2 good cheesemaking books

[Iceblink]

Pat - It's by Olivia Mills, published by Thorsons in 1982. So, yeah it's probably the one you mentioned.

I wasn't worried about the gunk for their sake, I just didn't want any of it getting in the milk, and I think I read that you are milking your Shetland ewe? Do you think it could get in the milk?

Free - Yeah, I guess MJT does mention pasteurizing frequently, I think when I was reading the book that just went in one ear and out the other. As far as I am concerned, cheesemaking is an inexact science. I love cheese in all forms, so if it turns out a little 'different' I'm still happy that I have cheese.

Speaking of inexact, I have "Garden Way Publishing's Making Cheese and Butter' by Phyllis Hobson, it has recipes for lots of old fashioned simple cheeses, but the directions are bare bones, more of guidelines than recipes. It's part of a boxed set that I found at a yard sale for a quarter. It's a very 'anything goes' book. It even talks about making cultures from yeast cakes.

 

[patandchickens]

The gunk in my Shetland's "leg pits" has never threatened to get in the milk. Dunno bout yours of course, but even if it's really bad I have a hard time imagining it being more of a problem than little bits of yutz falling off the *fleece* and getting in the milk. JMHO of course.

I keep hearing about that Mills book, I really need to see if I can get it through ILL or something (I priced it used... you don't wanna know )

Thanks,

Pat

 

[freemotion]

My books came in! My books came in!!! And I have tomorrow off and should have four gallons of milk to play with!


OOOOPSIJUSTREALIZEDTHATILEFTTHEJARSOFMILKBYTHEMILKINGSTAND....HAVETOGOFILTERIT!!!!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

 

[Henrietta23]

My books came in! My books came in!!! And I have tomorrow off and should have four gallons of milk to play with!


OOOOPSIJUSTREALIZEDTHATILEFTTHEJARSOFMILKBYTHEMILKINGSTAND....HAVETOGOFILTERIT!!!!!!AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!

LOL, does that mean you might be able to meet me at Whole Foods if I go tomorrow night? After all you might need an ingredient there or something.

 

[freemotion]

DH will have the car at the office until almost 6, and I am actually doing a group tutorial for a bunch of students who missed the first class. I guess I didn't consider that work because I can smell bad and be covered in dirt and goat hair and chicken poop because I will be doing it via teleconference!!!

I do need to go to WF, though. Almost out of stevia and a few other things, like sea salt, organic popcorn, etc. Shoot. We will meet eventually!

Stelllllllaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!

 

[freemotion]

Update: I love those books!!!! I have been reading them to fall asleep every night since they came in, cross-referencing what I read with 3 other books I have. I am SUCH a nerd!

I HIGHLY recommend the 200 recipes book to anyone with a lactating animal. Although she loves putting calcium choride in every recipe, if you are using raw milk, you really shouldn't need it. It is necessary if you are using commercially pasturized milk, since the calcium molecules are altered and won't make a good curd....or strong bones, either.

As soon as those doelings are weaned.....watch out! I will be trying every recipe! That Camembert photo is so And I plan on buring some old xmas trees in my fire pit to get some nice pine ash for some of the ash ripened goat cheeses.

I will try waxing and hanging some cheeses in my cellar to age. I already made feta without the use of culture, by simply souring the milk on my counter overnight. It is still in the brine, but smelled heavenly going in.

You can make MANY of these recipes with only a few supplies: liquid rennet (calf rennet ages better than veg rennet, which can get bitter with age), mesophilic culture, and for mold ripened cheeses, geotrichum candida and penecillum candidum, all available from The Dairy Connection www.dairyconnection.com You will need to order a packet of thermophilic culture, too, and maybe some lipase powder. I also like their yogurt culture powder as it gives me more consistant results with the goat's milk. Get some cheese wax if you want to age with wax. I made my own molds and press, but they also have a nice variety.

For serious cheesewaxing, I got ten pounds of dye-free cheese wax from www.fieldforest.com for $27 plus shipping. Most cheesemaking places charge $6-8 per pound plus shipping. Price from their suppliers just went up, so get it now while the lower price is still in effect.