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I love
everything about
cheese: Carving deli-
cious mild cheddar and enjoying it
with crackers. Eating hard, tangy
Parmesan in thin, block-devouring
shavings. Melting an assortment of
cheeses on top of my favorite sa-
vory dishes. Incorporating my own
flavor twists with herbs and spices
in my homemade cheeses.
I imagine there are kindred
spirits out there, but to the majority
of people, making your own cheese
sounds complicated. Most cheeses,
including nearly all of the classic
varieties, are produced with cir-
cumstances or tools that are tricky
to replicate in a typical kitchen. For
instance, cheddar requires a cave-
style curing area that maintains a
constant temperature, while mozza-
rella needs hand-stretching to come
out smooth. Many living cultures
also aid in development and flavor
in more complex cheeses.
Though making cheese can be
incredibly complicated, you’ll find
that the cheeses in this article are
exceptionally simple, with minimal
hands-on time and simple tools
and ingredients. The only specialty
equipment you’ll need is a kitchen
thermometer.So, if you’re ready to discover simple cheese making in the comfort of your
own home, you’re in the right place. You’ll love these cheeses, even though
they won’t be the melty, stringy types. Remember that this is just the first step
on your cheese-making journey. Once you’re acquainted with the process of
transforming milk into cheese, the sky’s the limit!Starting with the Basics
We’ll be focusing on two great starter cheeses in this article — ricotta and
queso blanco — and recipes to use them in. They’re both fresh cheeses, rather
than aged. They’re also classified as acid cheeses, meaning that some type of
acid — most often vinegar — is used to curdle the milk, separating the milk
solids from the whey. When the acid has done its work, you drain the whey from
the small curds and you’re left with cheese. This process is called coagulating.
You’ll only need to assemble basic items that are likely already in your kitchen.■ (^) MILK. Farm-fresh milk is ideal, but these cheeses can also be produced satisfac-
torily with commercial whole milk. If you’re using local milk, be sure to give
it a taste test before making cheese; if it isn’t quite fresh or has any disagree-
able flavor, it generally won’t improve with heat.
■ (^) ACID. I prefer to use apple cider vinegar to do the coagulating. Lemon juice or
a different type of vinegar will also work. The flavor will only vary slightly.
■ (^) SALT. Sea salt or coarsely ground salt is best.
■ DRIED HERBS. If desired, you can also include dried herbs for added flavor, ac-
cording to your personal palate and creativity level.
The equipment you’ll need to make cheese is straightforward and available in
most well-equipped home kitchens:
■ (^) Large stainless steel stockpot
■ Long-handled stainless steel or wooden spoon
■ Colander
■ Cheesecloth or a large, open-weave towel
■ Kitchen thermometer (one with a clip is ideal)
■ Large bowl for the finished cheese
Whip up simple cheeses
at home with minimal
experience or equipment.
By Maggie Bullington