fricassee
Cook
Making your own ricotta is simple as well. Although not cheese, obviously, I make creme fraiche which is tastier and MUCH cheaper. I saw it a couple of months ago for $12 CDN for 500 ml.
Anyone making homemade cheese?
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So, do you make mozzarella? I ask because AFAIK ricotta is made from the whey from making mozzarella.
I'm making a batch of creme fraiche right now. I had whipping cream left over from the holidays and this will extend its shelf life. I haven't tried it yet, but I have read that creme fraiche can be whipped like whipping cream.
fricassee
Cook
Admittedly not lately!
Cookee.
Assistant Cook
Making cheese at home can be easy and the results can be yummy! While on vacation last year, I took a one-day class at Kookoolan farm in Oregon. We started on quick Queso Fresco and fresh Mozzarella type cheeses. The book "Home Cheesemaking" by Ricki Carroll (available at Amazon) is a great guide. I hope to make it to Steve Shapson's Cheesemaking class in Wisconsin this year to learn more complex techniques. His website has resources for ordering any supplies you could want. Classes are really just for fun, the book can answer all your questions. I hope you find these resources helpful.
I'm totally hooked on home cheesemaking and would like to hear from others with more experience.
I'm totally hooked on home cheesemaking and would like to hear from others with more experience.
Kathleen
Cupcake
Tonight, I made mozzarella cheese and ricotta cheese for the first time! It was pretty easy and I'm fairly pleased with the results. Prior to ordering supplies, I had reviewed The Home Creamery by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley. The book gave a suitable overview of dairy terms. It covered the basics of cultured dairy products and moved on to soft, unripened cheeses.
I had also purchased And That's How You Make Cheese! by Shane Sokol. On the plus side, this book explains cheese-making in very easy to understand terms. It did give me confidence to think I could easily turn my kitchen into a happy Home Creamery! On the minus side....if I ever meet the editor of this book, someone will need to give me an alibi. All I can say is it feels like no one proof-read the manuscript prior to the book being published. The typos are to the point that I'm unsure whether I trust the recipes.
I found a site called Leeners that had a good assortment of supplies for a reasonable price. They also had a kit that included many of the items that I had on my "purchase" list and included a mold. Perhaps I can try a pressed cheese this weekend!
My mozzarella turned out tasty though I think I will add a bit more salt to the finished product next time. I pulled it like taffy so that it developed more of a stringy texture than allowing it to stay more soft. With the whey, I made ricotta, which was so simple to make that it was almost embarrassing.
Perhaps while at work tomorrow, someone might use the ricotta to make some lasagna or manicotti. I guess I could point out that there is even spinach in the vegetable drawer that could be added to it. YUM. If only someone out there would avail themselves to the fresh spinach and fresh ricotta...hmm...if only.
I loved making these cheeses. So much fun!
I had also purchased And That's How You Make Cheese! by Shane Sokol. On the plus side, this book explains cheese-making in very easy to understand terms. It did give me confidence to think I could easily turn my kitchen into a happy Home Creamery! On the minus side....if I ever meet the editor of this book, someone will need to give me an alibi. All I can say is it feels like no one proof-read the manuscript prior to the book being published. The typos are to the point that I'm unsure whether I trust the recipes.
I found a site called Leeners that had a good assortment of supplies for a reasonable price. They also had a kit that included many of the items that I had on my "purchase" list and included a mold. Perhaps I can try a pressed cheese this weekend!
My mozzarella turned out tasty though I think I will add a bit more salt to the finished product next time. I pulled it like taffy so that it developed more of a stringy texture than allowing it to stay more soft. With the whey, I made ricotta, which was so simple to make that it was almost embarrassing.
Perhaps while at work tomorrow, someone might use the ricotta to make some lasagna or manicotti. I guess I could point out that there is even spinach in the vegetable drawer that could be added to it. YUM. If only someone out there would avail themselves to the fresh spinach and fresh ricotta...hmm...if only.
I loved making these cheeses. So much fun!
joesfolk
Head Chef
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2010
- Messages
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Can you make it from half and half?
Tonight, I made mozzarella cheese and ricotta cheese for the first time! It was pretty easy and I'm fairly pleased with the results. Prior to ordering supplies, I had reviewed The Home Creamery by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley. The book gave a suitable overview of dairy terms. It covered the basics of cultured dairy products and moved on to soft, unripened cheeses.
I had also purchased And That's How You Make Cheese! by Shane Sokol. On the plus side, this book explains cheese-making in very easy to understand terms. It did give me confidence to think I could easily turn my kitchen into a happy Home Creamery! On the minus side....if I ever meet the editor of this book, someone will need to give me an alibi. All I can say is it feels like no one proof-read the manuscript prior to the book being published. The typos are to the point that I'm unsure whether I trust the recipes.
I found a site called Leeners that had a good assortment of supplies for a reasonable price. They also had a kit that included many of the items that I had on my "purchase" list and included a mold. Perhaps I can try a pressed cheese this weekend!
