Learn To Make Cheese

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.

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.

David Bleckmann at the Joy of Cheesemaking wrote a helpful review of Making Artisan Cheese: 50 Fine Cheeses That You Can Make In Your Own Kitchen.  Like David, you may have found an overwhelming amount of information on cheesemaking at home, but not everything is appropriate to your interests or skill level.   Some cheesemaking information gets a little too scientific for us.  Other times, a book about cheesemaking can be too technical in describing processes.  Bleckmann finds a happy medium with Making Artisan Cheese.

Here’s an excerpt:  (Full review after the jump).

“Making Artisan Cheese starts with a history of cheese and then covers some cheesemaking basics. After this it is divided into three major sections: beginning, intermediate and advanced cheesemaking. Each of these sections separates the techniques needed for the cheeses in the section, from the recipes using those techniques. This is nice because once you know the techniques you can flip through to find the recipes without wading through a lot of text. It also does not burden you with too much technique and theory too fast, and the beginner can start of quickly with making some easy, acid coagulated, fresh cheeses.”

The Home Cheesemaking Blog: Book Review: Making Artisan Cheese: 50 Fine Cheeses That You Can Make in Your Own Kitchen.

The Kitchn posted about a special Martha Stewart television show we missed dedicated to cheese.  Segments include profiles of New England cheesemaking dairies, and a discussion with Liz Thorpe, VP of Murray’s Cheese in NYC, and all around cheese superstar.   Of course, Martha also makes her own cheese during the program.

“Not to be missed was the field piece in the first segment of the show on the Vermont artisan cheesemaking movement, with video profiles of Jasper Hill Farm, Thistle Hill Farm, Willow Hill Farm, and Blue Ledge Farm. They’re some of our favorites. She also chats with Anne Saxelby of Saxelby Cheesemongers, who sells American cheeses– exclusively– from her shop in the Essex Street Market in the Lower East Side.”

Martha Stewart Takes on Cheese: The All-Cheese Show The Cheesemonger | Apartment Therapy The Kitchn.