Cheesemaking

Saturday, September 24, 2011
We are big cheese eaters in our family. My husband's family have taught me that. Crackers and blue vein late afternoon on a summer's day at the beach is a ritual - a lovely, delicious family ritual that I embrace.

Making my own cheese has always been something that I wanted to try, but the only place I could find locally to teach me cost over $300 for a two day course. I had neither the time or the funds for such a luxury, so imagine how thrilled I was when I heard about a cheese-making course only 10 minutes from my house and under $100 to learn how to make feta, camembert and slipcote (cream cheese).

Today was the day that my neighbour and I joined up with 4 other ladies at Sarah's beautiful self-sustaining rural villa and spent 4 hours immersed in cheese.


The cheeses we learned how to make today are made from goat's milk, so we all had a try at milking Mellow. I was thrilled to get several squirts of warm milk into the bucket, but my attempts looked pathetic when Sarah later emptied Mellow in a few seconds. Isnt she a beauty!


Sarah shows us all how its done . . .

I am once again looking into the benefits of drinking goat's milk. When Hugh was a baby he was plagued with eczema and we gave him goats milk instead of cows. I have also read a controversial book on the subject of cows milk contributing to breast cancer. And did you know that the  Bible even mentions drinking goats milk as beneficial.

"And [thou shalt have] goats' milk enough for thy food, for the food of thy household, and [for] the maintenance for thy maidens." Proverbs 27:27

Sarah had prepared a beautiful luncheon for us of homemade bread, Greek Salad with her own feta, and two cream cheeses to spread on the bread - garlic cream cheese and sweet chilli cream cheese. I won't even tell you about the divine chocolate gateau with pear we had for dessert!




And these are the cream cheeses that we spread onto our bread. MMMmmmmmm!!!!


The process of making cheese is so simple. Being at the class has taken the mystery away of how to do it. I bought home my feta and it is now hanging in the laundry to drain for a couple of days.

Cutting it before straining was fun.


Doesn't the feta look pretty in the little muslin cups? Some are plain feta, and some have cumin seeds in them.


Well worth the time and money. I want to try the cream cheese now - it was so delicious on fresh bread.

Next time I am blogging on the Spotty Wots - also known as 4 children with chicken pox!

2 comments :

Roz said...

so delighted you enjoyed the day. A course that I would like to do too at some stage soon.

Leanne said...

OOh that looked a lovely day out! Lets us know when you crack your cheese.

love Leanne

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