Learn To Make Cheese

Cheddar Cheese Curd Making & Everything You Need To Know About Wisconsin Cheese Curds

sarita — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:19:46 +0000

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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Farm Schools Ideal For Cheesemaking Classes and Trips

sarita — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:43:48 +0000

Though we live on the opposite coast, we love the articles, designs and recipes in Sunset, a magazine dedicated to living in the West.

One of Sunset’s predictions for 2010 is the increasing popularity of farm schools. Rather than going to culinary school to learn things like cheesemaking, many farms and dairies are offering cheesemaking courses to beginners and advanced cheesemakers. Some farms even offer accomodations at the farm for the full experience. In addition to milking and making cheese, farm schools offer the chance to forage, learn butchering and enjoy beautiful scenery.

The piece mentions farm schools Quillisascut Farm School of the Domestic
Arts in Rice, Washington, MaryJanesFarm in Moscow, Idaho and Fairburn Farm Culinary Retreat and Guest House on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

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Learn Cheesemaking in Local Cheese making Classes: Where To Look?

sarita — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 00:36:11 +0000

One of the best ways to learn cheesemaking is by taking a class. So, we’re going to attempt to list as many cheesemaking course resources as we can in the coming weeks. Taking a class is so great for one because you usually don’t need to invest in any equipment and you can experiment before diving into this fun, but not cheap, activity of cheesemaking. We’ll also be creating a separate list for international cheesemaking course opportunities.

Here’s an initial overview of where to look for cheesemaking courses in your area:

Visit Local Harvest, a great resources for cheesemaking classes and many other fun ones like beekeeping, hydroponic gardening, farmers’ markets, cook-offs, pierogi making, sewing and breadmaking. These classes tend to be for beginners and there are kid-friendly options too.

Cheese stores are a great place to take cheesemaking classes in a relaxed environment. For example, the reknowned Murray’s cheese offers a nice cheese class schedule. Most classes have to do more with learning about and tasting cheese, but they do offer a mozzarella making class. Another wonderful option is the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company who offers cheesemaking workshops for both beginners and advanced students.

Cheese-related organizations such as the Artisanal Cheese Center based in New York City offer both cheese tasting and cheesemaking courses in one-time sessions. They have also partnered with the Viking Cooking School to offer classes throughout the country in places like Atlanta, Bryn Mawr, PA, and Memphis TN.

Many states have their own artisan cheese guild, a group of artisan cheesemakers who adhere to certain requirements in making artisan cheeses in order to be accepted as members. Artisan cheese guild websites usually include a member directory of dairies and farms, and cheese and cheesemaking-related events open to the public. Here’s a list of state artisan cheese guilds to get you started.

The adult education class programs of community colleges often offer one-evening or multi-session cheesemaking classes.

If you’re more than a hobbyist, universities with food studies programs, such as the University of Washington, offers cheesemaking classes. Also, the University of Vermont is home of the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese.

For serious cheesemakers, there are destination cheesemaking courses such as the 3-day workshops through Three Shepherds Cheese in Vermont.

Finally, ask around. Ask the sellers at your local farmer’s market if they are aware of any cheesemaking class opportunities. If your dairy and cheese vendor doesn’t currently offer cheesemaking classes, they might consider starting if the interest is there. (and is it ever!) You can also join in cheese discussion forums to find out about local and national cheesemaking courses and events. Check out Rick and Lynne’s cheesemaking forum, Chowhound, hook up with Culture magazine on Facebook .

Remember, no matter where you live, always register early for cheesemaking classes because from what we’ve seen over and over, they sell out quickly.

More cheesemaking class resources to come!

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Cheesemaking and the Environment: How Does Making Cheese Impact the Planet?

sarita — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:58:34 +0000

There are different ways the cheesemaking process can contribute to greenhouse gases. First of all, the feed production, methane and animal waste associated with raising milk cows has implications for water and air quality.

Some studies have tried to determine the ounce-for-ounce amount of carbon dioxide that may be created as a result of cheesemaking. In some instances, cheesemaking may even lead to more CO2 than producing meat products.

How do you reduce your cheesemaking carbon footprint? Look for farms that are using new techniques such as generating electricity from the manure produced by cows. Their milk could be considered more ‘eco-friendly.’ Sheep actually produce more methane than cows and goats based on milk volume, so cow and goat milk cheese may be better for the planet from that perspective.

Also, look for fresh or young cheeses which have not been aged, and thus not stored in electricity-using climate controlled environments for as long a period of time. In general, the less processing and aging, the better. Some soft chevre or fresh mozzarella can be relatively eco-friendly cheeses.

Different cheeses have varying environmental impacts; sheep cheese is harshest – washingtonpost.com.

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Best Cheese Books of the Year 2009

sarita — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 01:02:39 +0000

Slashfood puts out their favorite cheese books of 2009. Mastering Cheese: Lessons for the True Connoisseurship from a Maitre Fromager is the textbook on artisanal cheese connoisseurship, written by Max McCalman, New York based expert and advocate for artisanal cheese production around the world.

They also recommend a fascinating guide to world cheese, the World Cheese Book which profiles over 800 cheeses from around the world.

