Learn To Make Cheese

If you find yourself in Wisconsin’s cheese country, be sure to visit the National Historic Cheesemaking Center, located a couple of hours north of Chicago.  It has exhibits on the history of cheese with fascinating photos and imagery, as well as a focus on the Wisconsin dairy industry.  It helps put cheesemaking in cultural and historical context.  Funny how so many of the tools are exactly the same as a century ago!

“The cheesemaking museum offers visitors a unique look back at the history of cheese making in Wisconsin and the Green County area. It showcases artifacts and information about the area’s rich cheese industry, area farmers, and the history of cheesemaking in southern Wisconsin. The museum offers visitors a glimpse back at an 1800’s era model cheese factory and offers visitors a wide variety of facinating exhibits from “an era that once was….but will never be again.”

via The National Historic Cheesemaking Center — Home.

Possibly due to a resurgence of people being interested in the food they consume, and the change in the country’s leadership, there is a philosophical and political shift taking place in Washington.  There is a new focus on local and regional agricultural production as evidenced by federal initiatives including grants to small formers and sustainable agriculture initiatives.

One Nebraska cheesemaker is experiencing this first hand:

“Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” is an example of renewed efforts in the U.S. Department of Agriculture to connect consumers more directly with the people who grow what they eat.

It could also be said the government’s biggest food promoter and food regulator is putting more of its money closer to where the mouths are. In one week, according to USDA officials, the funding total for “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” added up to $65 million.

Krista Dittman – whose 10 years in food production in the Lincoln area has taken her from selling a few dozen eggs to making and marketing a dozen different kinds of cheese – likes the message she’s getting from a new federal initiative and from growing numbers of customers.

“There’s kind of a resurgence, maybe, of people being interested in the food they eat,” she said.

USDA putting more money into food producer-consumer connection.

Paneer, a delicious South Asian cheese typically pressed and cut in cubes, is quite simple to make.  All you need is milk, salt, lemon juice and some cheesecloth, and you’ll have a lovely fresh cheese that will last several days in the refrigerator.   Typical dishes featuring paneer cheese include Palak Paneer (spinach and cheese) and Mattar Paneer (peas and cheese).   It’s a must try for lacto-vegetarians and a great way to start learning cheesemaking!

Here are the paneer-making instructions from Saveur:

Paneer Cheese

MAKES ABOUT 1 1⁄2 LBS.

Here’s how to make the fresh Indian cheese (which can also be purchased at many Indian grocers) called for in the Curry With Peas And Fresh Cheese recipe.

1. Put 18 cups milk and 2 1⁄2 tbsp. salt into a large pot; bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally.

2. Add 1⁄2 cup fresh lemon juice; turn off heat. Large curds will form. Using a wooden spoon, gently push curds together toward one side of the pot; do not stir, or the curd will break into small pieces.

3. Strain mixture through a colander lined with 4 large layers of dampened cheesecloth. Let curds drain briefly, undisturbed.

4. Gather ends of cheesecloth together to form a purse. Tie ends around a wooden spoon. Place spoon over a large pot, balancing ends so that purse hangs freely. Let drain at room temperature for 1 hour. Discard any liquid that collects in pot.

5. Unfold cheesecloth and rewrap curds into a rectangle; wrap package in a kitchen towel. Place package on a cutting board and top with a baking sheet; weight down with several heavy pots and pans. Press cheese for 1 1⁄2 hours, rewrapping and tightening the cheesecloth every 30 minutes (which helps form a compact shape).

6. Unwrap paneer and cut as desired; refrigerate for up to 3 days.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #102

How To Make Paneer – Saveur.com.

Steve Shapson, expert cheesemaker, home-brewer and winemaker offers a great cheesemaking kit that makes up to 30 pounds of cheese.   He provides detailed instructions and his methods are clear and easy-to-follow.  While we haven’t used it ourselves, it looks like a great way to demystify the cheesemaking process.

Here are a few helpful tips from Steve:

“1. Avoid aluminum pots, the acid will dissolve them and possibly overload you with aluminum.
2. Sterilize the pot just before use by pouring ½ inch of water in the bottom, covering, and bring to a rolling boil for at least five minutes. Pour out the water, replace sterile lid, keep sterilized pot covered until you are ready to add the milk.
3. If the curds float, you have a gas-producing contaminant in your starter or your milk was contaminated. You need to pay closer attention to handling your milk, and/or purchase fresh starter. The bacteria which form bubbles may be a form of Escherichia. However, it does not necessarily ruin the cheese, but does make it iffy. Many CO2 formers are non-pathogenic. Indeed, you might WANT bubbles in your finished cheese. Think about Swiss cheese… However, to be safe, age your cheese for at least two months because pathogens do not survive this extended aging. In addition, you will have a little more difficulty separating the curds from the whey if the curds float.”

Home Made Cheese Making thats very Satisfying when you taste your first Cheese.

Experienced home cheesemaker Gavin shares some excellent tips for making cheese at home.  He addresses lots of issues such as sanitation, what cheeses to make, and what equipment to invest in.   If you’re just starting out, he suggests making a soft cheese such as ricotta.   A local cheesemaking course is also valuable in helping you build enough knowledge to experiment with other cheese recipes.

Gavin clearly having a wonderful time making cheese on a weekly basis for the last eight months and we enjoyed his many insights.

“Tip #2.  Have everything all prepared and layed out before you start.  As I am waiting for the 15-20 minutes for the pot,  stainless steel utensils and cheese cloths to sterilise, I get a clean tea towel and lay it on the kitchen bench next to the stove top, ready to place all the tools on.  I select the recipe well in advance, and get out all the necessary ingredients and put them on the side ready to go.  Cheese making requires un-chlorinated water for diluting some ingredients, so I have to pre-boil some rain water from my tank and let it cool to room temperature.  You could use bottled water, but I do not due to environmental reasons.  I pre mix the diluted calcium chloride with this water, and do the same with the rennet.  Something I learnt in the Boy Scouts that I shall never forget and that is the Scouts motto, “Be Prepared”.”

Simple, Green, Frugal Co-op: Cheese Making Tips.