Last fall, Daniel and I went to a cheese festival that was held by one of our local cheese shops, Fromage To Yours. (I know, how precious can that name be, right?) One of the things we did there was attend a brief cheesemaking presentation. After watching the instructor make fresh mozzarella in front of our very eyes, from milk to cheese, we got very excited about the idea of making our own homemade cheese. He made it sound and look so simple!
We bought a cheesemaking kit that day which contained some basics for cheesemaking: cheese cloth, rennet, and a few other things. I intended to try my hand at cheesemaking sooner than this, but with everything going on, I just never got to it. I pulled out the kit today and decided to give it a shot. I figured I should test the rennet to make sure it was still potent, since it's been a while. Luckily it hadn't even been opened yet. I tested it by warming a little milk and adding a little rennet diluted in water. In a few minutes it started to form a curd, so it appears it still has potency.
I could dive in this very second and make some simple fresh mozzarella with what I already have, but I think I want to do a few different things with my first batch of curds, to see what the different processes do. So, I will have to do a little shopping before I really get started. I want to get the items to make a little homemade cheese press so I can make some pressed, more aged cheeses, and I also need a candy thermometer, which is an absolute must for cheesemaking, I have learned. In the meantime, I sanitized the pot and lid I am going to use, so it's all ready to go.
I will start working full-force on my cheese tomorrow, and I will keep you all updated on the progress. Wish me luck!
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