ode to cheese / Cheese Fest day.

 

This is Chevre. Delish. And has a nice crumbly texture and flavor was almost sharp. Not like Panir that was
more textury (is that a word?)Drink with something fruity. Like a Zinfandel or Gerwurtztraminer.

There are few things i love more. Cheese is at the top of my list. AND now that I have my own milk factory going, I can make it any time I want.

This past Saturday a group of us hiked up to a friends house in Arcadia, Florida. Route 70 if you can't find it on the map. Near Sarasota. I wound my way around the tip of lake Okeechobee. Stopping in Okee for a bite and a gander at Eli's my favorite Western Wear shop. :) Following 70 across the state. For those that like to travel the OLD way. This road has been GREATLY improved and its not a death trap like all the across state roads used to be. highly enjoyable, leisurely ride. It took me thru Indiantown and Okeechobee and on to Arcadia.

We goat friends of the Sunshine Goat Club spent the day learning how to make cheese. And its not that hard. Its quite fun. Though I suspect the wine added to the fun.

Here was our day:

10:30 - 11:00 am    
Introduction, Cheese Basics, Equipment, Ingredients, Recipes, Questions

11:00 - 11:30 am   
Start making Brie:  warm milk, add culture

11:30 - 1:00 pm   
Brie sits, Make Panir, Make Chevre
First wine and cheese tasting (panir/chevre)
Social

1:00 pm      
Brie, next step, add rennet

1:00 - 2:00 pm      
Brie sits, Make Mozzerella
Second wine and cheese tasting (mozzerella)

2:00 - 2:30 pm       
Brie, cut curds, stir curds for 15 minutes

2:30 - 2:45 pm      
Brie sits, prepare molds/boards/mats

2:45 - 3:00 pm      
Brie, spoon curds in molds

3:00 - 4:00 pm      
Brie drains, Make Ricotta

4:00 - 5:00 pm      
Turn Brie
Third wine and cheese tasting (ricotta dinner) Fourth tasting (brie and dessert) Social

This is mozarella being made. This version was from Cow's milk.
We did both. To feel and understand the texture differences.

For every cheese we made we tasted a wine pairing to go with it. So.... we started at 11:30am with Zinfandel, then Gerwurtztraminer, Chianti, Cabernet, Champagne, and then dessert after dinner some Rasberry Beer.

I'm surprised i made it home in one piece. LONG day. I was up at 5 am to feed and clean. Showered and out the door at 7 am. At Chris's by 10 am. I was early so got to play with the goats. Stayed to clean up and help her feed the goats, left around 7ish and was home by 10pm.

The whole day was a huge success. Firstly, seeing some old friends. And meeting some new ones. This is always a great pleasure meeting other goat lovers in the state.

         

This is the Panir being cut up. Texture is like Tofu. Tastes much the same too.
Added to other things makes for a great protein addition.
Add an Olive Oil and Thyme, Rosemary, garlic, S/P mix and it was PERFECT.
Drink with a Gerwurtztraminer.

The interesting thing about cheese (there are so many) is that its not a difficult process. Except for the Brie. This one will take up to a 5 week timeframe to truly cure and have that lovely mold take shape over the cheese. And the Brie setup is a whole day affair. Best done when its an inside day. And i would suggest doing more than just one or two. But more like 10 so that you can store the rest. Very time intensive on the Brie.

Mozzarella was easy and we could eat that day. Same with panir and some ricotta.

This is Ricotta being made. Into the Cheese cloth to be drained.

The whey of the cheese is what you get Ricotta from. NOTHING was wasted. The vinegar whey not to be used for cooking became the pigs dinner. The cream off the top of the milk we used was made into butter for dinner.

AND dinner was goat ricotta cheese shells. YUM!!!!

The very best part was that we made side by side, goat's milk cheeses and cow's milk cheeses and had the ability to compare all and how they differ, in smell, texture, curing. How they setup differently and so on. TO me this was the best because everyone always asking questions on goat products vs. cow. Everyone in the universe is knowledgeable that cheese comes from cow. But, really it can come from any kind of milk. Goat, sheep, camel. and so on.

I put up pictures of the whole day here. Please go take a look.

Truly, a wonderful day!!! Chris' house and property was what i envision old FLorida to be. Nothing was cut down. Everything was built around the land. The trees are over 200 years old. It was a half mile drive from the road. Private. Secluded. The goats were a joy. The Husband was diligently working in the yard. The chickens were milling about. And it was a beautiful 65˚. Absolutely perfect day.

Thanks Chris and Friends!