Fresh Cow's Milk
Today, I'm planning to go get some fresh milk from a lady who owns a cow (she lives 45 miles from here and it was almost impossible to find her!). I've been wanting to make some fresh cheese for the longest time, and finally got everything I'll need to start, except the milk. From what I've read, when making your own homemade cheese, the results will make much better if you have fresh milk...if I wanted to use milk from the store, I would need "calcium chloride" to add to it, and I have NO idea where to find that.
Have any of you made cheese before? If so, can you give me any tips or pointers that I might not be aware of. This will be my first time making cheese and I'm hoping that I get everything right. I've been doing a lot of research and hopefully it shouldn't be too hard, but you can always be more prepared!
The kind of cheese that I'm planning to make is Gouda, with hot pepper. The materials I have so far include:
A PVC pipe (for the mold to strain the cheese)
Cheesecloth
Cheese Wax
Animal Rennet
Mesophilic starter culture
A large stainless steel pot
A long knife (for cutting the curd)
A long spoon with holes in it (don't know what it's called)
Large stainless steel bowls
You can buy cheesemaking supplies here. This was the most affordable place I have found to get everything I needed for this project.
Have any of you made cheese before? If so, can you give me any tips or pointers that I might not be aware of. This will be my first time making cheese and I'm hoping that I get everything right. I've been doing a lot of research and hopefully it shouldn't be too hard, but you can always be more prepared!
The kind of cheese that I'm planning to make is Gouda, with hot pepper. The materials I have so far include:
A PVC pipe (for the mold to strain the cheese)
Cheesecloth
Cheese Wax
Animal Rennet
Mesophilic starter culture
A large stainless steel pot
A long knife (for cutting the curd)
A long spoon with holes in it (don't know what it's called)
Large stainless steel bowls
You can buy cheesemaking supplies here. This was the most affordable place I have found to get everything I needed for this project.
You are such the chemist! I'm so impressed!
We used a raw milk dairy for several years before moving away from that area--we loved it! The taste was so much better and the bacteria counts were required to be LOWER than store-bought--so the milk was actually safer. I used the cream from the dairy to make homemade butter--delicious! Never did make it on to trying cheese--but I bet you'll have great results!
Happy culturing!
Blessings!
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I will be anxious to see your results...I have never tried this. The only milk we drink is fresh...we are blessed to have a farm close by that we are able to buy it from. As usual you have peaked my interest again...
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I can't wait to hear how this turns out. I've always wanted to make my own cheese but have been afraid to try it. And I have no idea where I'd find fresh milk - there aren't a lot of cows around here LOL
I hope you'll post lots of pictures so we can see how it goes!
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I love cheese!! I am so excited to see you blog about this.
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I'm considering buying a dairy cow because I dream of the milk, raw and fresh. I'm sure you'll be pleased, and have fun too.
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What fun! God bless your efforts, Bethany! I found calcium chloride in the vitamins section at a health food store. The price of gas is going to make that SOME expensive cheese! But I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience.
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I love making cheese! The only advice I could give you would be not to expect the results you see in the store. They have massive, computer-controlled machines that keep everything constant and ideal. But yours will be more authentic!
I'll be posting about cheese again when we get some goats. I've never made goat cheese. I'va also realized lately how lucky I was to have a bulk tank with 800 gallons of fresh milk in it when we were milking.
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You never cease to amaze me. Good luck with the cheese making! How yummy that will be!
A spoon with holes is called a slotted spoon.
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Can't say I've made cheese before...
Lea White
http://whitesinnz.blogspot.com
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Thanks for the help and ideas, and most of all the encouragement!
Kim, I didn't even think of looking at the health food store for the calcium chloride. Thanks!
Amy (motherofmany), what kinds of cheese have you made before? Have you ever posted anything about it or posted recipes? I'd be interested to see!
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I have made cheese mostly from goat milk since I have goats but it CAN be made with any type of milk (pasteurized or raw and raw is much harder to locate). None of my recipes call for calcium chloride. I use rennet and mesophilic starter for soft cheese and thermophilic starter for hard cheeses. Farmers cheese was by far the easiest- 2 gallons milk warmed to 195 degrees and add 1/2 cup vinegar (or lemon juice) stir while slowly adding vinegar and stop stirring immediately after adding vinegar. Cool to about 100 degrees and drain in a colander lined with flour sack cloth or really good cheese cloth--the kind that looks like a silk scarf. The longer it hangs the dryer it gets so an hour for spreadable cheese and over night for shredable cheese. (If I add salt I wait until I have drained and saved most of the whey that way the whey can be used in other recipes without adding undue sodium.)When I add the salt I only allow the cheese curd to be broken down to the size of quarters or no smaller than and inch. And when I don't have 2 gallons of milk I simply half the recipe. It is great fun to make with kids.
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