On a slightly less grandiose scale for the aspiring home cheesemakers out there, we suggest the somewhat harder to find Self Sufficiency Cheesemaking by Rita Ash that covers the simple processes for making cheese at home.

Best Cheese Books of 2009 – Cheese Course – Slashfood.

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How To Make Cottage Cheese: For Beginners

sarita — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:02:45 +0000

Learn how to make homemade cottage cheese using this simple step-by-step method from Savvy Housekeeping. A perfect cheese for beginning cheesemakers, all you need to make cottage cheese is milk and vinegar as well as your basic kitchen supplies like a thermometer and cheesecloth. Freshly made cottage cheese is extremely delicious and as this article points out, a great way to use milk that otherwise might go unused. You can make it with whole or skim milk if calories are a concern. Rather than the vinegar in this recipe, some cottage cheese recipes call for lemon juice which also works well. When you’re finished, be sure to salt your cottage cheese recipe to taste. Add fresh herbs or other flavorings as you like. The leftover whey water from this method can also be used for making other cheeses like ricotta so don’t dump it!

Instructions and photos after the jump.

Savvy Housekeeping » How to Make Cottage Cheese.

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The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin: New Book Review

sarita — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 16:01:26 +0000

An engaging read for any cheese enthusiast, Isthmus has a review of The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin (University of Wisconsin Press, 2009). This book by Becca Dilley and James Norton provides a glimpse into the lives of Wisconsin’s famed cheesemakers through engaging storytelling and imagery. It’s a highly personal look at some of the country’s finest artisanal cheesemakers. We’re looking forward to checking it out ourselves!

“What Dilley does in her photographs, Norton does in his writing, creating intimate scenes rather than lists of facts. The reader follows Cedar Grove’s Robert Wills into his living wastewater treatment plant (it looks like a lily pond) and learns about his annual curd-fattened bluegill fish fry. Doug Peterson, of Mazomanie, talks about how he left a large dairy cooperative in order to develop a cheese for high-temperature pizza ovens. What this book does, unlike other primers and atlases I’ve picked up, is connect readers to the impassioned few who dream up cheeses like Faarko, maple leaf cheese, and cinnamon-rubbed butter jack.”

Be sure to check out the book’s website.

Madame Fromage: The Master Cheesemakers of Wisconsin is worth checking out – Isthmus | The Daily Page.

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Celebrating Artisan Cheesemakers: Check Out Cheese by Hand Project

sarita — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:14:55 +0000

Cheese By Hand is a project by cheese enthusiasts Michael and Sasha who explore artisan cheeses and meet with cheesemakers throughout the United States. Now based in Portland, Oregon, they share their cheese experiences on their website, and Sasha is currently writing a book on west coast cheese. Be sure to check out their fabulous photos and audio interviews with cheesemakers, and pick up a super cute Cheese By Hand t-shirt while you’re at it!

Cheese by Hand.

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Cheesecloth For Homemade Cheesemaking Recipes: What To Do

sarita — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:50:21 +0000

Why cheesecloth? Many cheesemaking recipes call for cheesecloth, a cotton or nylon lint-free cloth that can help in draining curd cheeses to remove whey or line cheese molds. (Some cheese molds actually come with cheesecloth but others don’t). Cheesecloth comes in different sizes of weave. If you’re making a smaller curd cheese, fabric with a fine weave will keep the curds from passing through, and can be less messy. Sometimes a type of muslin will be used, which resembles a tea towel in thickness. For medium and larger size curd cheeses, a bigger waffle weave cheesecloth is sufficient.

Depending on the type of cheesecloth you use, you can sometimes wash and reuse it. A package of cheesecloth typically costs about three to six dollars for two square yards. If you plan on using a lot, buying cheesecloth on a roll in bulk is the way to go. The nice thing about cheesecloth is that you can use it for other things in the kitchen such as making a bouquet garni, a sachet of herbs and spices that helps to flavor soups. It’s also useful in craft projects.

Cheesecloth can be found at kitchen supply stores, fabric stores and even discount stores. If you’re shopping for cheesecloth online, you may want to check out the Good Cook Cheesecloth.

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Waxing Cheese: Yes, You Too Can Wax Your Homemade Cheeses

sarita — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:35:12 +0000

The purpose of waxing cheese is to kill any existing bacteria or mold on the cheese, remove air to help cut down on mold growth, and minimize moisture loss so that the cheese doesn’t dry out.

I Make Cheese has lots of great information on cheese waxing techniques and tips based on his own experiences.

A few of his pointers (more after the jump)

“Set up some wax paper on your counters — as you’re working, it’ll make a mess (see above pic!), and you can safely set the cheese down for a moment without worrying about it becoming glued to your workspace.

- Chill the cheese first! This will help the wax cool quickly on the cheese, making it much easier and faster to complete this process.

- Label your cheese! I take a small piece of paper, write the name of the cheese and the current date, and then my very last step is to put the label on the top. (Brush a bit of wax on the top, and while it’s still wet, slap that label right on there. Then give it a light coat or two on top of the label, and it’ll stay put but you’ll still be able to read it through the wax.)”

I Make Cheese: Waxing Cheese Using a Double Boiler.

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