Home Cheese Making, 4th Edition: From Fresh and Soft to Firm, Blue, Goat’s Milk, and More
The notable primer on making cheese at home, Cheesemaking Made Easy, has been revised and updated as Home Cheese Making with more recipes, profiles of cheesemakers, and sources for supplies and equipment.
Home cheesemaking can be a fun hobby or educational activity, or it can be a lucrative sideline for farmers market sales or even a steady business. While this book is intended for beginners, it includes recipes and instructions for taking the art to a commercial level.
Instructions on how to make a cheese press are included along with advise on cutting, molding, pressing, aging and storing cheeses. There's even a section on how to market your cheese, for those so inclined, and some inspirational stories about successful home cheesemakers who became professionals.
Storing Cheese
A soft cheese can last up to three weeks in cold storage. Harder cheeses can last two or three months.
The most common and possibly worst way to store cheese is in a clear plastic wrap. The plastic traps moisture, which condenses into pockets of water, providing the ideal environment for mold to grow. Instead, wrap cheese in wax paper, which repels the evaporating water from the cheese.
To keep the wax paper from unfolding in the refrigerator and letting the cheese dry out, wrap the package in aluminum foil.
Cheese recipes found in this book include:
Camembert
Coulommiers
Feta
Fromage Blanc
Gorgonzola
Limburger
Monterey Jack
Mozzarella
Muenster
Mysost
Panir
Petit Brie
Quark
Queso Fresco
Saint Maure
Stirred-Curd Cheddar
Swiss
Whey Ricotta
Ziergerkase
Cheesemaking Supplies
Mozzarella Cheesemaking Kit
Butter Muslin
Animal Rennet
Basic Hard Cheese Kit