I lapped the sun several times before I truly ate a full meal. Although a chubby child, I preferred to graze for goodies than to eat the meals placed before me. I routinely tossed the healthy sandwiches my mother lovingly packed in my lunchbox in the trash. I hid green beans in napkins underneath the dining room table. I knew every secret hiding place for sugary treats in my house and that of my grandmother too.
Such bad habits continued to plague me for most of my teenage years. It wasn’t until I got to college that I learned to eat regular meals at regular hours. In college, it was a social thing. You meet your pals for coffee, for lunch, dinner, or a midnight snack in the student lounge. I got to like the normal eating thing a whole lot.
It was my dear friend P who first introduced me to cheese. Sure, I ate cheese growing up. In fact, I ate cheese to the near exclusion of much else. However, that cheese was not real cheese. It came in huge bricks from some bargain grocery outlet. Sometimes, my mother would freeze it to keep it “fresh.” When thawed, it broke off in chunky gelatinous cheese globs. It was disgusting. I had no clue there was more cheese out there waiting to be discovered.
Good thing my friend P knew. He knew a lot. His parents ran a successful restaurant and taught him to appreciate good food at a young age. We’d sit in his room and picnic on the floor. There would be soft fine cheese, bread, and port wine. The wine was also new to me and a delightful bonus of having a friend who was over the age of 21 on your dormitory floor. (He actually mentioned this fact during his speech at my wedding. I couldn’t even look at my mother. The shame!)
Needless to say, the soft cheeses eaten on the dormitory floor were just a gateway to vast quantities of cheese ingested in the following years. I came to love Comte and Camembert during my semester abroad in France. I grew to love soft goat cheeses tasted locally at the Seattle farmers’ markets. And, needless to say, I became a familiar face at the Whole Foods cheese counter where they give you serious chunks (not even bites) to try. Saints. All of them.
Last year, I tried my hand at making my own ricottta cheese. The results blew my mind. The ricotta was rich and fantastic, a great addition to homemade ravioli. This year, I decided to make a firmer cheese with a little kick from some homegrown organic chives. It was an idea that came to me some time ago after reading an article in Sunset Magazine about making and growing your own food. I’m glad I kept the magazine around the house for so long because the cheese turned out great. It’s flavorful and not too salty. The consistency is just right. It slathers onto a hunk of crusty bread or crispy cracker brilliantly.
It’s possible you never considered making your own cheese. I can understand the sentiment. After all, there are amazing goat and cow farms all around most of you. The artisan farmers churn out wonderful cheeses all the time. Why make your own? Well, it’s possible you will find the process rewarding. In fact, I am quite certain you will. There is something very cool and pioneer-like about whipping up a batch of your own cheese. Now who doesn’t like to feel like a capable pioneer?
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts about home cheese-making. Did it work out for you? Would you even consider it? Or, are the pregnancy hormones taking over my brain and causing me to suggest ridiculous things?
Fresh Chive Cheese
1 gal. whole milk (not ultra-pasteurized)
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 4 to 5 large lemons)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped chives
In a large, heavy pot, heat milk to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring often to prevent scorching (this will take about 30 minutes, so bring a book). As soon as it boils, remove from heat and drizzle in lemon juice, stirring slowly and gently.
Keep stirring until solid white curds separate from greenish white, translucent liquid whey. (If whey is still milky instead of clear, return to heat until whey is clear.) Let sit until curds have settled below whey, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, line a large colander with cheesecloth and set in sink. Pour curds into colander and rinse gently with lukewarm water 5 seconds. Gather cheesecloth up over curds and gently twist to squeeze out excess liquid (it will still be dripping).
Put a plate on cheesecloth-wrapped curds and top with a 5-lb. weight. Let drain 45 minutes. (At this point it may still be dripping a bit; this is okay.)
Unwrap cheese and put in bowl of stand mixer with dough hook attachment with salt and chives. (You can also knead it by hand.) Beat cheese on medium-low speed or knead it until silky looking and no longer grainy (similar to cream cheese), 10 to 12 minutes. (see below)
Roll cheese into a 2-in.-thick log and wrap in waxed paper and then plastic wrap. Refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 1 hour.
Source: Sunset Magazine
This one is so wonderfully imaginative and beautiful!
