Cheeesseee!!!

Mwoahahaha! Behold, the power of cheese.

I've REALLY been wanting to try my hand at making cheese, and I FINALLY managed to get my act together and do it. I started with chevre (can't figure out how to put the little accent, sorry!). Chevre is a pretty easy cheese, as making cheese goes.

What I needed:

• 2 quarts pasteurized goat milk
• 1/8 tsp cheese culture (I used MM100)
• 1 drop animal rennet mixed into 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp cheese salt (or pickling salt, or whatever salt you want)

Directions:

• Heat the milk to 80 degrees F
• Sprinkle the 1/8 tsp culture over the milk and let it rehydrate for 2 minutes
• Add in 2 tbsp of the rennet/water mixture and stir for 30 seconds
• Cover and put out of the way for 8-12 hours in an area that is around 72 degrees
• When the time is up, drain the curd using butter muslin (extra fine cheesecloth)
• Salt and enjoy!

 The culture I used:

Up to temp!:

 Cheese culture:

 Rennet mixture:

I hung the cheesecloth on a cabinet handle. It seemed to drain better than just sitting in the colander.

MMMM CHEESE!!

I think it turned out really well, but can probably be improved upon. The flavor is amazing, but the texture could use some work. I've read that straining the chevre using molds actually produces a better product, but I don't have any. Maybe in the future I'll try that. I also have calcium chloride that I didn't use this time, but it does make a stronger curd, so I'll try to incorporate that next time.

Overall, the cheese really wasn't that difficult to make! I would LOVE to make other cheeses, like brie (my personal fave), gouda, etc. Now I'm all inspired, and have been trying to convince the Doctor Husband that we need a cheese cave. Because, obviously, we do. An adapted wine refrigerator apparently does the trick. 

*Hint hint Christmas present hint*