Making Artisan Cheese (13 page)

Crème fraîche is a versatile substitute for fresh or sour cream in savory sauces, casseroles, or dips. For topping desserts, it can be whipped like fresh cream.

Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese, pot cheese, Dutch cheese, and Schmierkase are all the same names for this soft, uncured cheese that is such a staple in North America. Cottage cheese is traditionally made with skim milk, but it can also be made with whole milk. In addition, cream can be added for more flavor, in which case the end product would carry the name Creamed Cottage Cheese.

PROCEDURE

Heat the milk to 72°F (22°C), then add the calcium chloride. (If you are using homogenized milk, the suggested amount of calcium chloride is
teaspoon [about 1 g] diluted in ¼ cup [30 ml] cool water per 1 gallon [3.8 L] of milk. Add the starter culture, stir well, and cover. Let the milk ripen for twenty-four hours at room temperature. Be certain that the milk does not fall below 68°F (20°C). After the curds set, cut them into ¼" (4 mm) cubes, and let rest for fifteen minutes.

Put the pot on the stove, and heat the curds to 100°F (38°C); this should take twenty-five minutes. Stir occasionally to keep the curds from matting. Keep the curds at 100°F (38°C) for an additional ten minutes and continue to stir. Slowly increase the temperature of the curds to 112°F (44° C) for fifteen minutes. Hold at this target temperature for an additional thirty minutes. Check the curds for consistency. They should be firm, not soft and mushy. If they are still soft, they need be cooked longer—check again in five minutes. When they reach the right consistency, let them rest for five minutes.

INGREDIENTS

1 gallon (3.8 L) skim or whole milk

Calcium chloride (
teaspoon diluted in ¼ cup [60 ml] water [see
page 72
])

teaspoon (about 1 ml) mesophilic direct-set culture Cheese salt (optional)

Heavy cream (optional)

TECHNIQUES

For tools and illustrated steps, see Techniques for Making Fresh, Soft Cheeses,
page 48
.

Cottage cheese is simple to make, economical, and versatile–you can add any flavoring you like, typically fruits or herbs.

Pour the curds into a cheese cloth–lined colander, and tie the cloth into a ball. Dunk the ball into a bowl of cold water several times to eliminate any additional whey, which can make the cheese sour. Set the ball into a colander with a catch bowl underneath, and let the whey drain for five minutes. In a bowl of ice water, rinse the cheese-cloth bundle of curds again, and let them drain in the colander for another five minutes.

Untie the cheese cloth and break apart any large curd pieces. If you want a creamier cheese, blend in one to two tablespoons of heavy cream. Salt to taste. Place the cheese in an airtight container, and store in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Yield: 1 pound (450 g)

CHAPTER FOUR
Intermediate Cheese Making

The cheeses in this chapter cover a broad range of varieties. If cheeses such as Cheddar and Swiss Emmental are to your liking, then look no further. The cheeses covered in this chapter fall into three categories: pressed cheeses, such as Cheddar and Romano; washed-curd cheeses such as Gouda and Colby; and pasta filata cheeses such as Mozzarella and Provolone.

Before you begin to make these cheeses, it should be pointed out that unlike fresh cheeses, which require very little equipment, and can be made rather quickly and consumed almost immediately, the cheeses found in this section are more time consuming, require additional equipment and ingredients, and generally take months to ripen. They are truly to be made with delayed gratification in mind. Yet making these cheeses is a very satisfying experience. Think about it—when you are making Gouda, you are using techniques that are centuries old. Though the equipment and ingredients are updated for modern times, the principles remain the same. In a strange metaphysical way, it is as if you are in touch with cheese makers throughout history when you are making these cheeses.

Cheeses that meet with universal approval include many molded cheeses, such as Cheddar, Colby, and Monterey Jack with peppers, which are discussed in this chapter. Waxing these finished cheeses extends their shelf life, locks in moisture, and prevents them from molding.

Artisan Advice

So, what do you do with all that whey? Don’t pitch it in the drain if you have a septic tank, because the bacteria could react adversely with the beneficial bacteria in your septic system. Do use whey to make butter or ricotta cheese, or pour it into your compost pile.

Ingredients

Making these cheeses will require you to purchase some ingredients in addition to the ones listed in the previous chapter. Other than milk, the necessary ingredients, such as penicillium molds for ripening, rennet, and cheese starter cultures, are generally not readily available in your local grocery store and will need to be purchased through a cheese-making supply company, several of which are listed in the Resources section on
page 172
.

Annatto Coloring

Have you ever wondered how some cheeses, particularly Colby and Cheddar, get that brilliant orange color? Well, the milk certainly did not come out of the cow that way; something was added—namely annatto coloring. Annatto is a food colorant that comes from the seed of the bush
Bixa orellana,
which is native to Central America. The waxy coatings on the seeds carry pigments of red, yellow, and orange. Cows that graze on grains and silage, rather than fresh grasses, produce pale-colored milk, and annatto was originally added to compensate for this. (In some cases there seems to be overcompensation, because some colored cheeses look almost phosphorescent.) Although purists might turn up their noses as using annatto, some cheeses are closely associated with this coloring and may look “off ” without it.

Annatto coloring, which is derived from seeds of a Central American plant, is used to give Cheddar and Colby cheeses their characteristic yellow or orange coloring.

Calcium Chloride

Milk that is mass-produced and available in the local supermarket has taken a beating before getting on the shelf. The processes of homogenizing and high-temperature pasteurizing have a negative effect on the calcium balance, which will negatively affect rennet activity when making cheese. In order to correct this imbalance, you need to add
calcium to the milk in the form of calcium chloride. If you plan on using regular milk, it is almost imperative to add calcium chloride; otherwise, you will find that your curd structure is too soft to make cheese. (The suggested amount is
teaspoon [about 1 ml] per gallon of milk diluted in ¼ cup [about 60 ml] of cool water.)