Category: Recipes

When you decide to make “Feta” cheese be ready to wait and wait and wait for at least 5 days until you can serve it. Yeah it is right it takes bit longer to taste it but trust me it is very much worth it. The best time to make Feta is while you are making other cheese. This way you can make two different type and forget about Feta while you enjoy eating the other cheese. Once you run out of the cheese, Feta is naturally aged and ready for serving.

Here is all you will need to make your favorite Feta at your free times.

 Ingredients:

• 1-gallon whole milk cow’s milk
• ¼ teaspoon mesophilic lactic acid culture
• ¼ liquid rennet
• 10% brine: 5 ounces salt dissolved in 5-6 cup of water.
• 5% brine: 2.5 ounces salt dissolved in 6 cups water.
• 1 teaspoon salt based on your taste

Equipment:

• Large Stockpot
• Thermometer with at least 6-inch stem
• Curd knife with at least 10-inch blade
• Cheese form (based on size preference, preferably rectangular, 5 by 6 inches)
• Cheesecloth, size of about 1 square foot
• Large Bowl
• Storage Container

Procedure:

In a stockpot, heat the milk to reach F and keep it warm for about 10-15 minutes. Stir milk gently so that it warms evenly. After the milk is warmed up add culture and mix in for 25-30 seconds, preferably up-down motion. Once done cover the milk and let it sit at room temperature for 7.5-8 hours. Next, add rennet to the milk and stir gently for a minute, cover it and let it sit another 10 minutes. Then raise the temperature of the whey to F and stir for 5 minutes. Then pour the entire stockpot onto cheesecloth and hand it for drainage. Let it drain for about 2-2.5 hours. Next, take the curd with your hands from the cloth and place it into the cheese form. By gently pressing and shaping the curd, leave the cheese in the form for 5-7 hours. If you would like more salty result, sparkle salt on top based on your taste. In the Large bowl pour 10% brine and place shaped pieces of Feta cheese inside, make sure that cheese is submerged. Let it stay there for 3 days. Next, take the cheese and wash it with cold water and let it sit for 2 hours. Then pour 5% brine in the large bowl and place the cheese in it submerged for another 2 days. It will harden the cheese and give it more salty flavor. Before serving,  you want to wash the cheese with cold water. Longer the cheese stays in the brine, it ages more and becomes more taste. However, total of 5 days is totally enough to get, one of the most delicious Feta cheeses, ready to serve.

For drink pairing, white wine is the best with fresh fruit and vegetables.

“Mascarpone” is a very good example of how different outcome you can get by using different technologies for cheese making. Unlike, cheeses I have already discussed previously, Mascarpone has very buttery/ creamy texture that is mainly used for baking various products. Pudding like a cheese is best with sandwiches and bagels. Cheese fans often call it “cheese butter,” due to its texture and usage. Production process of Mascarpone to a final product is a little lengthy, however, very much worth of time.

Here is what you need to know if decide to make Mascarpone at home.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole cow’s milk
• 5 cups heavy cream
• 1/8 teaspoon mesophilic lactic acid
• ¼ teaspoon calcium chloride
• 2-3 drops liquid rennet

Equipment:

• Medium Stockpot
• Thermometer with at least 6-inch stem
• Curd knife with at least 12-inch blade
• Medium Colander
• Butter jar
• Large spoon (preferably flexible)

Procedure:

In a stockpot, heat the milk to reach F for 10-15 minutes and add heavy cream. Stir milk gently so that it warms evenly. After the milk is warmed up and well mixed with heavy cream, add mesophilic culture, calcium chloride, and rennet. Mix all together for 30-45 seconds, preferably with up and down motion. After done, cover the milk and let rest for 12-15 hours. Once you see that curd is pulled away from the sides of the pot cut into ½-inch-thick pieces and place it into the colander. Let the curd sit in the colander for up to 75 minutes to drain. Then simply mix the curd with spoon to smooth. After it is mix well put it in the airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 12 days. Final product you get will be tangy, milky, and buttery cheese.

For food and drink pairing it is the best with natural fruit juices and hot bagels.

Now it is time to learn how to make everybody’s favorite cheese, “Mozzarella.” This Italian cheese, also known as “king of all cheese,” is mostly used in salads, with cold cuts, and most importantly, for making pizza. Unlike, other types of cheeses, making mozzarella does not take that long to make, only one hour is necessary to transform milk into the cheese. However, short making process does not mean it’s very easy to make. It requires very smooth and precise actions. Here is what you need to know for making Mozzarella cheese.

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon whole cow’s milk
• 1½ teaspoons citric acid, dissolved in ¼ cup cool water
• 1/8 teaspoon lipase, dissolved in ¼ cup cool water and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes
• 1/8 teaspoon animal rennet dissolved in ¼ cup cool water
• 2-3 tablespoons of salt (salt type based on your preference)

Equipment:

• Large Stockpot
• Thermometer with at least 6-inch stem
• Curd knife with at least 10-inch blade
• Cooling rack
• 2 Bowls, medium and small.

