Beyond the cheese making process, many cheeses pleasantly evolve with age. Cheddar cheese curds are not one of them. Cheese curds
typically should be eaten within one day of making. This beloved squeaky cheese snack originated in Wisconsin and it’s hard to find in less dairy-centric parts of the country. (Though we did just spot some in Toronto. Go figure!). If your friends and family are wary of your homemade cheesemaking efforts, this is one crowd pleasing snack that everyone will enjoy.

We were were delighted to come across this comprehensive guide to cheese curds on The Nibble. In addition to the history and how cheese curds are made, the article includes wine pairings for cheese curds. Ready to get started?

From what we hear, strangely, regular folks don’t make cheese curds. They buy cheese curds from farms and creameries and local grocery stores in the northern Midwest. Hence, it’s hard to find a specific recipe for making them. But this presents a welcome challenge to the enthusiastic cheesemaker. To make cheese curds, we suggest you proceed as you would any cheddar or monterey jack cheese, curdling the milk until curds form, draining the whey, and drying the curds for several hours until they are ready to eat, making sure they are uniformly bite sized. Once salted, the curds can be eaten as is, bearing a signature squeak and unique texture. They can also be flavored with garlic, jalepeno, or spices like paprika. Coat with breadcrumbs and deep fry any that are still around after a day.

Not ready to make your own cheese curds yet? Check out Cheese Curds and Batter from the Wisconsin Cheeseman, which includes yellow, white and garlic dill cheese curds.

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Here’s the could-not-be-simpler recipe.  The detailed instructions are after the jump.

• One quart Milk, preferably whole milk, but 2% works as well.
• 3-5 tablespoons of lemon juice, lime juice, or vinegar (I prefer vinegar, but each will give you a slightly different result in both flavor and texture.  Not a lot, but slightly.) You may use more if you deem necessary in the process.
• Optional: A pinch of chopped sage, dill weed or basil to flavor your cheese.
• Optional: A teaspoon of salt.

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Pacific Northwest Cheese Project: Blueberry Fromage Blanc Parfait.

Haven’t made your cheese yet?  This is Emeril’s recipe for fromage blanc.  It could be a lot simpler, but we’re sure this will yield lovely results.  (about 1 pound).

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Making cheese is a lot simpler than one might think – at least when it comes to making a simple cheese. You can make it just by heating milk and adding vinegar, which is fairly similar to the way I improvise on a recipe requiring buttermilk. When I make imitation buttermilk, all I do is add lemon to the milk until it curdles, the only difference is that when it comes to making cheese, you harvest the curdled part. The solid substance is called the curd, the leftover liquid is called whey – the same curds and whey Miss Muffet enjoyed.

This seemed a little too easy and this type of cheese is fairly soft, with an almost cottage cheese-like consistency. I researched a little further to find a way to make a firmer cheese?

The answer came… Rennet! Rennet is traditionally made from the stomach of a calf, it is salted after the beast is slaughtered. You can buy rennet easily through various cheese-making supply websites. I was too impatient to wait to get the real stuff, but I found out that there were other forms of rennet that would give the same results. After looking for what seemed like an eternity, I found a recipe for vegetarian rennet. I took about a pound of nettle leaves, a couple of ounces of hops, and some yarrow flowers, put then in a pot and covered it with just enough water to immerse the plants. I brought it to a simmer and then let it sit for a while to steep. I then drained it and added about a cup of salt.

Another thing that helps in cheese-making is conditioning the milk. Through my research I found that I had to add live cultures… but where to get them? The answer ended up being rather simple, buttermilk and yogurt. In the same pot as the milk, I poured a half-gallon of milk, one quart of buttermilk, and a whole container of yogurt. I put in half a pint of heavy cream for good measure. I let this sit for a good two hours and guess what? It began to curdle. I wanted thicker curds though, so I poured a half-cup of my homemade rennet in and the curds got thicker in just a matter of minutes. To promote the growth of the bacteria in the yogurt, I let it sit a while, warming it slightly over the stove, careful to not even bring it to a simmer.

