Gearing up to make cheese.

[Our7Wonders]

What do I need? I have an order to place with Hoegger and thought that I might as well get a few cheese making basics while I'm at it. So what are the very basic essentials to start with? I'm' not planning on anything fancy - I need to keep it simple, both for budget and for my sanity.

I know I need rennet. Do you like the liquid or tablets?

What about citric acid?

And chesse salt? Do I need a specific salt? I always have both basic white sea salt and course gray celtic sea salt that I have to grind for our table salt, will these not work?

Calcium Chloride? Catalog says it's needed when you use store bought milk. So then I don't need it if I'm using my goat's milk?

I was going to order Hoegger's chevre culture. I don't know about the other cultures There's Thermophilic, Mesophilic, and a Farmhouse culture, as well as some mold powders. I really don't want anything that's going to sit around for a while before I get brave enough to try it. Think "cheese basics for dummies". That's the kind of supply list I want.

And the "how to" to start with? I was going to order "Goats Produce Too". Is that a good basic starter guide? Is there one better?

Thanks guys!

 

[freemotion]

You can make a lot of different cheeses with a mesophilic culture and rennet. I like liquid calf rennet. You probably won't use the citric acid or the calcium chloride. I haven't seen the Toth book so I can't comment on it.

You can use Kosher salt or as I do, sea salt.

Real cheese cloth is nice to have.

 

[patandchickens]

I know I need rennet. Do you like the liquid or tablets?

Liquid! Tablets are annoying to have to divide accurately and then dissolve. Although they do have the advantage of better storage qualities (longer, and not needing refrigeration if kept in 'sensible' location).

What about citric acid?

Only if you want to make acid-coagulated things (like the quick ricotta-like thing everyone makes); even then, you can perfectly well substitute lemon juice (I like) or a little vinegar (not so much) if you prefer.

And chesse salt? Do I need a specific salt? I always have both basic white sea salt and course gray celtic sea salt that I have to grind for our table salt, will these not work?

If you want to make aged cheeses it is best to use cheese salt or at least ground-up kosher salt. For something like acid-coagulated 'ricotta' it really doesn't matter much.

Calcium Chloride? Catalog says it's needed when you use store bought milk. So then I don't need it if I'm using my goat's milk?

Actually for goats milk it is often recommended (for some cheeses) that you add some calcium chloride also, to help the curd be a little less flimsy. It would nto be a bad idea to get, tho you can work around it if necessary.

I was going to order Hoegger's chevre culture. I don't know about the other cultures There's Thermophilic, Mesophilic, and a Farmhouse culture, as well as some mold powders.

Well what do you want to make? Look at recipes, then see whatcha want. They are not even remotely substitutable. In the absence of knowing what you might want to try making, I'd say you might wish to get at least a mesophilic culture. No mold powders unless you want to try soft-ripened cheeses (e.g. brie, camembert type things) or 'blue' type cheeses. Which are quite a lot more foolin' around with than just Yer Basic Hey It's A Cheese.

Good luck, have fun ,

Pat

 

[Okie Amazon]

I haven't gotten to make any yet, but I got a basic cheesemaking kit from

Caprine Supply

It has mesophilic and thermophilic cultures, rennet, cheesecloth, 1 cheese form, recipe book - I can't remember what all else. I think it was like $27.00

 

[patandchickens]

btw make sure to also buy a *good* supply of butter muslin; and if you do not already have a good instant-read thermometer that is suitable for a cheesemaking type temperature range, that is a real good idea too. Other things like molds, followers, presses, etc can be cobbled together out of things you have at home.

Pat

 

[Neko-chan]

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