My first attempt at cheese making...

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And it WORKED! I'm in love with cheese making already. I can see the beginning of a beautiful friendship forming. I've got to be honest, I told myself repeatedly, "this probably won't work the first round." But with patience, it all turned out, so far.

After many late nights reading magazines, books, and articles, on cheese making, and imagining myself making all this delicious cheese, I finally got my hands into trying it. Of course I started with simple recipes because I don't have many cheese making supplies on hand yet, to help with the other cheeses. I cannot wait to make mozzarella, cream cheese, yogourt!

First I started to make a simple smooth goats cheese. It took a little longer for the curds to separate than the recipe told me so I got worried. But I left it alone for about 2 hours and it worked.

After draining it, I needed to hang it up to drain further. I wasn't sure how to do that, so I improvised and used the microwave door to hold it up!


Here is the finished cheese:


I also made Ricotta cheese. It's so good, and it's quite simple to make. My mind is racing with ideas for dinner. I think it's going to be homemade pizza with goats cheese, artichokes, and, mushrooms tonight.

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Heating the milk, yogourt, and vinegar

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Draining the curds

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The finished Ricotta

I used this recipe from simplyrecipes.com for the Ricotta. I've saved all my whey to make further Ricotta out of. This recipe works really well, and tastes great. I think it would be yummy with lemon, but I haven't added any yet since I haven't decided what I'll be using my Ricotta for.

I'm so glad it was a rainy miserable day outside today, it gave me the afternoon to fool around in the kitchen experimenting with cheese!

The entire time, someone was patiently waiting for a taste...


Back to the barn to give Bo a bottle now.

Comments

Mary Ann said…
Oh my gosh, I sat down to catch up on blogs I'm following this afternoon, and this was the first one I read! Not only are my pugs gathered around my feet, but I had just finished reading a cheese-making story at Chickens in the Road (www.chickensintheroad.com). I want to try this so badly, and yours looks like it came out GREAT!
Petra said…
It looks great. I have been using my leftover whey from making kefir cheese to make ricotta. All I use is milk no yoghurt and it turns out great. Give it a try. Eat the yoghurt instead ;)
IanH said…
Congratulations! If any should not quite be up to your standard, I will take care of it for you.;-}
Michaele said…
I just have to try that. You make it look easy and doable.
You amaze me! Is the goats milk from your own goats?
N
Chai Chai said…
I was looking at the picture of the curds hanging and was trying to figure how it was supported. "Did she stick it to the roof of the exhaust fan?" I laughed and laughed when I read you hung it from the microwave door.

I can't wait to get enough milk to try making my own cheese.
luckybunny said…
Thanks everyone!

Mary Ann, it's way easier than I expected, I so expected a big mess, several tries, etc. but not the case, at least not with the easy stuff, I don't know about the more difficult cheeses yet.

Thanks Petra! I looked at a bunch of recipes and tried that one. I look forward to tasting the Ricotta made with the whey compared to the whole milk and I'll try it without yogurt. I bet your Kefir is awesome!

I appreciate that Ian, now I know where to send extras :)

Thanks Michaele, like I said it's easy! You must try it! :)

Thanks Norma, yep thats with milk just from one of my goats. I'm only milking Biscuit right now and she's giving me more milk than I know what to do with!

LOL Chai Chai, you know, sometimes you have to improvise! ;)I look forward to reading about your adventures in cheesemaking too :)
Congratulations on your cheese making efforts. I have been making cheese for about four years. I used a screw that I put into the side of my cupboard to hang my whey. I do believe cheese making becomes very addictive very quickly!!


Cheryl
I love making cheese and other dairy products - the taste really is unbeatable!
Unknown said…
Congrats! I really would like to try this and all cheeses. I received Ricky Carrolls book for Christmas but have been so busy preparing for bees and chicks I haven't had time to dig in. Good for you! It looks yummy too!

Nice to meet another Canadian/Ontario blogger!

~Andrea~
The JR said…
I've been going to do this for ages. I really need to try it.

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