Learn To Make Cheese

The more you take an interest in cheesemaking, the more you benefit from interacting with people who share your interests.  The Slow Food movement is a great place to start. We recently became aware of this Slow Food-related committee dedicated to American raw milk cheesemakers’ needs and goals.  Their aim is to improve the quality of American raw milk cheeses and the creating links between cheesemakers.

“The members of the Presidium operate on the belief that by respecting the diversity in their soil, pastures and woodlands, their herds and flocks, and the raw milk from their animals, they can produce cheeses that are as nutritious, safe, and wholesome to consume as they are flavorful. The Presidium Protocol developed in 2007 requires cheesemakers to meet stringent requirements. Presidium cheeses are all made with raw milk from humanely treated animals living on environmentally friendly farms. Each cheese has been evaluated for its overall quality to ensure that the cheese is delicious. To encourage new Presidium producers and to increase the quality of raw milk cheese production the Protocol commits each cheesemaker who becomes part of the Presidium to work actively towards meeting all of the criteria listed in this document within six years of joining.

A group of tasters, comprising Slow Food and cheesemaking experts, select the best raw milk farmstead cheeses each year from among participating producers. These cheeses will become the ambassadors of the project, representing the Presidium in different events and serving as an example of high quality for American producers. The Presidium has organized educational exchanges for cheesemakers, as well as tastings and promotional events.”

US Presidia : American Raw Milk Cheeses : Slow Food USA.

If you thought cheesemaking with older children would be too difficult, think again.  If they’re old enough to boil water, then you’ll enjoy this simple cheese making activity.  The fresh cheese result is great on salads or crackers.

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.

How to Make Cheese with Kids: A Cheesy Experience | Notecook.

This fabulous article at The Art of Darkness features a list of things that people tend to think are harder than they really are.   And of course, cheesemaking made the list:

“Craft: Making Cheese
Why You Should Bother: You can make fantastic-tasting cheese cheaper than you can buy it, you can experiment with interesting herb and spice flavorings, and you know exactly what ingredients go into it. Although many cheeses require a coagulant such as rennet, there are many you can make with nothing more than milk and lemon juice. Start with easy fresh cheeses like queso fresco or mozzarella before working your way up to more complex recipes.
Getting Started: Gourmet Sleuth has a number of recipes, and the book Home Cheese Making covers a range of styles and does a good job of explaining the techniques and equipment required.”

There are tons of resources on our site and throughout the Web for how to do this.  Starting with a simple cheese recipe is the best way to learn the principles and build confidence in your cheesemaking.  Whether you are concerned about the expense of store-bought cheese, prefer the flavor of fresh artisanal cheese, or you just find yourself with a lot of high quality milk on your hands, we say go for it.

Other activities you should try include pickling and preserving, brewing beer and sausage making, which will go beautifully with your fresh homemade cheese.

The Art of Darkness » Blog Archive » Things That You Think Are Harder Than They Actually Are.

Anyone who has made their own cheese can relate to this story of the both successful and disastrous attempts at cheese making.  Expense is one reason people are learning to make their own cheese, but once you’ve tried to make fresh mozzarella, you’ll realize why everyone doesn’t do it.

A cheesemaker commented:

“You make a lot of bad cheese before you make good cheese,” says Kate Dallam, owner of Broom’s Bloom Dairy in Maryland”

But author Laura Vozzella ended up with a delicious ricotta she’ll make again.  A happy ending!

“My second batch was an even bigger flop. Instead of a solid, tofu-y mass, the milk formed a spongy Frisbee in a pot of whey.

Third time wasn’t quite a charm, but it was cheese. I formed the blob into a ball, let it cool, then had a taste.

It was mozzarella, all right. Chewy, supermarket-y mozzarella.

I’d make the ricotta again, and put the savings toward fresh mozzarella from the store. Whatever the store is charging, it’s a steal”

Trial and Many Errors in Home Cheese Making – San Jose Mercury News.

We found this great overview of how to make fresh yogurt at home that includes equipment, recipes, calorie information, serving suggestions and common problems encountered in yogurt making.  Here are a few ways you can put your homemade yogurt to good use:

Serving suggestions for home-prepared yogurt:

* Serve on baked potatoes, fruit or vegetables as a low calorie substitute for sour cream.
* For dip or salad dressing, add chopped onion, chives, curry powder, dried onion soup mix or other flavorings.
* To make fruit-flavored yogurt, stir sliced or crushed fruit into plain yogurt. Nuts or raisins can also be added. Add sweetener to taste if needed. Plain yogurt mixed with applesauce is a quick and delicious treat.
* Custard-flavored yogurt can be made by adding 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to 1 cup of yogurt. Sweeten to taste.
* Frozen yogurt on a stick: Add 2 tablespoons frozen fruit juice concentrate, or 1/2-cup sliced or crushed fruit to 2 cups plain yogurt. Freeze in Popsicle molds or cups with plastic spoons or wooden sticks for handles.
* Plain or fruit-flavored yogurt can be frozen in small containers and added to “brown bag” lunches to keep other items cold until lunchtime.

Yogurt: How to Make Yogurt at Home.