Happy to blog that after two years we've finally hit one of our goals here on the Fulkerson farm. We're producing (actually the goats are...thank you GURLS!) more milk than we can drink or use in our coffee in a week. It is absolutely delicious and I refuse to waste a sweet drop, so its onto the next venture.....
Cheese Please!!
Taste testing different varieties of wine, cheese and tomato's over the years, has become one of my most favorite quirky things to do. Every trip to WI I've ever made has always included several off the beat and path trips to cheese suppliers in an attempt to taste all the 2000 different kinds. I think I've sampled probably around 327 of them, and of COURSE can't remember the name of a single one. (same with the wine and tomato's)
I've had NO clue most of my life what went into making cheese. I just knew that I LOVED it and its expensive. There ARE reasons for that I'm finding out. OMG. As I researched when time allowed what went into it, at one point I almost yielded ~Uncle~ and threw in my cheese cloth before I even got started. Maybe I should try goat soap instead?? There were cheese classes, workshops, seminars, books, and kits, cheese equipment, cheese terms, cheese cultures, cheese caves and on and on it went. I think cheese making is truly a craft and reading about it was a bit intimidating to THIS transplant from the city. The equipment/ingredient list alone was overwhelming at points. A good stainless steel pot, a couple high tech thermometers, a cheese press, cheese cloth, different molds, slotted ladles, strainers, waxes, wraps, measuring spoons, knives, 4 or 5 different cheese cultures from France, Rennet, citric acid, Lipase powder, and so on and so forth. Some of the terms they use in the recipes was like a foreign language to me....coagulation, Mesophillic, Thermophilic, Direct Vat Incoculants, pasteurize, whey, curds, curd breaks clean, flecks, follower, pressing, drying, and waxing. What the hell?? Sounded like a experiment gone bad in biology or science class to me.
I've had NO clue most of my life what went into making cheese. I just knew that I LOVED it and its expensive. There ARE reasons for that I'm finding out. OMG. As I researched when time allowed what went into it, at one point I almost yielded ~Uncle~ and threw in my cheese cloth before I even got started. Maybe I should try goat soap instead?? There were cheese classes, workshops, seminars, books, and kits, cheese equipment, cheese terms, cheese cultures, cheese caves and on and on it went. I think cheese making is truly a craft and reading about it was a bit intimidating to THIS transplant from the city. The equipment/ingredient list alone was overwhelming at points. A good stainless steel pot, a couple high tech thermometers, a cheese press, cheese cloth, different molds, slotted ladles, strainers, waxes, wraps, measuring spoons, knives, 4 or 5 different cheese cultures from France, Rennet, citric acid, Lipase powder, and so on and so forth. Some of the terms they use in the recipes was like a foreign language to me....coagulation, Mesophillic, Thermophilic, Direct Vat Incoculants, pasteurize, whey, curds, curd breaks clean, flecks, follower, pressing, drying, and waxing. What the hell?? Sounded like a experiment gone bad in biology or science class to me.
So I take the intimidating plunge (and the hit in the pocketbook) and buy the good stainless steel pot. Then slowly start adding some of the rest of the goodies that I read that I need. Was pleasantly surprised and tickled with an early Mother's Day present of a cheese press from my Kentucky (cheese loving) kids a few days ago!
My favorite cheese has always been an aged sharp cheddar (probably because I can remember THAT name no sweat) and I decided to start my venture there. That was UNTIL I kept coming across these subtle warnings that if you're NEW to cheese making, MAYBE you should start with a soft cheese as they are easier. Always one to listen to whatever I'm told by those in the know (har-de-har-har) I am going to attempt a soft cheese known as Chevre (reminded me of cream cheese) for my first go around. To make it oh-so-special, I'm going to use a recipe that calls for Chives and Garlic that I currently have plenty of on hand.
So tonight I dip my toes into the cheese crafting vat and started my first batch. Hopefully we will have some yummy cheesy results in a few days, spread on a cracker, with a cheap wine back ;-) And should I get that down pat without too much brain strain... I may work my way up to that Cheddar before ~I'm~ totally AGED!
We'll see....
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