Learn To Make Cheese

While we may experience some discomfort trying to knead our mozzarella straight from the hot water, it’s nothing compared to the century-old cheesemaking process taking place in alpine Switzerland each summer.  With the milk from 51 cows over the course of 90 days, this hardy group produces around 1000 gorgeous rounds of cheese.

FXCuisine beautifully documents the incredible cheesemaking process.  With no electricity, running water or sewers, cheese is made over a wood fire with wood brought in by helicopter.  It’s salted and aged for a minimum of two months before being sold throughout the Alps.

More about cows:

“The secret of these high alpine pasture cheeses incredibly complex taste is in the grass. Each plant contributes toward the final tastes. If your cows change pasture, you can taste the change in the milk. It is not mystery – milk is made from water and grass.

The herd is 51 cows strong, owned by 4 farmers in Münster. Most are the Swiss Bronfi cow and 3 are the famed Evolène fighting cow. They come up for 90 days in late June and visit 4 different pastures/chalet as they exhaust the grass. The rest of the year the cows are down in the village. The cowboys don’t come down at all – it’s a full time 7-days-a-week job. One farmer brings the food up by foot once a week.”

Swiss Alps Cheesemaking.

Cheesemaking is one pastime you simply can’t experience through books.  Part of why we enjoy it is because you use your hands and can observe science taking place in the cheesemaking process.  In this Northwest Food News article, Guy Hand walked blindly into the world of cheesemaking and found himself a satisfying hobby.

His first efforts at making ricotta and cheddar were impressive!  Here’s what he has to say about the transformational experience of cheesemaking.

“What I’ve learned on the bumpy road to cheesemaking is that a good cheese sitting quietly on its shelf is a little biological miracle, a teaming universe of microscopic processes, a dance between time and temperature, art and science.  I’m not really good at it yet, but I’ve made some fresh cheeses that easily out compete the average supermarket varieties and I’m waiting for the weather to cool down so I can start aging some specimens in my newly christened cheese closet.  I’ll keep you posted . . .”

Discovering My Inner Cheesemaker | Northwest Food News.

Possibly due to a resurgence of people being interested in the food they consume, and the change in the country’s leadership, there is a philosophical and political shift taking place in Washington.  There is a new focus on local and regional agricultural production as evidenced by federal initiatives including grants to small formers and sustainable agriculture initiatives.

One Nebraska cheesemaker is experiencing this first hand:

“Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” is an example of renewed efforts in the U.S. Department of Agriculture to connect consumers more directly with the people who grow what they eat.

It could also be said the government’s biggest food promoter and food regulator is putting more of its money closer to where the mouths are. In one week, according to USDA officials, the funding total for “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” added up to $65 million.

Krista Dittman – whose 10 years in food production in the Lincoln area has taken her from selling a few dozen eggs to making and marketing a dozen different kinds of cheese – likes the message she’s getting from a new federal initiative and from growing numbers of customers.

“There’s kind of a resurgence, maybe, of people being interested in the food they eat,” she said.

USDA putting more money into food producer-consumer connection.

Steve Shapson, expert cheesemaker, home-brewer and winemaker offers a great cheesemaking kit that makes up to 30 pounds of cheese.   He provides detailed instructions and his methods are clear and easy-to-follow.  While we haven’t used it ourselves, it looks like a great way to demystify the cheesemaking process.

Here are a few helpful tips from Steve:

“1. Avoid aluminum pots, the acid will dissolve them and possibly overload you with aluminum.
2. Sterilize the pot just before use by pouring ½ inch of water in the bottom, covering, and bring to a rolling boil for at least five minutes. Pour out the water, replace sterile lid, keep sterilized pot covered until you are ready to add the milk.
3. If the curds float, you have a gas-producing contaminant in your starter or your milk was contaminated. You need to pay closer attention to handling your milk, and/or purchase fresh starter. The bacteria which form bubbles may be a form of Escherichia. However, it does not necessarily ruin the cheese, but does make it iffy. Many CO2 formers are non-pathogenic. Indeed, you might WANT bubbles in your finished cheese. Think about Swiss cheese… However, to be safe, age your cheese for at least two months because pathogens do not survive this extended aging. In addition, you will have a little more difficulty separating the curds from the whey if the curds float.”

Home Made Cheese Making thats very Satisfying when you taste your first Cheese.

Experienced home cheesemaker Gavin shares some excellent tips for making cheese at home.  He addresses lots of issues such as sanitation, what cheeses to make, and what equipment to invest in.   If you’re just starting out, he suggests making a soft cheese such as ricotta.   A local cheesemaking course is also valuable in helping you build enough knowledge to experiment with other cheese recipes.

Gavin clearly having a wonderful time making cheese on a weekly basis for the last eight months and we enjoyed his many insights.

“Tip #2.  Have everything all prepared and layed out before you start.  As I am waiting for the 15-20 minutes for the pot,  stainless steel utensils and cheese cloths to sterilise, I get a clean tea towel and lay it on the kitchen bench next to the stove top, ready to place all the tools on.  I select the recipe well in advance, and get out all the necessary ingredients and put them on the side ready to go.  Cheese making requires un-chlorinated water for diluting some ingredients, so I have to pre-boil some rain water from my tank and let it cool to room temperature.  You could use bottled water, but I do not due to environmental reasons.  I pre mix the diluted calcium chloride with this water, and do the same with the rennet.  Something I learnt in the Boy Scouts that I shall never forget and that is the Scouts motto, “Be Prepared”.”

Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op: Cheese Making Tips.