Entertaining Weekend - I learned to make Cheese!

[Belinda Barfield]

I attended a cheese making workshop this weekend at Red Earth Farm in Reidsville, GA. It was a lot of fun. I learned to make Mozzarella and Ricotta, and it was much easier than I anticipated. If you're looking for a new hobby, give cheese making a whirl. A gallon of whole milk goes for $5 in this area, and I thought that was a little steep until I remembered what I pay for cheese. The farm is owned by author and environmental activist Janisse Ray and her husband Raven Waters. If you haven't read Janisse's books you've missed a real treat. Another real treat that was new to me. . . mozzarella with fresh peaches and basil. Some yummies using the cheese.

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[Dan Hintz]

It's funny... in my younger years, I used to laugh at the cheese snobs. Paying $25 for a small tray of various cheeses seemed ridiculous.

And then I started hanging around one... and I tried a few selections.

Now I'm a cheese snob ;)

A freshly made piece of mozzarella is quite the yummy thing. You can mix it with items normally I wouldn't eat alone, yet the combo is also yummy.

Go figure.

[Darius Ferlas]

I kinda think I know what "whole milk" is but is it also pasteurized or natural?

I make my own cheese occasionally, mostly cottage, but with the stuff they sell in stores the process has to be modified a little and the result no longer real cottage cheese which would a stage before mozzarella. Eventually, I was able to get hold of some unpasteurized milk but that wasn't easy. My take is that it would be much easier and safer to find (not to use though) psychedelic drugs than it is to get real milk.

[Belinda Barfield]

Well, Dan, I went to the class and misspelled the name of the cheese. LOL . . . I corrected it. I knew it didn't look correct when I typed it.


I kinda think I know what "whole milk" is but is it also pasteurized or natural?

I make my own cheese occasionally, mostly cottage, but with the stuff they sell in stores the process has to be modified a little and the result no longer real cottage cheese which would a stage before mozzarella. Eventually, I was able to get hold of some unpasteurized milk but that wasn't easy. My take is that it would be much easier and safer to find (not to use though) psychedelic drugs than it is to get real milk.

Whole milk is just real milk. It can be pasteurized or not. Since it is only legal to buy fresh, unpasteurized milk for bathing purposes I'll have to go with pasteurized. The milk used in the class came from the cow that morning and was not pasteurized.

[Tom Winship]

Another real treat that was new to me. . . mozzarella with fresh peaches and basil.

Somehow to this old meat and potatoes guy (who does like cheese on occasion), mozzarella and peaches just dont get me excited. Got to get ouside the box...........

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I don't know that I'd enjoy making cheese but over the years I have tried wide a variety and enjoy them.

[Dan Hintz]

Somehow to this old meat and potatoes guy (who does like cheese on occasion), mozzarella and peaches just dont get me excited. Got to get ouside the box...........
What about moza wrapped in Prosciutto? Dried beef?

[Belinda Barfield]

a roll up made of mozzarella, spinach, diced Roma tomatoes and Prosciutto, sliced and drizzled with olive oil/balsamic vinegar - one of my favorite meals.

[Bob Rufener]

My grandparents immigrated to the US in the early 1900's from Switzerland. My grandfather was a cheesemaker so it was natural to settle in Wisconsin. My father had to quit school after 7th grade to help with the work. They operated the cheese factory until the early 1950's. I remember as a young boy going to visit my grandparents and remember dipping my hand in the warm fresh curds as they wee making the cheese. Delicious! I enjoy different kinds of cheese but especially like Swiss. (I wonder why). My father drove a semi when he married and hauled cheese for "The Milwaukee Cheese Co". Every week, well over 100,000 lbs of cheese was hauled to Milwaukee for distribution. I'm a genuine diehard cheesehead.

[Belinda Barfield]

Good story Bob, thanks for sharing it.

[Bruce Volden]

When I think of cheese the only thing that comes to mind is Jarlsberg cheese, man I love that stuff!! I have tried MANY types of cheese in my life (even lived in Germany 7 years) but I still come back to that buttery, sweet, nutty Jarlsberg cheese.

Bruce

[Belinda Barfield]

When I think of cheese the only thing that comes to mind is Jarlsberg cheese, man I love that stuff!! I have tried MANY types of cheese in my life (even lived in Germany 7 years) but I still come back to that buttery, sweet, nutty Jarlsberg cheese.

Bruce

At the beginning of the workshop we each had to answer the question, "If you were a cheese what kind of cheese would you be?" I wanted to be one of my favorites, either Parmigiano Reggiano or Stilton. I can't recall ever meeting a cheese I didn't like.

[Lee Koepke]

I could learn how to brew beer, the Mrs could learn to make cheese ..... we'd be pretty much off the grid in no time at all!!!!

[Dan Hintz]

When I think of cheese the only thing that comes to mind is Jarlsberg cheese, man I love that stuff!! I have tried MANY types of cheese in my life (even lived in Germany 7 years) but I still come back to that buttery, sweet, nutty Jarlsberg cheese.

Bruce
There's one I haven't gotten up the nerve to try yet... Casu Marzu. Anything that requires maggots to be considered good is a bit beyond my comfort level.

[Belinda Barfield]

I could learn how to brew beer, the Mrs could learn to make cheese ..... we'd be pretty much off the grid in no time at all!!!!

Lee, the farm in Reidsville isn't all that far from you. Beer brewing workshop coming up in the fall.

[Lee Koepke]

Lee, the farm in Reidsville isn't all that far from you. Beer brewing workshop coming up in the fall.I may just look into that. I think it would be neat to try something different. A coworkers brew beer, its not bad, he shares a few bottles with me each batch.

[Belinda Barfield]

Lee, sent you a PM with the website for the farm and their workshop schedule.

[Marty Paulus]

Lee, I have brewed my own beer for a long while now. I don't do it all the time. It is not that hard to do. I only do 5 gal batches (about 2 cases) and have graduated up to kegs instead of bottles. Less to clean...

The equipment isn't that expensive, about $120 with your first kit of ingredients. Takes about 4 weeks from start to finish if you allow it to age that long. One of the things I like most about it is the ability to make what you like.