricotta). I got a tip about a portuguese cheese factory in Sebastipol but when I visited them this weekend they didn't seem to know exactly what I was talking about. They also said that they cannot serve cheeses that are less than 2 months old (by law?).

I figure I will have to try and make this myself. Anyone have any ideas what this cheese is and how to make it? (oh please oh please)?

-Rob

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 1 reply

Thirty Minute Mozzarella!

2005-11-12T06:48:22Z

Yes! I have a recipe for making thirty minute mozzarella in your microwave! It takes a gallon of milk, and is not hard. It is precise. You need citric acid crystals and rennet, in order to curdle the milk. You can buy vegetarian rennet, and this is a good way to ensure that the cheese that you eat does not involve animal rennet. You can also experiment with different types of milk.
The only other thing you need to get started is a good thermometer. I've made this recipe many times and I can never believe how easy it is! I plan to make some more tonight.
This recipe makes a nice soft fresh mozzarella. You can add coloring, or cheese cultures to branch out from here into other types of cheese..but this is a great way to get started. You can also add herbs and other ingredients, and impress your friends.
I may post the recipe soon, along with some sources for buying cheesemaking products in my area (LA).
For now, if you're interested? Please email me, or post a reply, and I'll send the instructions and weblink to you.
Making stuff is fun!

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 4 replies

Mozzarella

2004-05-24T01:58:11Z

Okay, here's the mozzarella recipe I promised you!
Alison and I made two batches tonight. The first batch was perfect. We had it as an appetizer for dinner with bread and tomatoes and basalmic vinegar. Yum!
The second batch was saltier, and stringier..as I had forgotten to add the salt earlier, and oversalted in my panic. Plus, the extra heating made the cheese stringy. Now I know how to make string cheese!
Both batches are great..and it's so easy!

Check out cheesemaking.com for supplies and instructions.
Ingredients: 1 gallon of milk (any type) I used whole. I have used 2 percent
1/4 cup cool water
2 tsp citric acid crystals
1/4 tablet rennet-1/4 tsp if using liquid
1-2 tsp salt (optional)

Mozzarella directions-
Crush 1/4 tablet of rennet in 1/4 cup of cool, chlorine free water and stir to disolve. (Store the rest of your tablet in the freezer, wrapped in plastic) I used 20 drops of rennet instead.
Place your stainless steel pot on the stove. (You can use any non-aluminum or non-cast iron pot)
Sprinkle 2 level teaspoons of citric acid powder into your milk and stir gently.Heat the milk slowly to 88 degrees F. You will start to see your milk curdle. At 88 degrees F, add your rennet solution and continue stirring slowly every few minutes until the milk reaches 105 degrees F. Turn off the heat. (You can let it curd without stirring if you want)
You now have a mass of curds (clumps of solids), clearly separated from the whey (clear greenish liquid) You will be able to scoop out the curd with a slotted spoon at this point. (If it is still too liquid, let it set for a few more minutes.)
Ladle the curds into a microwave safe dish. Pressing the curds gently together with your hand, pour off as much whey as possible.
Microwave your curds on high for 1 minute, drain off all excesswhey. Work your cheese quickly with a spoon or your hands into a ball to cool. Microwave two more times for 35 seconds each as curds cool down. Continue to drain your whey (save a little..say, a cup full? to store the cheese in) and work your cheese into a ball. (You may want to wear rubber gloves as the cheese has to be almost too hot, very hot to touch before it will stretch.
When your cheese is almost too hot to touch, knead it quickly like bread until smooth. If it stretches like taffy, it is done. You can sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons salt into your cheese while you are kneading
(After the first 35 seconds, Allie and I knead it with a spoon and add the salt. After the second 35 seconds, I quickly break it into equal pieces..say 8 small pieces..and then we pick those up and knead them individually by turning the outside edges underneath repeatedly, until the surface looks shiny. Then squeeze the ends together and set the finished cheese down and grab the next one.)
When your cheese is smooth and shiny it is ready to eat! I store it in whey to keep it moist and fresh. Refrigerate of course.
You can add herbs and seasonings as desired.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 2 replies

Mascarpone

2004-05-04T04:17:53Z

Mascarpone Cheese Recipe
....
This cheese is used in various Italian pastries and desserts. It also tastes great on a piece of toast with sprinkled sugar!
.
INGREDIENTS
.
1 qt Light Cream
1/4 teaspoon Tartaric Acid**

1. Heat 1 qt of LIGHT CREAM to 180F (82C)
2. Add 1/4 teaspoon TARTARIC ACID
3. Stir for about 10-15 minutes
4. The cream should thicken with small flecks of curd.
5. Using a DOUBLE layer of FINE cheesecloth in a strainer, pour off the whey and let it drain for about an hour.
6. Put the strainer in a bowl and place it in the refrigerator to drain overnight (or 12 hours).
7. In the morning, scoop out the cheese and put into an airtight container.

** Tartaric Acid is available from any cheesemaking supply company and most wine making companies. Since at home winemaking is much more common, look in your phone book for a local winemaking supply store. Many wine and liquor stores carry wine making supplies and may have tartaric acid.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 0 replies

Queso Blanco recipe

2004-05-04T04:13:50Z

I lifted this from another website. Geocities.com

Queso Blanco Recipe
...
This is by far the easiest cheese to make. Called Queso Blanco in the Spanish speaking (it means "white cheese") world it is used throughout the world by different names. It can be eaten strait or mixed in with various dishes. Try it in your lasagna recipes instead of Ricotta or in addition to it. Yum!

INGREDIENTS
.
1 Gallon Whole Milk
1/4 Cup White Vinegar**
.

1. Heat milk to 180 F (82 C) stirring constantly. Be careful not to burn the milk.
2. While mixing with a whisk, slowly add the white vinegar. You will notice the milk begins to curdle.
3. Keep stirring for 10-15 minutes.
4. Line a colander with a fine cheesecloth.
5. Pour the curdled milk through the colander.
6. Allow the curds to cool for about 20 minutes.
7. Tie the four corners of the cheese cloth together and hang it to drain for about 5 - 7 hours (until it stops dripping).
8. The solidified cheese can be broken apart and salted to taste or kept unsalted.

** The juice of 3-5 lemons may also be used in substitute or addition to the vinegar. The resulting cheese will have a much more tangy flavor.

posted in Blessed are the Cheesemakers - 0 replies