Aren't we a lucky group having our very own bona fide cheese making expert who was kind enough to give us a demonstration?
Under a breeze- cooled patio, David demonstrated how to make 3 kinds of cheeses- a whole-milk ricotta, feta and ricotta made from left over feta juice (called whey. I'm so glad I finally worked out what the heck little Miss Muffet was eating). We had a great turn out with some new faces, one of whom has promised to email a simple bread recipe around. I'll post it up here or email it through when it comes.
Although I was busily taking notes, I was also busily chasing around our son so there were many bits and pieces of the process that I didn't quite get down in the notebook. Also, although the process looked eminently doable, there was a bit involved in working out which things to add when and where. I've gone for a basic overview and some pictures and David says he is happy to fill in missing gaps ( he has also graciously offered to lend me the cheese making book and I can photocopy the recipes for those in the circle).
Some things we learned:
1. Sourcing the milk
The yield of cheese will be about 16% of the total milk, so you'll need to start with a fair amount. Supermarket milk is acceptable but don't get the cheaper/non- branded stuff as most of the goodies that are needed to get a good yield have been removed.
Getting milk directly from a dairy is the most economic option, although it's technically illegal so you'll need to decide whether you want to ask and understand that the farmer may reject your request. One group member suggested part-owning a cow in the diary (which has been done elsewhere, apparently).
2. Equipment
Boiling up 10 litres of milk requires some pretty big pots (which need to be sterilised by boiling water in them).
David also recommended a good thermometer as crucial to the process.
Aside from that, there were a few little bags and bottles of things required to help flavour, curdle and set the cheese. These were all available on-line and from the hardware store in town. David recommended the Mad Millie brand, the website www.cheeselinks.com.au and a book (available from the website) called Home Cheesemaking by Neil and Carole Willman.
There are kits available that simplify the need for shopping. The culture needs to be kept in the freezer between uses to keep it fresh.
3. The process
For all kinds of cheese, the process involves heating the milk to a set temperature (90 degrees, for example, for ricotta and 32 degrees for feta), then adding something to make it curdle (like vinegar). For the ricotta, this was all that was involved- heating the milk then carefully mixing in the vinegar when it reached the desired temperature. The resulting lovely cheese was then strained and eaten warm by the lucky participants.
Other cheeses, like feta need additional ingredients that add flavour and help break down fats (culture and lipase) and rennet, which helps the cheese to set.
The fetta took a few hours to set, with a bit of time devoted to cutting the curds and stirring. As it was so hot, the pot did not need to stay on the burner. The class took the opportunity to duck home for lunch or jump in the bay for a swim.
http://cheeselinks.com.au/book.html
www.cheeselinks.com.au
Under a breeze- cooled patio, David demonstrated how to make 3 kinds of cheeses- a whole-milk ricotta, feta and ricotta made from left over feta juice (called whey. I'm so glad I finally worked out what the heck little Miss Muffet was eating). We had a great turn out with some new faces, one of whom has promised to email a simple bread recipe around. I'll post it up here or email it through when it comes.
Although I was busily taking notes, I was also busily chasing around our son so there were many bits and pieces of the process that I didn't quite get down in the notebook. Also, although the process looked eminently doable, there was a bit involved in working out which things to add when and where. I've gone for a basic overview and some pictures and David says he is happy to fill in missing gaps ( he has also graciously offered to lend me the cheese making book and I can photocopy the recipes for those in the circle).
Some things we learned:
1. Sourcing the milk
The yield of cheese will be about 16% of the total milk, so you'll need to start with a fair amount. Supermarket milk is acceptable but don't get the cheaper/non- branded stuff as most of the goodies that are needed to get a good yield have been removed.
Getting milk directly from a dairy is the most economic option, although it's technically illegal so you'll need to decide whether you want to ask and understand that the farmer may reject your request. One group member suggested part-owning a cow in the diary (which has been done elsewhere, apparently).
2. Equipment
Boiling up 10 litres of milk requires some pretty big pots (which need to be sterilised by boiling water in them).
David also recommended a good thermometer as crucial to the process.
Aside from that, there were a few little bags and bottles of things required to help flavour, curdle and set the cheese. These were all available on-line and from the hardware store in town. David recommended the Mad Millie brand, the website www.cheeselinks.com.au and a book (available from the website) called Home Cheesemaking by Neil and Carole Willman.
There are kits available that simplify the need for shopping. The culture needs to be kept in the freezer between uses to keep it fresh.
3. The process
For all kinds of cheese, the process involves heating the milk to a set temperature (90 degrees, for example, for ricotta and 32 degrees for feta), then adding something to make it curdle (like vinegar). For the ricotta, this was all that was involved- heating the milk then carefully mixing in the vinegar when it reached the desired temperature. The resulting lovely cheese was then strained and eaten warm by the lucky participants.
Other cheeses, like feta need additional ingredients that add flavour and help break down fats (culture and lipase) and rennet, which helps the cheese to set.
The fetta took a few hours to set, with a bit of time devoted to cutting the curds and stirring. As it was so hot, the pot did not need to stay on the burner. The class took the opportunity to duck home for lunch or jump in the bay for a swim.
http://cheeselinks.com.au/book.html
www.cheeselinks.com.au
Freshly made ricotta, ready for gobbling up with a bit of honey. Yummo!
Cutting the cheese (apparently this is funny??). Different cheeses require different sizes of cubing. This has something to do with the amount of surface area and these neat cubes are not the finished product.
Feta curd
The final process involved scooping the curd into moulds that allowed the whey to drain away, leaving a lovely solid block of raw feta. These needed to be turned every half hour or so.
The feta can be cut up and put into a brine solution or oil for keeping.
The feta can be cut up and put into a brine solution or oil for keeping.
The demonstration was very inspiring. Thank you very much to David and Mandy for opening their house to us and for all of those that brought snacks and goodies. I'll be canvassing our participants for the next skill sharing... be warned!
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