Making mozzarella at home

The Golfer's Wife said:

I am keen to do this. But not in large quantities. I would love to
hea from any cook out there who has experience in this area of
cheese-making.

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese.html

I've done it a couple times when milk is really cheap (usually at
CostCo where I had to buy 2 gallons at a time - now you can get
just one).

It's worth trying at least twice.

-sw

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The Golfer's Wife said:

I am keen to do this. But not in large quantities. I would love to
hea from any cook out there who has experience in this area of
cheese-making.

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese.html

I've done it a couple times when milk is really cheap (usually at
CostCo where I had to buy 2 gallons at a time - now you can get
just one).

It's worth trying at least twice.

-sw

Cool site, may try the limoncello thingy, I think I'd have to use vodka
though, I haven't seen just alcohol for sale here in the UK.

Sarah

The Golfer's Wife said:

I am keen to do this. But not in large quantities. I would love to
hea from any cook out there who has experience in this area of
cheese-making.

Cheers

It's worth trying once, just to experience it. For me it was akin to
making ketchup where a bushel or so of tomatoes yielded 1/2 pint of
not-so-spicy results.

I recall using a large amount of milk and getting a lump of mozzarella
about the size of a quarter coin.

Good luck!

gloria p

The Golfer's Wife said:

I am keen to do this. But not in large quantities. I would love to
hea from any cook out there who has experience in this area of
cheese-making.

Cheers

The Golfer's Wife

I tried for the first time back in January, and after a few tries, it
worked. Someone in this group, nogoer, was extremely helpful and
directed me to a website called Leener's, which has the directions I
used. If you want to read our thread, it was from Jan.12 of this year,
named Making Cheese. Good Luck!

In article <[email hidden]>,

Sarah said:

Cool site, may try the limoncello thingy, I think I'd have to use vodka
though, I haven't seen just alcohol for sale here in the UK.

Same thing. "just alcohol" is alcohol plus water. Vodka is alcohol
plus water. Just make sure of your proportions. "just alcohol" might
mean 95% alcohol, 5% water. Vodka may be 40% alcohol (or more) and the
rest water. More expensive vodka gives some flavor, cheap stuff often
doesn't.

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The Golfer's Wife said:

I am keen to do this. But not in large quantities. I would love to
hea from any cook out there who has experience in this area of
cheese-making.

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese.html

I've done it a couple times when milk is really cheap (usually at
CostCo where I had to buy 2 gallons at a time - now you can get
just one).

It's worth trying at least twice.

For me, this could be dangerous. Like a drunk making her own wine.

Puester said:

I recall using a large amount of milk and getting a lump of mozzarella
about the size of a quarter coin.

You didn't do it right, then. You should get 13-16oz of cheese
from a gallon of milk. A fist-sized ball.

-sw

merryb said:

The Golfer's Wife said:

I am keen to do this. But not in large quantities. I would love to
hea from any cook out there who has experience in this area of
cheese-making.

Quoted message said:

Cheers

Quoted message said:

The Golfer's Wife

I tried for the first time back in January, and after a few tries, it
worked. Someone in this group, nogoer, was extremely helpful and
directed me to a website called Leener's, which has the directions I
used. If you want to read our thread, it was from Jan.12 of this year,
named Making Cheese. Good Luck!

REAL cheese is cultured by bacteria, NOT curdled by adding citric
acid.

--Bryan

merryb said:

The Golfer's Wife said:

I am keen to do this. But not in large quantities. I would love to
hea from any cook out there who has experience in this area of
cheese-making.

Cheers

The Golfer's Wife

I tried for the first time back in January, and after a few tries, it
worked. Someone in this group, nogoer, was extremely helpful and
directed me to a website called Leener's, which has the directions I
used. If you want to read our thread, it was from Jan.12 of this year,
named Making Cheese. Good Luck!

Thank you for this. I found the thread ok, but some of the
ingredients were totally foreign to me. I then found a recipe for
both mozzarella and ricotta cheesemaking at home at
www.italianfoodforever.com

These recipes had ingredients I either have in my pantry (citric acid
and rennet) or can get easily (whole pasteurized milk). One cannot
buy raw milk in New Zealand - but I guess if you lived on a dairy farm
you could acquire it!

Thank you for your helpful reply.

Cheers

The Golfer's Wife

<The Golfer's Wife> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I am keen to do this. But not in large quantities. I would love to
hea from any cook out there who has experience in this area of
cheese-making.

The key is the milk. Homogenized and pasteurized milk just does not work
very well. You need whole, raw milk. I had no luck making moz at home
until I found a source for raw milk. Also, the cheese making kits use
vegetable rennet. It is a fairly weak substitute for the real rennet. The
sites that sell cheese making supplies will sell the rennet too. Get used
to really hot water. You'll have to handle the hot curds in very hot water.
A pair of rubber gloves will help a lot.

Paul

cybercat said:

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The Golfer's Wife said:

I am keen to do this. But not in large quantities. I would love to
hea from any cook out there who has experience in this area of
cheese-making.

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese.html

I've done it a couple times when milk is really cheap (usually at
CostCo where I had to buy 2 gallons at a time - now you can get
just one).

It's worth trying at least twice.

For me, this could be dangerous. Like a drunk making her own wine.

Yeah, me, too, cyber! LOL.

kili

cybercat said:

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The Golfer's Wife said:

I am keen to do this. But not in large quantities. I would love to
hea from any cook out there who has experience in this area of
cheese-making.