I could now see the curds and the whey. The whey was a pale yellowish hue and the curds looked a little bit like scrambled egg whites. I then lined a colander with cheesecloth and proceeded to filter the curds from the whey. I put the curds into a bowl and added salt to further help the removal of excess liquid. Next, I returned it to the colander lined with a fresh layer of cheesecloth. I was anxious to taste it, and wow, it actually tasted like cheese!

The next step is optional – putting your cheese in a mold and pressing it. To make my press, I rummaged around the kitchen to see what I could use. I took an old plastic sherbet container and put a bunch of holes in it. I then placed my cheese curd filled cheesecloth inside and placed it in a large bowl and but a plate on top of my curds. Now the problem was having enough weight to press it. I placed two big cans of tomatoes on top and, voilà, it worked. After pressing it, I put the cheese into the refrigerator and let it set. It tasted a lot like cheddar.

Next time I try to make cheese, I probably use this same recipe but will try to improve upon it. When I master this one, then I think I’ll feel a little more like trying a different style of cheese. Happy cheese making!

Paul Rinehart is the founder of Online Cooking.

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Here are some ways to use your yogurt cheese:

• Fold in chives and use to top baked potatoes or potato skins.
• Add fresh or dried herbs and use as a savory spread for toast or crackers.
• Mix with minced smoked turkey and use in place of cream cheese on bagels.
• Stir in orange juice concentrate and minced fruit (such as strawberries). Use as a topping for muffins, pancakes, or waffles.
• Add homemade pesto or salsa and use as a dip for crisp raw vegetables.

Elbows And Cheese

½ cups uncooked elbow macaroni
2/3 cup shredded soy Cheddar
½ cup dry curd cottage cheese
½ cup skim milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 egg whites
hot pepper sauce, to taste I slice whole wheat bread

Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling water until not quite tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Coat a I quart casserole dish with nonstick spray. Add macaroni and Cheddar. Toss to combine. In a blender, puree the cottage cheese, milk, I teaspoon mustard, egg whites, and hot pepper sauce. Pour over the macaroni and stir lightly to distribute. Tear the bread into pieces and place in a food processor with the remaining mustard. Process into fine crumbs. Sprinkle over the casserole. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes.

Cheese Stuffed Blintzes

This recipe uses fromage blanc, which requires a starter culture.

Blintzes

6 ounces whole wheat pastry flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 egg white

2/3cup skim milk

1 cup fromage blanc 2 tablespoons honey

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Garnish

blueberries, cooked pears, or applesauce grated orange or lemon rind
To make the blintzes: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Whisk in the egg white and milk. Continue whisking until free of lumps. Coat a small nonstick frying pan with nonstick spray. Place the pan over medium high heat. Pour in about 3 tablespoons of batter and swirl it around to coat the bottom of the pan. Cook the blintz for about I minute, until the top is dry and the bottom is lightly browned. Flip the blintz out onto a rack or tea towel by turning the pan upside down. Continue making blintzes with the remaining batter.

To make the filling: In a small bowl, mix the fromage blanc, honey, and cinnamon. To fill the blintzes, lay each blintz on a counter. Spoon a rounded tablespoon of the filling onto the middle of the blintz. Fold the bottom of the blintz over the cheese. Then fold in the sides. Finish by rolling the whole thing up into a little pouch. Coat a large nonstick frying pan with nonstick spray. Heat over medium heat. Add the blintzes and cook for a few minutes on each side to lightly brown. Serve garnished with blueberries, pears, or applesauce and orange or lemon rind.

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So are you ready to learn how to make a tasty cheese fondue? If so, this article will show you everything you need to know to get started.

This article assumes that you already own a fondue pot and forks. If you don’t, you might be able to use a Crockpot and bamboo skewers as forks. A fondue set is definitely recommended, and will make your fondue experience much more pleasant.

We will be making a Swiss fondue, which is the most popular cheese fondue. And it’s a favorite for good reason, the two Swiss cheeses used in this recipe combine to create the perfect flavor and texture for fondue.

