The Joy of Cheese-making

Filed in archive Around The Kitchen , Recipes on June 14, 2006

Guess who's grinning like the baby in the picture!

I probably even grinning like a Cheshire cat when I tasted my first batch of fresh cheese last night. It was so simple, I don't know why there are not many people making their own!

My cheese tasted wonderful, with a slightly nutty taste. It's still a bit lumpy like cottage cheese and I prefer it a bit smoother. I'll work on that first before posting the detailed procedures. But for the not-Faint-of-heart, here are the general instructions:

• Pasteurise 1 litre milk in a double boiler till very fine bubbles appear on the surface.


• Gradually pour 2 cups of water mixed with 2 tablespoons vinegar.


• Stir gently until the curds form into a solid mass, floating on top of a light, yellowish liquid (whey).


• Strain into a cheesecloth, reserving around 2 cups of the whey.


• Dissolve 1 tablespoon salt in the reserved whey and immerse the curds for 10 minutes.


• Drain and cool.

That's about it! You'll hear about my cheese-making adventures occasionally. In the meantime, I'll have to perfect my strokes for a smoother texture.

By the way, the cheese is delicious with jam on toast!