homemade cheese

[Milhouse]

So, the recent threads regarding cheese made me think about making cheese at home, as a hobby, much like home wine making or beer brewing.

I've never made a rennet cheese, but I have made ricotta style cheeses on several occasions. They are simple: milk + heat + acid (lemon juice or the like) creates the curds that then are strained out through cheesecloth. It can be pressed a bit to make a firmer cheese. I guess the next step would be for me to try a rennet cheese.

Has anyone made cheese at home? Recipes? Ideas?

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by Milhouse

So, the recent threads regarding cheese made me think about making cheese at home, as a hobby, much like home wine making or beer brewing. I've never made a rennet cheese, but I have made ricotta style cheeses on several occasions. They are simple: milk + heat + acid (lemon juice or the like) creates the curds that then are strained out through cheesecloth. It can be pressed a bit to make a firmer cheese. I guess the next step would be for me to try a rennet cheese. Has anyone made cheese at home? Recipes? Ideas?
My wife has made ricotta, with the same method, I think. Be sure to post pics, descriptions, and results if you do this! With all the recent goings on in the markets, added to my own career stresses, I have to tell you this recurring dream I am having. Getting a small farm, in a certain area, and making boutique wine, artisnal cheese and bread, and growing food on my own land. Of course, I have not done field work for nearly 20 years, but the memory remains of how hard that labor is. I am betting it will stay a dream

Be sure to include the time and labor level needed for your cheese project!

 

[kakaroach]

In Venezuela, everyone makes cheese.

 

[Milhouse]

Originally Posted by Piobaire

My wife has made ricotta, with the same method, I think. Be sure to post pics, descriptions, and results if you do this! With all the recent goings on in the markets, added to my own career stresses, I have to tell you this recurring dream I am having. Getting a small farm, in a certain area, and making boutique wine, artisnal cheese and bread, and growing food on my own land. Of course, I have not done field work for nearly 20 years, but the memory remains of how hard that labor is. I am betting it will stay a dream

Be sure to include the time and labor level needed for your cheese project!

Haha, I have a similar dream. I'd really like to retire to a place where I can have some farmland, have some chickens and cows, a nice orchard that grows some tropical fruit, maybe a beehive for some honey, a nice wine cellar, etc. I spent some vacation time at a place kind of like that, and ate freshly produced and freshly prepared food each day. It really ruined me.

I have a LOT to learn though if I want to make that dream become a reality. My last houseplant that I tried to grow died after a couple of weeks. While I'm certain I can learn to make cheese, if I end up with such a farm, I'd worry about keeping the cows alive.

 

[Milhouse]

The cheese project isn't going so well. My quest to find rennet locally is failing. I will probably try a few other places, but so far, I've been out of luck. If I can't find it locally, then I guess I'll order some on the internet and maybe a book or something too so that I don't feel like an idiot ordering 5 dollars of product.