Learn To Make Cheese

This delicious homemade herb cheese can be made the day before a party and would be great with bread or crackers.  It features sun-dried tomatoes and basil leaves, but you can easily substitute other things herbs and flavors depending on the season and whatever else you’re serving.

George’s Mom’s Homemade Herb Cheese

Ingredients

• 1 gallon whole milk
• 1 pint half-and-half
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not in oil)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil, to serve

Directions

Drill holes into the bottom of a round plastic storage container (approximately 6 inches wide and at least 4 inches high) and set aside. Line a colander with cheesecloth and set aside.

Put the milk and half-and-half into a large pot over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until it reaches 195 degrees F. (There will be a slight simmer and the top will be very foamy.) Remove from the heat and slowly stir in the vinegar. Put the colander into the sink and pour this mixture into the cheesecloth. When most of the liquid has passed through, add the tomatoes, basil, and salt and stir gently to incorporate. Gather up the ends of the cheesecloth and transfer the cheese to the plastic container. Set the container on a rack on a sheet pan to catch the whey. Put a plate on top and weight it down with some heavy cans to squeeze out the excess liquid. Let rest for 1 hour, remove the cheesecloth, and return it to the plastic container with the plates and weights. Put it into the refrigerator overnight. To serve, put the cheese onto a plate and brush with a little olive oil.

George’s Mom’s Homemade Herb Cheese Recipe : George Duran : Food Network.

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.