| Ask any group of people what their favorite | | | | (greenish liquid) will now be fully separated. Use a |
| comfort foods are and most likely cheese is | | | | slotted spoon or strainer to transfer the curd to a |
| involved. What if you could make you own | | | | dish. If the curd is to soft to transfer, let the milk |
| cheese at home anytime you wanted, and it | | | | sit a few more minutes. Pour off as much of the |
| would be ready that same day! That’s what I | | | | whey as you can. Gently press the curds |
| did. I have always been into projects. For a long | | | | together with the spoon and force more whey |
| time I have made my own wine.(But that’s | | | | out of them. Squeeze out and drain as much |
| another story) I also like to cook. One day while | | | | whey as possible. At this point your soft cheese |
| looking up recipes on the net I found a site called | | | | is done. You will end up with a creamy white |
| My curiosity was peaked. I could make my own | | | | cheese with a tender curd and a fresh, tangy |
| brand of cheese to cook with or serve with my | | | | flavor. You can throw this homemade cheese in |
| own wine! AWSOME! | | | | the refrigerator for later, or enjoy it strait away. |
| I did some research on the web about | | | | To make a homemade cheese firmer just takes |
| homemade cheese and found all the resources I | | | | a little bit longer, and requires a couple more tools. |
| needed. Not only that, I found a one stop shop | | | | Line a sieve or a basket with a double thickness |
| for over 700 different types of exotic cheeses. (I | | | | of cheesecloth or a coarse, porous towel. First |
| had a couple wheels shipped to my house) I also | | | | rinse in cold water, and set it over a bowl. Ladle |
| realized home cheese making, on a small scale, is | | | | the curds into the sieve and season them with |
| much more art than science. You need a basic | | | | salt, roughly a half-teaspoonful. The whey, which |
| understanding of the science but in the end, your | | | | will drain into the bowl, can be used for baking. |
| cheese will be your own. If you are new to | | | | Great for bisquets. Refrigerate overnight or until |
| cheese making, and wish to try this rewarding | | | | the cheese is well drained. Tie the ends of the |
| cottage craft you won’t be disappointed. It is | | | | cheesecloth over a wooden spoon balanced over |
| amazing how easy it is to make your own | | | | a bowl and let it hang until all the whey has |
| homemade cheese. A simple cream yogurt | | | | drained out. Fold back the top layers of the |
| cheese spread can be ready for breakfast | | | | cheesecloth or toweling and turn the cheese |
| overnight. Homemade mozzarella cheese is ready | | | | carefully out onto a plate. The imprint of the cloth |
| the same day its made. That's right, you can | | | | will be left on the cheese. To make hard |
| make mozzarella cheese in only one hour. Even | | | | homemade cheese put the cheeses in a cheese |
| the aged cheeses like Cheddar, Gouda and Colby | | | | press and let sit for several more hours . There |
| are ready to eat in just a few weeks. | | | | are many things that can be done with this |
| The basic ingredients for making homemade | | | | cheese. It can be enjoyed by you, or served on a |
| cheese are milk, starter culture and or natural | | | | tray at a party, and lets not forget about cooking. |
| acids, and rennet.(a milk-curdling enzyme) Cheese | | | | Let's hope everyone reading this article is ready |
| can be made from any dairy animal milk. First | | | | to ban the blue box from their kitchen, and is |
| place the stock pot of milk on the stove over | | | | open to the magic of homemade cheese and |
| medium heat. It is important that you heat the | | | | macaroni. I can say from experience that I have |
| milk slowly. Sprinkle in the citric acid and mild lipase | | | | never tasted something so fulfilling. Layers of my |
| powder while you gently stir. Heat slowly until the | | | | fresh homemade cheese piled over warm |
| milk reaches 88 degrees. Stir every few minutes | | | | macaroni. Its like a favorite blanket. The three |
| to prevent scorching the milk on the bottom of | | | | cheeses in Martha Stewart's recipe for Macaroni |
| the pot. You will begin to see the curd develop. | | | | & cheese are White Cheddar, Havarti, and |
| Once the milk reaches 88 degrees F. stir in the | | | | Muenster. All these you can make at home. |
| diluted calcium chloride then the rennet and water | | | | I hope that you learned a little something from |
| mixture. Continue stirring every few minutes until | | | | this article. There is plenty more info out there, |
| the milk reaches 105 degrees F. Turn off the heat | | | | and I suggest you find it because making your |
| and let the milk set covered for 15 minutes at | | | | very own cheese is a lot of fun! |
| 105 degrees. Curd (white mass) and whey | | | | |