Cheese Fondue Recipe

Ingredients

- 1/2 pound of finely grated Gruyere cheese
- 1/2 pound of finely grated Emmentaler cheese
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 cup dry white wine (preferably high quality)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon kirsch cherry brandy
- pepper and nutmeg

Directions

1. Cut the garlic clove in half and use it to rub the inside of a medium saucepan. Add the wine and lemon juice then bring to a simmer over medium heat.

2. Mix the finely grated Gruyere and Emmentaler cheese with the cornstarch in a large bowl. Toss it all together. Stir the cheese mixture into the wine one small handful at a time until creamy. Don’t stir in a circle, use a zig-zag motion instead. If the fondue is too thick, add more wine. If it’s too thin, add more cornstarch. Keep the heat just high enough to melt the cheese or it might start to get a bit stringy. When it reaches the desired texture (creamy) add the kirsch and a bit of pepper and nutmeg.

3. Transfer the mixture to the fondue pot and serve as soon as possible with the dipping ingredients.

Dipping Ingredients

-Cubes of French baguette
-Chunks of cooked chicken
-Sausage
-Asparagus
-Broccoli
-Chunks of green apple

Be sure to prepare the dipping ingredients before you start making the fondue. Good timing will make everything turn out better.

These dippers are just suggestions. You can probably think of all sorts of other things to dip into the fondue. If you think it will taste good dipped in melted cheese, you’re probably right.

Eating fondue is simple and fun. Just skewer one of the dipping ingredients then dunk it into the melted cheese Allow the excess cheese to drip off. After it cools a bit, it’s ready to eat. You can provide small plates if you want too, but they are not a necessity.

Traditional drinks that accompany fondue are hot tea and wine, but feel free to drink whatever you like. Fondue is supposed to be fun after all.

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One common ingredient you will find with these cheese ball recipes is cheese. You should always let your cream cheese soften at room temperature for 20 minutes before beginning your recipe. Once your recipe is prepared, a cheese ball needs to be stored in your refrigerator.

You can find several inexpensive cheese ball containers and servers at your local department store or kitchen shop, for less than $20.00.

I like to serve my cheese balls with a variety of crackers, raw vegetables, party breads and even some shortbread cookies.

The following cheese ball recipes are great for the beginner cook as well as the most experienced cook.

Classic Cheese Ball

1 (8 ounce) pkg. cream cheese
3 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
2 tbsp. ground green pepper
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. fresh parsley

Mix all ingredients together (except for parsley) in a large bowl. Roll into a ball. Place parsley in a pie pan and roll your cheese ball in the parsley until its completely covered. Chill your ball for 1 hour before serving.

Chipped Beef Cheese Ball

2 pkgs. (8 ounce) cream cheese
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. Accent
3 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 pkg. chipped beef

Mix cream cheese, Worcestershire sauce, Accent and onion together until blended. Add 1/3 of the package of chipped beef. Shape into a ball. Place the remaining chipped beef into a pie pan and roll your ball into the beef until its covered. Place in refrigerator to chill for 2 hours before serving.

Pineapple Cheese Ball

2 pkgs. (8 ounce) cream cheese
1/2 green pepper, finely chopped
1 (8.5 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
pinch of garlic
2 Tbsp. minced onion
2 Tbsp. seasoned salt
chopped nuts

Drain juice from pineapple. Chop green pepper. Mix cream cheese, pepper, pineapple, onions, garlic and seasoned salt together in a large bowl. Shape into 1 large or 2 small balls. Place chopped nuts in a pie pan and roll your balls into the nuts until they are coated. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours before serving.

Salmon and Pecan Cheese Ball

1 sm. can red salmon
1 (8 ounce) pkg. cream cheese
2 Tbsp. horseradish
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. finely chopped onion
1/2 c. chopped pecans

In a large bowl combine the salmon, cream cheese, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Shape into a ball. Place chopped pecans in a pie pan and roll the ball into the pecans until its covered. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.

Note: If you have nut allergies you can try rolling your cheese balls in these toppings: sandwich cookie crumbs, graham cracker crumbs or pretzel crumbs.

Shelly Hill has been working from home since 1989 in Direct Sales. You can visit Shelly online at: http://www.classybusinesswomen.com or at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com

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