GOAT CHEESE

A local farmer recently put out a sign offering goat's milk for sale. Learning how to make cheese has been on my bucket list, so I stopped in and purchased a half gallon.

Having ordered some reusable cheesecloth, I set to work making some soft goat cheese.  The milk was slowly heated to 85℃ (185℉), stirring every few minutes to prevent a skim from forming.  Immediately upon reaching the desired temperature, the milk was removed from the stove and 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice was added, then the mixture left to sit for 30 minutes.

At the end of the 30 minutes, the curds were strained from the mixture and ladled into a colander lined with cheesecloth.  

After adding 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, the corners of the cheesecloth were gathered together and the curds allowed to drain for one hour.

At the end of the hour, the soft cheese was removed and formed into a small log, which was wrapped in waxed paper and refrigerated.  The cheese is very mild - not as strong as most goat cheese purchased at the supermarket - and quite delicious spread on toasted bagels or bread.  

For added flavor, the cheese can be rolled in finely cut fresh herbs, everything bagel topping, blueberries with lemon and thyme, local honey, dukkah.... the list goes on.  Be inventive!

DO NOT throw out the whey.  It can be used in so many ways:  substitute the whey for half of the water in your sour dough bread; add it to soups and stews; dilute it with water to cook your pasta, beans and/or grains in; make pancakes or waffles using whey; add it to smoothies.....  I've given some to the lady from whom I get fresh eggs so that she can add it to the chicken feed to provide the hens with a little extra protein.  Because this cheese is made using lemon juice, the whey is slightly acidic, making it an excellent fertilizer for blueberries.  There are so many uses for the whey; it is satisfying to know that no waste is created from the cheesemaking (even the juiced lemons are used by adding them to the compost).

If you have ever thought that you might be interested in learning how to make cheese, this is an easy, delicious and not very time-consuming project.  May it start you on a cheese-making adventure!