Cheesy Beginnings

Sunday...  I sewed for a while in the afternoon, visited my bestie and headed home to get my act together for Monday while Robb picked up the boy.  We spent the evening getting the wedding invites and other things together to take with us on Monday.

Monday...  Robb and I left the kids to themselves for the day and headed north through wind, rain, sleet and ice to see Maddy and Matthew and visit with his folks to discuss wedding plans.  First stopping off and having a quick lunch with the two in ye ol' college town.  The moms took notes and I put mine into typed up form for a new Facebook group that has just parents and the happy couple.  In trying to come up with the least expensive way to do things, we've hit on lots of exciting things that if we play our cards right, just might be pretty cool.  

It's looking like a lot of fun and I can't wait to see all in it's glory.  Since then, I've been preoccupied with finding tents, tulle and wheels of cheese at discounted prices.  

And curiously enough, a cow.   

But not for the wedding.  Well, maybe...  ;)  

Last night, I had to get my mind off wedding stuff for a little while, so I asked Robb to bring home a couple gallons of whole milk.  For Christmas, he'd given me a cheese making kit.  

I followed the directions and paid close attention to the temperature and instructions.  heat milk and citric acid to 90 degrees, take off burner, add rennet, stir wait 5 minutes.  When it's custardy and cuts without the custard sticking to my finger, then put it back on the burner until it reaches 105 degrees.  Stir for 3-5 minutes.

and that's where things went horribly wrong.  I must have misunderstood how briskly to stir because suddenly the curd-like things disappeared and it became more akin to egg drop soup...

Ummm how is THAT going to be cheese??

So I drained it through cheese cloth for what seemed like an hour.  Probably more.  Finally got most of the whey drained off.  I asked Robb what we could do with whey and he said it's in the name.  You throw it a-whey...  For this batch I did, but I'm sure there is a purpose to it.  Seemed wasteful.

Microwaved the soft gushy cheese for a couple minutes until it reached 135 degrees and then kneaded 1.5 teaspoons of salt into it.  Then dunked it into a bowl of ice water.  

We sliced into it and it was actually pretty good! I'll add more salt next time.

And in looking back at the process, I probably did it correctly.  

The spoon is for reference.

Anyone out there make cheese before?  I'd like to make a cheddar but the recipe for it isn't for beginners apparently and is not in the instruction manual.  There is a colby that I'd like to try some time soon.

But that is how I turned $4 of whole milk into $3 worth of cheese.

Anyway... cheese is king!  Bring on the prunes...