cheesemaking support needed!

[freemotion]

I have about 4 gallons of milk in the fridge, and am about to go milk again in a few minutes....I have my cultures, thermo and meso, lipase, citric acid, etc, and no more excuses. I am nervously circling my cheesemaking book and reading instructions online ....I don't have a press yet, but want to make mozzarella....I've read it is tricky, and keep putting it off.

I can't fit another quart in my fridge!!! I need some tips and encouragement....anyone out there making cheese? I made lactic cheese...one batch is enough. I want to make cheese I can freeze and stock up on it while the milk is coming in.

Help?

 

[gettinaclue]

Free, I have absolutely no experience in cheese making.

You have been doing all sorts of self reliant things for years and years. You've read-up, you've prepared.

Give it your best shot, and remember that life is a learning experience.

I'll be hanging out to hear how you're doing.

Don't worry. You've got this in the bag, er fridge.

 

[freemotion]

Well, you have more confidence in me than I do in myself right now!! Thanks!

And it was "in the bag" until I put it in the bottle....tee-hee...

OK, since you are anxiously awaiting the results, I will buckle down soon....probably start it tomorrow and finish on Mon or Tues, depending on how much time I have. Gotta go earn a living, too :/ One day I will be "retired" and just do my ss stuff all day long, 365 days a year...

 

[Patch of Heaven Farm]

I have no clue how to begin to make cheese although I want to learn. But I am rooting for you!!!!

 

[freemotion]

Thanks! Getting braver by the hour!

 

[patandchickens]

Go for it! I believe ricotta freezes well, you can make whole-milk ricotta from cows milk and I don't see any obvious reason you couldn't from goat's as well - it's really easy, you just acidify and heat the milk til it separates and then ladle the curd out and drain a little while.

Have fun

Pat, jealous of your goats milk

 

[freemotion]

I am really excited about this, because I have had big problems with milk for about the last three decades...just a tablespoon will make me sick enough that I have to stay home for an entire day. Now I am drinking a cup a day of my raw goat's milk!!! So the thought of eating soft cheeses again....oooo, ricotta! Aaaahhhh, cream cheese! Lasagna, stuffed shells, cream puffs? Thank goodness for elastic-waist pants!

 

[Soybean]

I've never made cheese before but I'm sure you can do it! All this talk of cheese is making me hungry! You should post pictures when you're done with it. You can do it!

 

[gettinaclue]

Yaeh! Pictures!!

We gotta see Freemotion!

Just think how helpful it will be for those of us that will go out on our own cheese making adventure....eventually.

 

[freemotion]

OK, I just put 3 gallons of milk in the pot with citric acid and it is warming over my big canner as a double boiler. The first part of the process will take me around 7-8 hours (only a few minutes here and there of actually working, the rest is waiting time) and then I can work the curds into mozzorella, or wait until tomorrow to do it.

I will attempt ricotta with the whey.

I still have two gallons in the fridge and will get a couple more quarts tonight...Mya has turned out to be quite the producer! I will also begin my search for lye to begin making soap sooner than planned, but not too much, because I don't want to be buying fat when I know I will get it for free in the fall. I just want to work out the process and then maybe I will freeze some milk in pre-measured amounts when I have too much and no time to make cheese. Maybe. Just thinking.