My mozzarella turned out tasty though I think I will add a bit more salt to the finished product next time. I pulled it like taffy so that it developed more of a stringy texture than allowing it to stay more soft. With the whey, I made ricotta, which was so simple to make that it was almost embarrassing.
Perhaps while at work tomorrow, someone might use the ricotta to make some lasagna or manicotti. I guess I could point out that there is even spinach in the vegetable drawer that could be added to it. YUM. If only someone out there would avail themselves to the fresh spinach and fresh ricotta...hmm...if only.
I loved making these cheeses. So much fun!
Thanks for the report, Kathleen and the resources. I'll make Shrek crazy by starting another project. I think I'll need a bigger drawer this time!
Enjoy your cheese Kathleen. Leeners looks interesting. They ship to Canada 
Now I just need some spare money, oh and come to think of it, spare time. Tax season is starting.
Now I just need some spare money, oh and come to think of it, spare time. Tax season is starting.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
I make farmers cheese all the time. Doesn't have to be hanging in refrigerator for draining. It can be kept for at least couple of weeks. It is nothing like cottage or ricota cheese, it is supposed to be blend it is basicaly has taste of milk, unless it was too sour, i.e. adding too much vinegar. Tough curd is to be expected. 190 deg. sounds to hot for me.
Kathleen
Cupcake
I am so new at this that I honestly don't know what all I can use. I'm using recipes from books at this point and keeping track of what each item does. That being said, half and half makes awesome ice cream.
Charlie, please post one of your favorite recipes!
Enjoy your cheese Kathleen. Leeners looks interesting. They ship to Canada
Now I just need some spare money, oh and come to think of it, spare time. Tax season is starting.
While the recipe I used is clearly for beginners, the mozzarella took less than an hour to make. The ricotta took another 40 minutes from start to finish. Regardless, I will imagine there is not even an hour to spare during tax time.
Thanks for the report, Kathleen and the resources. I'll make Shrek crazy by starting another project. I think I'll need a bigger drawer this time!
He will love the end result!
Perhaps while at work tomorrow, someone might use the ricotta to make some lasagna or manicotti. I guess I could point out that there is even spinach in the vegetable drawer that could be added to it. YUM. If only someone out there would avail themselves to the fresh spinach and fresh ricotta...hmm...if only.
I know a manicotti recipe that uses mushrooms....
..I'm just sayin..
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
Mine is so simple, I do not have recipe. Warm up the milk, add lemon juice or yougurt/kefir. Keep it warm or warm up more. You'll see the curd starts separating. I use a knee high to dump the mixture. Hang it over the sink for overnight, or over day. Done. It is very-very plain. I like it served with some jam/jelly mixed together and a cup of tea.
Some times when I have time I'll bake the milk first and then make yougurt or farmers cheese. To bake milk i just use slow cooker, leave it overnight on low. Milk becomes, well, baked. It changes color to redish/brownish hue. Actually taste really good on it's own.
Some times when I have time I'll bake the milk first and then make yougurt or farmers cheese. To bake milk i just use slow cooker, leave it overnight on low. Milk becomes, well, baked. It changes color to redish/brownish hue. Actually taste really good on it's own.
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Kathleen
Cupcake
I know a manicotti recipe that uses mushrooms....
Wow! And I have some mushrooms leftover in the freezer!!!
I'm definitely going to try baking the milk! It sounds unique and tasty.
How warm do you keep the milk? Do you warm it on the stove? How long do you warm it.
What is a "knee high"?
d'oh!Thanks.
I hate cheese cloth. Can't reuse it; you have to be careful when you pour or the weave separates; gotta use several layers; ...
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
Just do not over bake, so to speak. Keep om low overnight. Turn it off in the morning, I'd say about 10-12 hours is what I do. There might be a thin layer film formed on the top. My grandfather used to love it, I could not touch it with a 9 foot pool. Just dump it. Refrigerat, serve when cold.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
,
I used to make it in a jar, then put jar into a pot with water and then warm up the water. Forgeti it it is too long. I jus warm it up in the slow cooker now, on "low" then add lemon juice or existing yougurt. Mix well, and turn to keep it warm setting. There is no set time unfortunately, I just kind of see when it separates, the curd and the wey(sp?). Last time I used dry milk. I simply heat up the water mixed dry powder and water in the slowcooker and set it up on warm right away. I added the yougurt and left it on the whole night. I use the kneehight (you know the high thin soks, for ladies, you can buy them in a little plastic container in Wallmart for less than a dollar, like stockings) instead of cheese cloth. It hung draining when I went to work, when I came home it was already to for use.
CharlieD
Chef Extraordinaire
Oh, Selkie already answerd half of the question, thank you Selkie.
Thanks Charlie. I'm going to give that a try. I'll have to use the jar method because I don't have slow cooker.
