Last week, a 3 hour test of the vat resulted in a 16 degree rise in vat temperature, and I learned we had it hooked up wrong and needed more water flow. This past week, I corrected the plumbing and installed a faster pump. Yesterday, I learned that our tankless hot water heater is the choke [...]
Posts under ‘Cheesemaking’
Hooking up the vat
I’ve been trying for two weeks to hook up the new cheese vat/pasteurizer. I hadn’t realized that the pump wouldn’t pull water from the tank to the vat, it would only push. So I had to re-plumb and re-wire the pump in the other room. Then it didn’t pump, and when I disassembled it, found [...]
The Cheese Handbook
(Joi image.) “Scientific investigation… has made industrial cheese making more efficient, which is a less pleasant thought, for the inevitable concomitant of idustrial efficiency has been a standard of meditocrity…” –The Cheese Handbook (Bruce H. Axler), available on Google Books.
Home Cheesemaking Resources
Here are two more resources for those making (or wanting to make) cheese at home: The Joy of Home Cheesemaking Podcast: Offers two episodes so far, beginning with a recipe for Meunster cheese. Facebook: Home Cheese Makers: Fans of home cheesemaking sharing resources and recipes.
Dairying in 1784
Dairying has a long and distinguished history. The passage above comes from J. Twaley, Dairying Exemplified, or The Business of Cheesemaking (London, 1784) p. 18, courtesy of Google Books. Note the assumption that daries were run by women. Historically, milking cows and the associated dairy production was considered “women’s work,” inappropriate for men. Thus well into [...]
How to make Paneer
In India, they use a fresh cheese called “paneer.” It’s very similar to ricotta, however it’s pressed into a semisoft block instead of a loose cheese. Making it is also similar– and easy! You’ll need: 1 gallon milk 4 Tbs lemon juice In a heavy pot (I recommend non-stick), bring the milk to a full [...]
Make Ricotta at home
(CBertel photo.) Ricotta is a fresh cheese, and is often made from the whey left over from the cheesemaking process. It captures a protein called albumin from the milk, which is left behind when making Ricotta can also be made with milk. In fact, you can make it easily with just the ingredients you’re likely to [...]
Cow or Goat: Which Milk is Better?
A lot of my customers say they like my cheese because “goat’s milk is so much better for you than cow’s milk.” I love to hear that, because we raise goats. But is it true? Here are some common beliefs about goat milk as compared with cow milk: It contains less fat It contains less [...]
We’re Affiliated!
We’ve been accepted as an affiliate at TheCheesemaker.com– our favorite supplier! This means you’ll soon be able to buy cheesemaking supplies on the Jackrabbit Cheese website. We also plan to offer promotional discounts, etc. We get a small commission from any sales made through our site– but we’re just happy to be linked with a [...]
Getting Started with Cheese
So you’ve tried a simple Queso Blanco, and you’ve made Ricki Carroll’s 30-Minute Mozzerella. You’ve realized that you really can make cheese at home. What’s next? There are a lot of resources online. Check out Fankhauser’s cheese page, which has a number of recipes to keep you busy, as well as basic tips for beginning [...]
