SC - Period Restaurant?

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Mozzarella is not a good cheese to start with, it is more complex than even a
cheddar-at one stage in its making you heat the curd and stretch the mass sort
of like taffy[it is how it gets the funny peel apart string cheese effect.]

To be bluntly honest, you can make a soft cheese very simply by taking cottage
cheese, 1 8 oz container, 1 yoghurt, 8 oz container and mix them together.  I
like to throw in italian herbs and garlic at this point. Then I take a simple
collander or seive and line it with a layer of clean muslin that I have washed
out all of the sizing and soap if any. You pour the resulting dairy glop in and
set it either in a sink or in the fridge over something to catch the dripping
whey. When most of the excess liquid is dripped out, take a clean large can[the
large progresso soup can is good] that has been thoroughly washed and tiny holes
punched in the bottom. I save the lid and use it as the chaser. Place the muslin
wrapped green cheese drained curds in in the progresso can, place the lid on top
and then put a full smaller diameter can on top of the chaser to press down on
the curds in the large can. Place the rig over something to catch the drips
with, and you can even stack another can on top for more weight if you want.
After all of the whey has been pressed out and the cheese is a solid hocky puck,
you can eat it green or you can age it. I happen to like the flavored farmers
cheese [or you can use chopped chilis for a sort of pepper jack effect] or you
can make it without the garlic and herbs for a nice and mild green cheese.

If you want to make your own curd cheese from the start, you only need raw milk
and rennet, and a small instruction book on cheesemaking that you can get from
your local agricultural extension office. The only thing about the kits [I got
the basic mesophilic kit from american cheese because I like cheddar] is you get
a booklet, a thermometer[which I have never used] a strainer/mold, a piece of
cheesecloth and a couple of packettes of mesophilic bacteria combined with
rennet. You can buy the mesophilic culture/rennet combo separately, you really
dont need the thermometer, you can make your own mold/press, and they sell the
booklet separately.
margali

Nisha Martin wrote:

> Hi,
> I was thinking about trying to make cheese and have
> seen several cheesemaking kits on the internet. Does
> anyone have a suggestion for an easier one to start
> out with? A company that is good to order from? I was
> thinking of starting with fresh mozerella. Thanks.
> Nisha