After returning from visiting my in-laws last night with fresh tomatoes and basil from my mother-in-laws garden (thanks Grandma!) I was really hankering some caprese salad. There was only one problem--no mozzarella. I happen to have checked out a book from the library called Home Cheese Making by Ricki Caroll (in preparation for when we get our dairy cow--hopefully next year) which had a recipe for 30 minute mozzarella. We decided to try it out for our afternoon science experiment and it was a success! It really did only take about a half an hour and tastes better than store bought anyway. It used a gallon of milk to make a pound of cheese and you need some rennet and citric acid (which I had already as I've been experimenting with homemade dairy products for awhile.) and a thermometer. Here are some of the photos of the process. I used a gallon of whole milk this time to give myself the best chance of success. It also says you can make it with powdered milk by adding some cream so that's what I'm going to try next time. That would be a great way to use up some of that food storage (since I'm certainly not going to drink the stuff :-) )
7 comments:
That looks soooo cool Reni. Making your own cheese! I've got to give it a try, I'm in the adventuresome mood.
Woah, I gotta try that. Where do I get rennet and citric acid? And where do I get that recipe you used? If I can make my own fresh mozzarella cheese, maybe I actually will be blissfully happy in this country one day. ;)
I put a link to the recipe on the recipe title. You could probably also find the book at the library. It was really very easy and fun. You can usually find rennet at most grocery stores near the puddings, sometimes called Junket as it is also used for making some pudding type desserts. I think you can get citric acid in most pharmacies. However, I purchased both of them awhile ago at the health food store. I'm sure you could find them at a Whole Foods or something. It was way better than the part-skim mozzarella that is usually sold and very soft and creamy. I'm sold. And with the price of milk being so cheap right now it was actually cheaper to make it myself. Let me know if either of you try it and how it goes.
I am so impressed! :) Way to go!
Yep, looks just like the real stuff I buy at the store here in Germany. We use it in addition to Gouda on our cheese pizza's, for Caprese, for an additional fun factor in any type of salad from noodle to lettuce. WE LOVE MOZZERELLA. When Tori got braces and couldn't eat much, she ate mozzerella, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Happy for you that you can make it so easy, that is REALLY cool.
that is really really cool reni.
Dude. You are the bomb! It is so cool that your kids got to learn that!!
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