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/Cheese/Cheese.html

I've done it a couple times when milk is really cheap (usually at
CostCo where I had to buy 2 gallons at a time - now you can get
just one).

It's worth trying at least twice.

For me, this could be dangerous. Like a drunk making her own wine.

Somebody else mentioned the Leener's site, and I've followed the
instructions there the first time out (without buying the kit
they offer). I got my citric acid at Whole Foods and my rennet
at Fiesta Mart - cost about $4 for those two and will last for
50+ pounds of cheese.

-sw

Paul M. Cook said:

The key is the milk. Homogenized and pasteurized milk just does not work
very well. You need whole, raw milk. I had no luck making moz at home
until I found a source for raw milk.

That's ridiculous. I've turned out commercial/retail quality
fresh mozzarella with store-bought milk plenty of times.

-sw

Bobo Bonobo® said:

merryb said:

I tried for the first time back in January, and after a few tries, it
worked. Someone in this group, nogoer, was extremely helpful and
directed me to a website called Leener's, which has the directions I
used. If you want to read our thread, it was from Jan.12 of this year,
named Making Cheese. Good Luck!

REAL cheese is cultured by bacteria, NOT curdled by adding citric
acid.

You're confusing a few issues here, poster formerly referred
to as "Food Snob".

Culturing is done on some aged cheeses to effect texture and flavor.
Many cheeses, even aged ones, are not cultured and it's by no means
a necessary part of the process.

What you call "curdling" is properly called coagulation, and it
is a necessary part of cheesemaking. It's how the solids are
separated from the liquid portion of the milk.

Many cheeses are coagulated with enzyme (usually rennet), but
certainly not all. Some perfectly wonderful cheeses are coagulated
by the acid method.

In any case, whether it's an enzyme coagulated cheese or acid coagulated
it can still be cultured as well. One does not exclude the other. They
have nothing to do with each other, actually.

--
Reg

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Paul M. Cook said:

The key is the milk. Homogenized and pasteurized milk just does not

work

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

very well. You need whole, raw milk. I had no luck making moz at home
until I found a source for raw milk.

That's ridiculous. I've turned out commercial/retail quality
fresh mozzarella with store-bought milk plenty of times.

-sw

Your face curdles milk, apparently.

Paul

Paul M. Cook said:

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Paul M. Cook said:

The key is the milk. Homogenized and pasteurized milk just does not

work

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

very well. You need whole, raw milk. I had no luck making moz at home
until I found a source for raw milk.

That's ridiculous. I've turned out commercial/retail quality
fresh mozzarella with store-bought milk plenty of times.

-sw

Your face curdles milk, apparently.

Paul

That's an unacceptably rude reply. If quality cooks with good
reputations can offer their recipes and methods from successful
cheesemaking, that's enough for me. And it should be for you.

I actually watched a neighbour of an aunt of mine in Italy make
mozzarella from pasteurized milk. My problems was with the language
and while they all tried to help, I was somewhat at a loss. Hence my
query.

The Golfer's Wife

Reg said:

In any case, whether it's an enzyme coagulated cheese or acid coagulated
it can still be cultured as well. One does not exclude the other. They
have nothing to do with each other, actually.

IIRC a marscapone is an acid-curdled, then cultured cheese and
its a damn good cheese too.

Steve

<The Golfer's Wife> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Paul M. Cook said:

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:51:27 GMT, Paul M. Cook wrote:

> The key is the milk. Homogenized and pasteurized milk just does not

work

Quoted message said:

> very well. You need whole, raw milk. I had no luck making moz at
> home
> until I found a source for raw milk.

That's ridiculous. I've turned out commercial/retail quality
fresh mozzarella with store-bought milk plenty of times.

-sw

Your face curdles milk, apparently.

Paul

That's an unacceptably rude reply. If quality cooks with good
reputations can offer their recipes and methods from successful
cheesemaking, that's enough for me. And it should be for you.

I actually watched a neighbour of an aunt of mine in Italy make
mozzarella from pasteurized milk. My problems was with the language
and while they all tried to help, I was somewhat at a loss. Hence my
query.

In case you missed it (actually you did miss it)I gave you the benefit of my
experience. If you want to get on your knees for a troll who offered
nothing to your query, have at it lady.

Paul

On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 09:54:11 GMT, "Paul M. Cook" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

<The Golfer's Wife> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Paul M. Cook said:

"Steve Wertz" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> On Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:51:27 GMT, Paul M. Cook wrote:
>
> > The key is the milk. Homogenized and pasteurized milk just does not
work
> > very well. You need whole, raw milk. I had no luck making moz at
> > home
> > until I found a source for raw milk.
>
> That's ridiculous. I've turned out commercial/retail quality
> fresh mozzarella with store-bought milk plenty of times.
>
> -sw

Your face curdles milk, apparently.

Paul

That's an unacceptably rude reply. If quality cooks with good
reputations can offer their recipes and methods from successful
cheesemaking, that's enough for me. And it should be for you.

I actually watched a neighbour of an aunt of mine in Italy make
mozzarella from pasteurized milk. My problems was with the language
and while they all tried to help, I was somewhat at a loss. Hence my
query.

In case you missed it (actually you did miss it)I gave you the benefit of my
experience. If you want to get on your knees for a troll who offered
nothing to your query, have at it lady.

Paul

you really are a charmer, aren't you paul?

your pal, blake