Cheese It! Start making cheese at home today - Softcover

Dawson, Cole

3.79

14 ratings by Goodreads

9781935484301: Cheese It! Start making cheese at home today

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1935484303 ISBN 13: 9781935484301

Publisher: CompanionHouse Books, 2012

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From the editors of Hobby Farm Homes, Cheese It! provides a detailed introductory guide for making cheese at home, from easy-to-make soft cheeses like mozzarella, goat cheese, and cottage cheese to more challenging cheeses like Monterey Jack, parmesan, and aged gouda. Author Cole Dawson tackles four dozen different kinds of cheese, beginning with making butter, ghee, and sour cream from scratch and progressing to soft unripe cheeses such as paneer, ch�vre, ricotta, and feta. International in its scope, each subsequent chapter tackles different kinds of cheeses, the tricks to success, and examples and recipes for each.

The chapter on unripe cheeses is followed by stretched curds, incorporating the brine bath to make mozzarella, asadero, provolone, and scamorza. Pressing and aging semi-hard cheese yield traditional Cheddar and variations, such as sage derby and goat Cheddar, plus Cantal, Monterey Jack, Cotswold, Caerphilly, and Caciotta. The process of washing curds to reduce the acidic level is the key creating cheeses like Colby, Gouda, and Edam, while washing rinds along with proper aging are the secrets to muenster, brick, raclette, Taleggio, and Tilsit. Using bacteria in cheese is key to making bloomy rinds, such as the triple-cream delights Camembert and Brie, and molded cheese, such as gorgonzola, Roquefort, and Stilton.

Ideal for new cheese makers, the book begins with chapters explaining the science involved in the process as well as safety precautions, basic skills, and the equipment that is required to begin making cheese in the kitchen. A total of 75 recipes includes delicious options to incorporate homemade cheeses, such as feta in spanakopita, mascarpone in tiramisu, mozzarella in polenta pizza, and chicken � la gorgonzola.

As the author emphasizes the importance of record keeping (so you can repeat your successes and not your oopses”), the book concludes with a sample cheese diary so the cheese maker can account for timing, pressure, temperatures, and so forth. Finally, there is a very useful 5-page glossary of terms, a resource section for cheese-making supplies and websites, and a detailed 7-page index.

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From the Back Cover:

Just a short decade ago ?American cheese” meant orange individually wrapped slices. In the rural renaissance of the new century, many Americans have discovered the world of real cheese for the first time. From warm, milky mozzarella and handcrafted goat cheese to complicated Monterey Jack and Gorgonzola, cheese makers and cheese lovers have a broad range of delicious fromage to explore and enjoy. For all of the adventurous cheese lovers who want to make the leap to cheese makers, Cheese It! reduces the mysteries of transforming a couple of gallons of milk into a couple of pounds of delicious cheese. Artisanal cheese maker and author Cole Dawson leads the whey for beginners through the art and science of cheese making, including detailed advice on milk, coagulants and curds, equipment, safety, and more.

Fresh Cheese for Today
Begin with homemade butter, cream cheese, and sour cream, and then dip into the perfect starter: soft unripened cheeses such as paneer, Ch�vre, feta, mascarpone, and ricotta. Discover the brine bath and make everyone’s favorite stretched cheese-mozzarella-as well as scamorza, Mexican Asadero, and provolone.

Hard Cheeses Made Easy
Enter the great aged beauties of the cheese world, Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) and Pecorino Romano from the north and south of Italy. Create fondue beyond compare with your own Swiss Gruy�re and climb to the top of Montasio, the Alpine cousin of Asiago.

Moving On to Semi-Hard Cheese
Cover salting, pressing, and molding curds; the processes of aging and air-drying; and waxing techniques. Try your hand at the mighty Cheddar and its many variations; then move beyond Cheddar to Cantal, Monterey Jack, Cotswold, Caerphilly, and Caciotta. Learn how to wash curds and produce your own Colby, Gouda, and Edam.

Mold on Your Molds
Learn about washing rinds, the aging process, and the introduction of good bacteria. Make Muenster, Brick, Raclette, Tilsit, and Taleggio at home, plus bloomy rind favorites Camembert, Brie, Chaource, and Crottin. Tackle stinky blue cheeses such as Stilton, Roquefort, Fourme d’Ambert, and Gorgonzola.

About the Author:

A dedicated cheese maker and home cook, Cole Dawson lives in New York's Hudson River Valley, an area rich in farmstead cheese making. He writes about the renaissance in American cheese making and the growing taste for local cheeses for many print and online magazines. Dawson leads the whey for beginners through the art and science of transforming a few gallons of milk into a few pounds of delicious cheese with entertaining asides about how to cultivate "good" mold while avoiding "bad" mold.

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