Tools for making my own cheese.

April 15, 2008 12:26 PM

What are the essential tools needed in my kitchen for making my own cheese? Where did you get your cheesepress? Did you make your own?

I want to make all kinds of cheese, but I especially like cheddar cheese, goat cheese and mozzarella.
Also, my stove is a flat top electric jobby. Will that provide me with extra challenges to overcome?

posted by NoMich to food & drink (13 comments total)

Disclaimer: Not an expert.

I think the primary thing you need is access to fresh milk.

The only challenge your stove might pose, that I can think of, is that it might be hard to keep it from getting too hot. You should probably get a diffuser to go on top of the burner.
posted by mudpuppie at 12:48 PM on April 15

Oddly enough, our local homebrewing store has apparently started carrying home cheese-making supplies. I guess it's not so odd in that people who make their own beer may also have a predilection for making their own cheese, but I bet if you have something like that nearby, they could set you up with the bare essentials and even some cultures to boot.
posted by jquinby at 12:50 PM on April 15

I bought my wife a 30 Minute Mutz kit from http://www.cheesemaking.com/. She's only made it once, and the results were less than spectacular, but like everything I'm sure it will improve with practice.

Check out their FAQ section for a lot of good tips.
posted by bondcliff at 12:55 PM on April 15

I've never made cheddar or mozzarella, but I can tell you that making fresh goat cheese is a snap. The only "equipment" you need is lint-free cotton muslin, aka cheap white dish towels, to hang the cheese in. That, and cheese culture. We used to use cultured buttermilk from the supermarket for that, but a few years ago it seems all the dairies changed the culture, and the cheese came out a weird consistency. So we switched to buttermilk culture from a cheesemaking supply house, and all was well again. Just make sure you use absolutely fresh goat milk.
posted by bricoleur at 1:08 PM on April 15

From not paying much attention to my roommates making cheese a while ago, I'm on bricoleur's side. The process seemed to consist of a pot, some muslin, and a few days of having a drippy bag hanging over the oven.
posted by soma lkzx at 1:17 PM on April 15

Getting the right starters or cultures is the key to making different kinds of cheese. Here's a partial list:

Cream cheese, Sour cream, Quark, Cottage cheese, Fromage blanc, Chevre frais, St-Maure, Valencay, Cultured butter MESOPHILIC AROMATIC B

Cheddar, Colby, Brick, Jack, Farmers, Limburger, Camembert, Brie, Blue cheese MESOPHILIC TYPE II or MA4001/4002

Gouda, Edam, Havarti MESOPHILIC TYPE III or MA4001/4002 or KAZU

Mozarella, Parmesan, Romano,Provolone MESOPHILIC TYPE II & THERMOPHILIC TYPE B/THERMOPHILIC TYPE C

Emmenthaler, Gruyere, Swiss THERMOPHILIC TYPE C

Feta MT1

Check these guys out for more info and products.
posted by LN at 1:53 PM on April 15 [3 favorites]

I should also note that cheddar requires a specific process of treating the curds - involving turning over the slab of cheese again and again, as I recall. It's called "cheddaring" (funnily enough), and results in the curds having that lovely squeaky texture.
posted by LN at 1:56 PM on April 15

In Barbara Kingsolver's Book, Animal Vegetable Miracle, she speaks highly of this place, run by "the Queen of Cheese. I see that they have a 30-minute mozerella kit that looks like a lot of fun.
posted by Ostara at 2:47 PM on April 15

Thirding the www.cheesemaking.com link (they're a neighbor). Don't overdo it on equipment. Get Home Cheese Making: Recipes for 75 Delicious Cheeses (by the same woman who runs that business) and you'll find plenty of recipes that need little more than a thermometer, some cheese cloth, a slotted spoon, and a big ol' pot. Some can be made with vinegar, others need some basic cultures that you can buy through that website.

Soft cheeses are as easy to make as pudding -- heat milk, add packet of cultures, stir, wait, drain. Chevre is incredibly easy (I've got a pot of it on the stove right now, with milk from my goats), as is mozzerella and feta.

Hard cheeses require some specific temperature and humidity controls, and lots and lots of patience. Waiting nine months to find out if I did it right isn't my strong suit, so I've stuck to soft cheeses, so far.

Most importantly -- find a local source of fresh milk. North Carolina doesn't allow the sale of raw milk, unfortunately, but take a drive to South Carolina where it's legal to sell it on the farm where it's produced. Pasturized milk will work for cheesemaking, in a pinch, but it's nothing compared to the fresh, raw stuff.
posted by Framer at 3:00 PM on April 15

How long does raw milk last?
posted by NoMich at 3:27 PM on April 15

How long does raw milk last?

At least a week. See here for lots more answers.
posted by Framer at 3:44 PM on April 15

WRT local milk sources, the easiest to get around here will be from Mapleview Farm. Go to the Cary Whole Foods, and look for the milk in the glass bottles. It's pasteurized, but the tastiest and freshest you'll get around here.

And actually, there *are* a few ways to get raw milk here, but it's not legal unless you're getting it for your pets. Here's an article from the Independent from last fall.
posted by Stewriffic at 7:19 PM on April 15

Read about making mozzarella in Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. It sounded prety easy.
posted by starfish at 8:27 PM on April 15