Cheese making

angel404, Aug 24, 8:26pm
I just got my supply of raw milk today but my cheese making kit wont arrive until wednesday. Is it ok to freeze the milk until then! Will it affect the cheese!
vmax2, Aug 24, 8:31pm
Yes, I think it will be fine.I made some yoghurt the other day with frozen cream.So long as it's not frozen for longer than 3 months.Yippee for the raw milk.We have another 2 weeks to wait.
angel404, Aug 24, 8:36pm
Yippee alright! oooh Im gonna freeze it then! Im so excited. How do you make yoghurt! I dont have any cream.
vmax2, Aug 24, 9:23pm
Yoghurt is very easy.Put your milk or cream in a bowl and put the bowl in a pot with water in it - a water bath.Take the temp up to 85 C.Cool it in sink with cold water surrounding it to 43 C.Add 1/2 tsp starter (clearwaters yoghurt) Put a lid on it and put in chilly bin surrounded with towels and hotty.Leave for 12-24 hours.Hey presto you have yoghurt!
This is the same method and amounts for 1L milk or 15L milk.It is amazing that 1/2 tsp starter is all that is needed.
kamitchell, Aug 24, 9:23pm
Where are you getting your milk from Angel!
angel404, Aug 24, 9:55pm
From a local organic dairy farm.
angel404, Aug 24, 9:56pm
Ooooh i followed a different recipe! If mine turns out crap ill use it for making a cheesecake!
vmax2, Aug 24, 10:23pm
Angel are you getting jersey milk or freisian milk!There's nothing like jersey milk for making yoghurt.Over the winter I've been trying out shop yoghurts.They are not nice.
angel404, Aug 24, 11:06pm
Oh I have no idea what colour the cows are! Will ask. I am assuming they are fresian but will have to confirm that.
vmax2, Aug 24, 11:45pm
You can tell by the colour of the milk too.Jersey milk has a large amount of cream and it's quite yellow.Friesian milk in comparison is very thin and not much cream.Jersey milk is the best to go for as it's usually A2 milk which is better for our bodies.
angel404, Aug 24, 11:54pm
It did look quite yellow - but then i am used to store bought processed milk. Will wait with bated breath to the reply about which colour cow made it. (my bets are on fresian)! hehe
buzzy110, Aug 25, 3:50am
Go you. I'm loving my fresh, weekly supply of raw Jersey milk and cream. I culture my cream and make butter but the cultured cream is just glorious as it is. It is very thick and totally delicious.

I made my first ever batch of haloumi and I felt like I'd achieved something very special. My next attempt (Monday) will be feta. If that works out well I'll probably wish I got the full kit so I could make other cheeses.

Don't forget to get in vinegar so you can make ricotta with the whey that is produced during cheesemaking. You have to save about 2 cups of fresh milk as well to add to the whey when making ricotta.

A lovely Indian man told me today that they just make curds with their raw milk. I was a bit confused till I realised that curds are just the first stage of cheesemaking. Curds are popular in Indian cuisine so I'll try doing it how he told me when I have a litre of leftover milk.

I make yoghurt, milk kefir and cheese at present.
buzzy110, Aug 25, 3:52am
At the market a Middle Eastern family sell all sorts of Middle Eastern foods. One of the things they sell is Taramasalata, but not the original made with smoked fish roe and milk soaked bread. Theirs is different, using one of the cheeses we will all be making (vmax is doing so already and is quite a dab hand at it) and a few other low carb ingredients, such as sour cream, which makes it perfect for our new hobby. I'll send you both the recipe.
harrislucinda, Aug 25, 4:51am
nowthatwearemilking againi havemade2 lots ofcheesequarkandjustpressing gaudanow