I making fresh goat cheese this weekend.

[sazemisery]

My neighbor has goats now and she has never made cheese. I made a deal with her if I would sell her chicken eggs she would supply me with goat milk to consume and make goat cheese.

I got a 1/2 gallon of raw goat milk and pasteurized it. The cream separated, even though the naysayers said it wouldn't, and I will never drink cow milk again. What a sweet taste!

I have my culture starter made and will start on the cheese Saturday. Will report back with pics later.

[grasswire]

1. keep us posted

sounds exciting!

[hippywife]

2. Good deal!

That's my next task as soon as we get the garden established...learn to make cheese!

I was looking at this website for direction:

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese.html

[The empressof all]

3. This is a great resource for supplies.

http://www.cheesemaking.com/


Welcome to the world of cheese! I make mozzarella, ricotta and paneer regularly. I've never worked with goats milk so I'll be interested to hear about your progress.

Here's a direct link to a great photo recipe outlining the steps to making mozzarella

http://www.cheesemaking.com/includes/modules/jWallace/ChsPgs/1Mozz/Index.html

[sazemisery]

4. Barbara Kingsolver turned me on to that site.

Not personally, mind you }( , but after reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle I immediately wanted to make cheese. I have access to raw cow's milk also. I have made all the ones you mentioned plus yogurt and queso blanco. I've been making creme fraiche for many years with buttermilk and heavy cream.

This is what I have learned so far about goat's milk:

I was told that goat's milk is naturally homogenized so the cream doesn't separate. Well, I pasteurized the milk and what happened? IT SEPARATED! I had a lovely 1/4 inch of cream!

I'm making chevre and I am using fresh starter culture to get the authentic French taste. After I make the mother culture, I'll be able to perpetually have fresh starter (like sour dough or friendship bread).

I like milk but I love fresh goat's milk. For anyone who has tasted it from the grocery store and didn't like it, I suggest trying fresh just once. Yum.

When I ordered my molds and culture, I got some recipes along with them. How about a slice of Chevre Pound Cake:

1 cup Chevre @ room temp
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter @ room temp
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp. lemon extract or lemon zest
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 eggs @ room temp
3 cups all purpose flour

10" tube pan, thickly buttered and floured (I use Baker's Secret spray).

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cream Chevre and butter in mixer. Add sugar, lemon and vanilla. Beat until mixture is very light. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat the mixture until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add the flour, beating just until the batter is mixed. Spoon into prepared pan and bake 1 1/4 hours or until inserted toothpick comes out clean. LEt stand for 5 minutes and invert on rack. Cool completely (if you can wait that long :9).

I also use the whey for bread making. If anyone wants the recipe, let me know.

[sazemisery]

5. UPDATE

My stepdaughter was here for the weekend because she had a book signing at the bookstore here in town so I didn't get the cheese made until this morning. It is sitting in my ice chest(it has to stay at 72 degrees F. for 15 - 24 hours until I put it in the molds). Will take pics of the progress tonight if it is set properly.

[hippywife]

6. I'm waiting to see how it turned out.

I'm really wanting to try my hand at cheese, too. I want to make ricotta, cottage cheese, feta, and bleu since those are the ones we eat the most and they all mostly come in plastic bowls in the grocery that TulsaMet won't accept for recycling (#5's).

I really wish you success with this! How exciting!

How did you guys make out with the weather today? My garden beds look okay but all the water washed our cedar mulch into piles. :eyes:

[hippywife]

7. Ahem. Well?

How's it working out? :D