Cheese Making 101

If you were to count… how many different kinds of cheeses would you say you have in your fridge right now? My fridge isn’t fully stocked at the moment, and I still have four kinds cheese on hand. While cheese is a common culinary pleasure and a regular stable in many people’s diets, not many of us know how to make it. Here at Cook Culture, instructor Linda Michaluk is trying to change that one class, one person at a time.

Linda is a home-style cook with a background in chemistry and biology, which makes her the perfect person to teach the science behind cheese making. It’s a fascinating process and surprisingly easy. All you need are a few simple ingredients (buttermilk, whole milk and salt), a pot, clean stainless steel spoon, thermometer and a little patience.

She led the class through making three kinds of cheeses: ricotta, mozzarella or neufchatel cheese. In the process of making each one, we learned how to carefully stir and watch the look of the milk as it turns from liquid to curds, changing many times over before it reaches that perfect texture and shape. In science terms it’s called flocculation. While this isn’t a common word in most cooking classes, it is in this one. It’s the perfect description of the process of fine milk particulates clumping together into a floc. The floc may then float to the top of the liquid, settle to the bottom, or be readily filtered from the liquid. And this is the science of cheese making.

Linda really took the intimidation factor out of making cheese with her tips and how-to steps. Once you begin making delicious, fresh cheeses at home you may never go back to buying rubbery mozzarella or bland ricotta again. It’s an impressive addition to a dinner party, springtime picnic or simply to enjoy with family over the weekend. After all, who needs a well-stocked fridge when what you have on hand is fresh made cheese?

Sign up now for the next cheese making class, May 28. You can also see pictures from this class on our Facebook page.