Farmers Cheese/Chevre'

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Just finished. Three bowls:
1. plain with a sprinkle of salt, a dash of vanilla, & a TBSP or 2 of honey
2. same as 1 PLUS dried raspberries
3. same as 1 PLUS dried powdered peach

Just tasted them before I put in the fridge to chill and solidify. DELICIOUS!!! Tastes just like those cottage cheese thingies with fruit in the separate compartment. Sweet and healthy.

Son hasn't tasted #1 yet (the one I specifically made for him). Waiting for it to get cold.

I have lots of dried fruit. Thinking about trying dried strawberries, dried blueberries, dried blackberries, and ... who knows!?! I have some dried kiwi, mango and persimmon around here somewhere.

 

[mydakota]

I have a new batch going in the kitchen right now. I think I am going to divide it in half and make one half blueberry and then mix in some herb dip mix into the other half and make a batch that is a little less sweet and a little more savory.

I found out that it freezes pretty well, as I froze half of the last batch to experiment.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Last year I made savory (I think I posted about it a page ago) and yes, it freezes very well. Doesn't melt so great, but tastes delicious, especially on baked potatoes and pasta.

 

[lorihadams]

I personally like making it with lemon juice better than vinegar, it has a different cleaner flavor to me, more like mozzerella and all I usually add is salt. I love to crumble it on a homemade pizza.

My neighbor added olive oil and fresh basil and sun dried tomatoes chopped up to the batch I made for her and she said it was divine!

I haven't tried the sweet versions either but they sound yummy!

 

[savingdogs]

I've tried either the vinegar method and the lemon juice method and prefer the flavor with lemon juice as well.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

I have lime juice right now. Would that work? Same as vinegar?

 

[savingdogs]

I'd give it a try! I would be ready to put in a different amount in case the acidity is different. I've just been "eyeballing" how much lemon juice to use anyway, I add a little bit and stir it in and see how it looks, then repeat until it really looks curdled and the whey looks yellowish, not so white anymore.

 

[Kingsfarm]

savingdogs - I can't "eyeball" anything....need a receipe...we have a cow that gives plenty of milk can I make this with cows milk? or is that what you are talking about? someone put out a "How to" for us who have never done it....the wannabees Ha....thanks....G My receipe book is certainly growing....my husband would really love this...

 

[savingdogs]

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Home-Made-Farmers-Cheese/detail.aspx
This is where I originally got the recipe.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Home-Made-Farmers-Cheese/detail.aspx
This is where I originally got the recipe.

Hope you don't mind, but links tend to disappear and get disabled (no pun intended) so I'm adding it here. Not copyright infringement because the link is above!

Ingredients:
1 gallon whole milk
1 pinch salt
1 large lemon, juiced

Directions
1.Pour the milk into a large pot, and stir in a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pot.
2.When the milk begins to boil (small bubbles will first appear at the edges), turn off the heat. Stir lemon juice into the milk, and the milk will curdle. You may need to wait 5 or 10 minutes.
3.Line a sieve or colander with a cheesecloth, and pour the milk through the cloth to catch the curds. What is left in the cheesecloth is the Farmer's Cheese. The liquid is the whey. Some people keep the whey and drink it, but I throw it away. Gather the cloth around the cheese, and squeeze out as much of the whey as you can. Wrap in plastic, or place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.


Now ... my tips:

I use goat milk but since it doesn't what kind, I'm sure cow's milk would work. Even sheep, camel and yak would work. Probably not dog!!! (okay, don't smack me!)

If you don't get the temp up on the milk BEFORE adding the acid, it will NOT work right! Trust me ... ruined a few batches that way. Gotta be patient.

I scoop the curds with a mesh-type strainer. Haven't bought any cheesecloth yet but probably should.

My chickens love to drink the whey. Still has calcium in it, so either give it to them to drink, or pour on your tomato plants (they need the calcium too).

I wait until I've strained the curds from the whey and pressed out the extra whey before I salt and add other things. For some reason, it doesn't come out right for me when I salt it before. Yours might.

And... I freeze small snack baggies with the "flavored" cheese. Be sure to write on the baggie what you added, and the date. I bag those in a quart-sized freezer baggie and then again a second one. Keeps out freezer burn. Still eating some from last summer. Delicious!