Learn To Make Cheese

Life is Better Barefoot grabbed cheesemaking by the horns after taking part in a cheesemaking workshop.  Since then, she’s had some great experiences making feta (start early!, a simply divine ricotta and a minted haloumi.  Here she is on ricotta cheese making:

“Whole milk ricotta is divine and oh so easy. All you need is a thermometer and some white vinegar or lemon juice. Unfortunately, the yield is not so great, so I don’t tend to bother making it. Whey based ricotta though is perfect. Creating something out of the feta leftovers is a fantastic bonus. I can’t believe that they didn’t teach us this one during the workshop! OK, so the taste is not so rich and creamy as the whole milk ricotta. Served fresh though, with cinnamon sugar, or honey and nuts, especially while still warm – yummo, what a treat!”

Let’s wish her luck in her upcoming mozzarella making efforts!

Check out the photo evidence and more details after the jump.

Life is better barefoot: Making Cheese.

Cheesemakers and cheeselovers alike will enjoy CheeseForum.org, a site designed by a cheese enthusiast for cheeselovers  to go and chat, as well as learn from eachother.  Participation is global and discussion topics include buying and storing cheese, cheese recipes, pairings, cheesemaking courses, methods, ingredients and more.  Is your feta too salty?  There are plenty of friendly folks who know a lot about cheesemaking and are ready to help.

In addition to the forums, CheeseForum.org has some of the most comprehensive information on cheesemaking equipment we’ve ever seen.

There is a lot to explore!  This definitely should be one of your first go-to online resources about cheese.

CHEESEFORUM.ORG Cheese Making Forum, Recipes, Reviews, Pictures . . ..

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.

We loved this Bumblebee account of her 30 Minute Mozzarella cheesemaking efforts.   Using Ricki Carroll’s Home Cheese Making book, she’s knocking out one great cheese after another. This time, it was her 30 Minute Mozzarella, made with just four simple ingredients: citric acid, whole milk, liquid rennet and cheese salt.

She provides outstanding step-by-step instructions, recipe and photos after the link.  And, be sure to scroll down for her neufchatel!

Bumblebee Blog » Cheese Making.

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.