Making cheese at home is surprisingly easy. Enjoy fresh flavors in just the kind of cheese you want. When you're the cheese maker you get to decide which milk to use (cow, sheep, goat), what fat content, and which seasonings to add. It's a fun project to do with kids or friends, as a cheese-making party. Tricia makes mozzarella at home in our video. She uses whole cow's milk as the main ingredient, and adds her own dried herbs.

Tips for Beginning Cheesemakers

Use NON-homogenized cow's milk Make your own decision about whether you want to use pasteurized or raw cow's milk, but be sure the milk has not been homogenized. The homogenizing process turns the butterfat into very small globules, distributed through the milk. It's more difficult to create cheese from homogenized milk and the cheese will be smoother, with less body. Did you know that goat's milk and sheep's milk are naturally homogenized? They have smaller fat globules that do not emerge as cream; this means their cheeses will be softer. Easy to skip the microwave step The classic mozzarella recipes call for two short rounds of microwaving. If you don’t use a microwave you can replace these steps with additional heating on your cooktop.

Save the Whey

When you drain off whey during the cheese-making process, you can reserve the nutrient-rich liquid. Whey has easily absorbed protein, along with minerals, vitamins, and lactose; use it to replace other liquids when you make pizza dough or bread. Ricki Carroll, the cheese making expert, says whey keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator and can be frozen. Dogs and cats love it too.  In the video Tricia talks about books that are full of photographs showing you how to make cheese and all sorts of dairy products including butter and yogurt. Another excellent book is Home Cheese Making from the noted cheese maker, Ricki Carroll. Each book gives you seasoned advice in clear, easy-to-follow recipes.