Do you want to start making cheese and don't know where to start? Don't worry, we've all been there.
First of all, you should know that there are several levels. Recipes for beginners are easily accessible, as long as you follow the steps that we will describe here.
What cheeses are available to me?
Made from cow's, sheep's and goat's milk. Fresh or firm. You can make many types of cheese.
That being said, a cheese that does not require complex ripening will be more within the reach of the apprentice cheesemaker.
Indeed, the ripening environment will have a big impact on the finished product. For a good ripened cheese, you need to have access to a perfectly controlled environment.
The essential ingredients
A cheese recipe basically starts with coagulated milk. And to make a coagulated milk, it takes:
- Fresh milk
- rennet
- culture
Depending on the composition and nature of these three elements, the taste of the cheese will vary.
Ok, but raw or pasteurized milk?
The ideal solution is a good farm raw milk. It has not been treated or handled and has kept all its good bacteria that allow it to mature smoothly.
Also, the fatter your milk is, the creamier your cheese will be.
So it can be ok with pasteurized grocery milk, but if you want optimal results, farm milk is the way to go.
Culture and Rennet
These ingredients allow your milk to coagulate. However, their function is different. Culture make possible to get a more brittle dough while rennet allows you to have a more flexible dough.
Depending on the proportion of these ingredients, you will get a full range of cheeses.
Before you start, you have to know how to surround yourself
First of all, you need to gather several tools around you. Depending on the quantity of cheese expected and your level of expertise, you can gradually equip yourself with professional quality items.
That said, you can certainly start with the items you will have on hand.
- A large cauldron with a thick bottom
- A strainer
- A measuring cup
- A bowl
- A wooden spoon
- A kitchen thermometer
- One or more cheese moulds
- Some patience
Now let's recap
So cheese making is within the reach of all, provided they know how to arm themselves with patience.
You can easily make delicious cheeses and depending on your level of interest you can evolve your recipes into unique creations perfectly adapted to your tastes and preferences.
But the most important thing is, to have fun!