Procedure:

In a stockpot, heat the milk to reach F and stir milk gently so that it warms evenly. After the milk is warmed up add citric acid and lipase. Mix gently for 1-2 minutes and let lit rest for around 15 minutes. Then raise the temperature so that milk reaches . Once the temperature is set add the rennet and stir for another minute, preferably up and down motion. Once done cover the milk and let it rest for 20 minutes. After 20-25 minutes you will notice that the curd resembles. Next stem is to cut the curd into ½ inch-thick pieces and let it rest for couple of minutes, until it cools down. Then change the water with hotter water with temperature of  . Place curd pieces into hot water and stir gently for 5 minutes and let it rest. Next, take the curd and place it into a bowl. Then with the hand massage, press the curd agains the side of the bowl to expel the liquid. In the stockpot, re-heat the original whey that it almost boling and add the salt, 2-3 table spoons. Then pour the heated whey into the bowl where the curd is placed and massage the curd slowly. Heated whey will make curd elastic and stretchy, this is when you need to use your hands to finalize the product. Based on your size preference, make mozzarella ball by in your hands, by rolling curd pieces gently. Make sure that final product maintains juicy texture. After done rolling, place Mozzarella balls in cold water and place in refrigerator. This will harden the cheese but maintain juicy texture. After about half an hour in fridge, the product is ready to serve.

For food and drink pairing, you can serve mozzarella with white traditional vine and beer. The best food to serve with, would be cold cuts and grapes, in fruits.

“Provolone” is also one of the most popular and tasty cheeses we meet daily, in our sandwiches, salads, wraps, and so on. This cheese is known for its smooth texture and light-yellow coloring. Provolone just like gouda is especially tasty when all-natural ingredients are used to make. However, the procedure and ingredients are quite different from Gouda making. Here is how can everyone make they favorite Provolone cheese at home.

Ingredients:

• 2 gallons of whole milk cow’s milk
• ¼ teaspoon mesophilic lactic acid culture
• 1/8 teaspoon lipase, dissolved in ¼ cup cool water
• ¼ teaspoon calcium chloride, dissolved in ¼ cup of water
• ½ liquid rennet
• ¼ gallon non-chlorinated water, heated to
• Saturated salt brine: 3 pounds salt dissolved in 1-gallon water

Equipment:

• Large Stockpot
• Thermometer with at least 6-inch stem
• Curd knife with at least 10-inch blade
• Cheese form (based on size preference)
• Cheesecloth, size of about 1 square foot
• Cooling rack
• Baking sheet

Procedure:

In a stockpot, heat the milk to reach F, add culture and let it hydrate on the surface for ad 60-70 seconds. Then gently stir it for 1-2 minutes, until it mixes well. Cover after you are done stirring and let it sit for 6-70 minutes. It is important to keep temperature at . Add the lipase and calcium chloride and stir it for 45 seconds. Cover after done and let it sit for another 10-12 minutes. Add rennet and with up-down motion stir it for 30 seconds. Cover it when done stirring and let it sit for 50-60 minutes. Then rise the temperature fo the whey to  over the course of 50 minutes and let it sit for 15 minutes. Next you need to drain curd. Pour excess whey from the stockpot and gently start removing the curd from stockpot. Place the curd on the baking sheet and let it dry. Using the knife then cut the curd mass into ½ – inch-think slices and let it drain for 2 hours. Next heat the whey up to .  And place curd slices into stockpot back. Make sure the curd submerges into hot whey. By pressing and squeezing the mass try to press the curds together using ladle. When curd melts together gently stirring massage it into one mass. After around 5-7 minutes of massage you can remove the mass from the stockpot and let it dry. Then it is up to you how many pieces you will get from the mass, usually 2-3 oval shaped slices are made.  Add cheese based on your taste and preferences.

This is all it takes to make very special Provolone cheese for your home. When you are done with giving the shape and adding the last keep the cheese in dry dark area for the best result.

For a drink and food pairing white wine various nuts are the best choice

The very first cheese I want to write about is “Gouda.” It is one of the most popular and tasty cheeses we meet in our supermarkets and even more delicious when we make at home, with all-natural ingredients. I am glad that I have a chance to show you how this aromatic product can be made at home with your own hands.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 gallons of whole milk cow’s milk
• ¼ teaspoon mesophilic lactic acid culture
• ¼ teaspoon calcium chloride, dissolved in ¼ cup of water
• ½ animal rennet, dissolved in ¼ cup of water
• ¼ gallon non-chlorinated water, heated to
• Saturated salt brine: 3 pounds salt dissolved in 1-gallon water

Equipment:

• Large Stockpot
• Thermometer with at least 6-inch stem
• Curd knife with at least 10-inch blade
• Cheese form (based on size preference)
• Cheesecloth, size of about 1 square foot
• Cooling rack
• Baking sheet

Procedure:

In a stockpot, heat the milk to reach F and stir milk gently so that it hears evenly. After the milk is warmed up add mesophilic culture and stir gently again. Cover the stockpot and wait for 40-45 minutes. The next step is to add calcium chloride and stir for about 30 seconds gently. After you are done let sit for another 10 minutes. Add the rennet and stir for 30-40 seconds. After done let sit for another 50-70 minutes. During the process maintain milk temperature at about . Once the time is up, you see the texture of the milk hardened, now you need to cut the curd into ½ inch-thick pieces using the knife mentioned above. When done let it sit for  at least 5-7 minutes. Then stir for 15-20 minutes, you will notice that curd is soft, but decreasing in side by ¼ while stirring. Then you need to remove the whey and replace it with pre-heated water to  and stir gently another 15-20 minutes. Next you need to drain curd. For this step you need to pour excess whey from the stockpot and gently start pressing and grabbing curd with your hands into the cheese form. Place follower in the form and apply some pressure so that remaining whey is pressed out from the curd. Once the liquid is completely out, leave the form for at least 6 hours in dry dark area where the temperature does not exceed . The last step after six hours is to flip the cheese in form and let sit another six hours.

This is all it takes to make delicious Gouda cheese. When you remove the cheese from the form you can place it in a refrigerator for 15-20 minutes and serve after that.

For a drink pairing red semi-dry wine or strong and Trappist ale beer is the best choice.