# Small scale cheesemaking



## marmalady (Apr 19, 2001)

I assisted at a cheesemaking workshop yesterday, taught by Gerry Behr Saada; fascinating! Felt like a chemistry class sometimes, and I know I missed a lot because I was making the recipes she brought for the cheeses the class was making. But what a gas! It may be my next new thing! The class made queso blanco, ricotta, creme fraiche (with a culture, not just buttermilk and cream), fromage blanc (got my best vote!), mascarpone, and mozzerella.

She had a catalog for cheesemaking supplies on a small scale; also on the web, www.cheesemaking.com , and some recommended books -

Cheesemaking Made Easy, by Carroll and Carroll; The Cheese Bible, by Teubner, Making Great Cheese, Ciletti.

I'm so excited!!:bounce:


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## devotay (May 14, 2001)

Charles de Gaulle said "How can one be expected to govern a country that has 267 different kinds of cheese?"

If you truly love great cheese, read Slow Food's Manifesto on Raw Milk Cheeses, and do whatever you can to stop the assault on tradition and flavor

Manifesto in defense of Raw-milk Cheese
"Raw-milk cheese is more than a wonderful food, it is a deeply embedded expression of our finest traditions. It is both an art and a way of life. It is a culture, a heritage and a cherished landscape. And it is under threat of extinction! Under threat because the values it expresses are in opposition to the sanitation and homogenization of mass produced foods.

"We call on all food-loving citizens of the world to respond now to the defense of the unpasteurized cheese tradition. A defense of a food that has for hundreds of years inspired, given pleasure and provided sustenance but is now being insidiously undermined by the sterile hand of global hygiene controls.

"We call for an end to all discriminatory regulations from EU, WTO, Food and Drug Administration and other government Institutions that needlessly restrict citizens' freedom of choice to purchase these foods, and threaten to destroy the livelihood of the artisanal craftsmen who produce them.

"We deplore attempts by regulatory authorities to impose unattainable standards of production, in the name of protecting human health.

"We believe that such impositions will have the adverse effect of that intended. The bacteriological health of our unpasteurized dairy products is destroyed by overzealous sterilization procedures. So will the health of human beings be destroyed through a diet of sterile food. Without any challenge, our immune system will fail and our medication become ineffective.

"Moreover the unique flavor and aroma of the cheese are conserved by non-pasteurization.

"We therefore call upon those who have it in their power to safeguard the diversity and complexity of our regional foods and the health and stability of our rural communities to act now and ensure a flexible, fair and appropriate regulatory framework; sensible controls and a positive disposition concerning the future.

"Be aware - that once the knowledge, skills and commitment of this culture have been lost, they can never be regained."

You can help this cause by sending the following message "I also eat raw-milk cheese" to the e-mail address [email protected]

Peace,
kmf


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Hey, thanks a bunch Marmalady, for the CREME FRAICHE mention. So far I've had bad luck with the buttermilk-in-cream method for making it. I'll contact the NE Cheesemaking operation for their culture and expect success. :chef:


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## thebighat (Feb 21, 2001)

I looked at The Cheese Bible and got fascinated by the whole idea of making cheese. I thought about getting a starter kit, but then decided I didn't need any more obsessions. The buttermilk/heav cream thing...that used to work for me. But ultrapasteurized cream just won't do it. The amateur cook across the street made some recently with fresh cream from the dairy (we're lucky enough to have milkmen still) and he said it worked fine. This is a guy who subscribes to Saveur, among others, and duplicates the stuff he sees in there. It's a riot.


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## marmalady (Apr 19, 2001)

For Devotay, thanks for the tip on Slow Food - I plan on joining this year; think it's a great idea. Have you seen the 'raw milk' post?

For Kokopuffs - you're most welcome! I actually thought the fromage blanc recipe she gave us was the best; let me know if you want any of the recipes from the class.

For Thebighat - I know what you mean about the ultrapasteurized stuff; the instructor for the class said absolutely not to use that, but that regular pasteurized is okay. Here in New Jersey, there's a dairy, Welch Farms, that just does pasteurized. I think there are some others, too. The Amish do a regular pasteurization, not ultra. Maybe you could find local dairies in your neck of the woods who do the same. 

I'm sending away for some supplies, will let y'all know how I did! The catalog had some other neat stuff - they have 'butter cheesecloth' which almost looks like a batiste fabric, it's so fine! Great for straining out anything fine - like raspberry seeds. And the couer la creme molds!!! I have to restrain myself - we're on a budget til I start working again next month!!!!


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

My husband makes homemade cheese as a hobby. He uses recipes out of Cheesemaking mad easy. So far, he has successfully produced a lot of queso blanco, a very nice cheddar, gjetost, and a block of parmesan, which still has a few months of aging left.

Marmalady, are there anymore cheese classes scheduled? Where are they in NJ?


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## marmalady (Apr 19, 2001)

Momoreg,

They're talking about scheduling her for some goat cheese classes, but don't know when yet. The classes are held at the King's Supermarkets; there's one in Verona, Hillsdale, Bedminster, and Short Hills. The classes I assist at are in Bedminster; you can call for a copy of the catalog at 908-719-4966; they come out every three months. Would you make the schlep down from Ct. to attend?


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

This I've got to try, if only I could find a supplier in Cananda.



Add to that the wine my father makes and we have a wine and cheese soirée...


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## marmalady (Apr 19, 2001)

Isa, have you tried the supplier I mentioned to see if they'll ship to Canada?


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

BigHat mentions that ultrapasteurized cream won't work in making creme fraiche. Why? Do I assume that regular pasteurized heavy cream will work using a culture?


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Marnmalady, I might make the schlep for a goat cheese class. I bet my husband would too. The only town that sounds familiar is Short Hills. I don't know where Bedminster is. But 908 isn't north Jersey, so I assume it's more than 90 min. from here.


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## kokopuffs (Aug 4, 2000)

Hi to all:

I just received the following reply from the N.E. Cheesemaking Supply Company, whose URL is listed in an earlier post. It pertains to using ultra pasteurized creme for making creme fraiche:

it will work with either [pasteurized or ultra pasteurized cream]. I have been doing it lately. you will not be able to make Mozzarella with ULTRA-pasteurized but this will be ok.


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## marmalady (Apr 19, 2001)

Momoreg - Actually Bedminster is only about 15 minutes from Short Hills! Look on a map for Route 78 West, and you'll see the Bedminster exit. I'll let you know if/when they decide to run another class of hers. You might also call the instructor, or email her (when you email, mention the King's classes - she's real paranoid about viruses!) and ask if she does classes up your way. Or maybe if you got a group together, she'd come up! Gerry Behr Saada Culinary [email protected].

Kokopuffs - Hmmm, I seem to remember the instructor saying not to use ultra on any of the fresh cheeses - it seems the extra heat used for the ultra just zaps the heck out of the good enzymes, etc. in the milk/cream. But I may have heard wrong - I was zooming around behind her, doing prep. Or it may be that she's just very particular. I guess the sure-fire way would be to try some with and some without!


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## isa (Apr 4, 2000)

In Great Italian Desserts Malgieri offers a easy method, that does not require out of the way ingredients, to make your own ricotta and mascarpone.

Marmalady, thanks but I think I found a local supplier.


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## momoreg (Mar 4, 2000)

Thanks for the info, marmalady. I look forward to checking out a class.


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## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

Great thread! Thanks for posting this.


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## marmalady (Apr 19, 2001)

CC - You're most welcome!


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