Well, I can't believe that I have ventured into cheese-making, but it is so easy and delicious that I have!
Here's the basic procedure:
1. Add 1 1/2 tsp. citric acid to 1 C. cool water. Dissolve well.
2. Stir well into 1 gallon of milk. (We use fresh, raw milk but pasteurized milk will work fine, too.)
3. Heat mixture slowly to 90 degrees. (This takes maybe 5 minutes.)
4. In the meantime, stir 1/4 tsp. rennet into 1/4 C. water. Mix well. Set aside.
5. When the milk mixture hits 90 degrees, gently stir the rennet mixture into the milk mixture. Do not over-stir!
6. Let it sit (off any heat) until the mixture lightly "solidifies" and you can gently pull it away from the side of the pan with the bottom of your spoon. (This takes maybe 5-10 minutes.)
7. Cut the semi-solid mass floating in your pan into a checkerboard pattern with a deep knife. You will just cut it into 1-inch-or-so cubes right there in the pan. Allow the squares to separate from the whey.
8. In the meantime, start a large pot of shallow, salted water to come to a near boil. (Add maybe a fistful or more of salt to the water--you want it to taste very salty, like the ocean.)
9. Very gently stir the mixture occasionally as you reheat it to 110 degrees. (This takes maybe 5 minutes)
10. Pour the mixture through a strainer, collecting the whey in a pitcher for later use.
11. Strain until it is a semi-solid lump, pressing out the whey with your spoon and draining it off.
12. Once you have as much whey pressed out as you can, transfer the lump to the hot salt water bath. Stir and "stretch" the cheese in the salt bath with a wooden spoon or two.
13. Pour up and strain again once it is shiny and stretchy.
14. Dump the ball into a stainless steel bowl and work and stretch it for a few seconds. It will begin to solidify into shape very quickly. It is at this point that you work herbs into it if you'd like. We love to add finely chopped chives and basil and minced garlic.
15. Roll in a ball, or shape into an oblong shape and roll into plastic wrap, sealing and rolling edges to form into a cylindrical shape.
16. Place in fridge and chill well before serving. This is delicious sliced with crackers or served with fresh tomato chunks.
Yum!! Enjoy!
Here's the basic procedure:
1. Add 1 1/2 tsp. citric acid to 1 C. cool water. Dissolve well.
2. Stir well into 1 gallon of milk. (We use fresh, raw milk but pasteurized milk will work fine, too.)
3. Heat mixture slowly to 90 degrees. (This takes maybe 5 minutes.)
5. When the milk mixture hits 90 degrees, gently stir the rennet mixture into the milk mixture. Do not over-stir!
6. Let it sit (off any heat) until the mixture lightly "solidifies" and you can gently pull it away from the side of the pan with the bottom of your spoon. (This takes maybe 5-10 minutes.)
7. Cut the semi-solid mass floating in your pan into a checkerboard pattern with a deep knife. You will just cut it into 1-inch-or-so cubes right there in the pan. Allow the squares to separate from the whey.
8. In the meantime, start a large pot of shallow, salted water to come to a near boil. (Add maybe a fistful or more of salt to the water--you want it to taste very salty, like the ocean.)
9. Very gently stir the mixture occasionally as you reheat it to 110 degrees. (This takes maybe 5 minutes)
10. Pour the mixture through a strainer, collecting the whey in a pitcher for later use.
11. Strain until it is a semi-solid lump, pressing out the whey with your spoon and draining it off.
12. Once you have as much whey pressed out as you can, transfer the lump to the hot salt water bath. Stir and "stretch" the cheese in the salt bath with a wooden spoon or two.
13. Pour up and strain again once it is shiny and stretchy.
14. Dump the ball into a stainless steel bowl and work and stretch it for a few seconds. It will begin to solidify into shape very quickly. It is at this point that you work herbs into it if you'd like. We love to add finely chopped chives and basil and minced garlic.
15. Roll in a ball, or shape into an oblong shape and roll into plastic wrap, sealing and rolling edges to form into a cylindrical shape.
16. Place in fridge and chill well before serving. This is delicious sliced with crackers or served with fresh tomato chunks.
Yum!! Enjoy!
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