I know it’s been some time since I posted, but many great things have been happening in my culinary world. I moved back to Portland, OR, found a job at Ping, and am now enjoying working in a commercial kitchen for the first time.
I’m still cooking at home, and for Christmas Stevan gave me a wonderful Cheese Making Kit! I always wanted to make my own cheese 
I’ve done a little tutorial for you, so you won’t need a kit. Just a few supplies before you begin (you can google where to get the supplies). I started with Mozzarella, but I have the materials for Ricotta too.
MOZZARELLA
*Ingredients*
1 Gallon of milk (whole milk, and not Ultra Pasturized “UP”)
1/4 cup cool water
1 1/2 tsp citric acid
1/4 rennet tablet
3 tsp. cheese salt (and/or optional herbs)
*Supplies*
1 large pot (at least 6 qt.)
Large slotted spoon
Thermometer
Rubber gloves or large spoon
Yield -1 1/2 lbs. or two big cheese balls.
This is a picture of the cheese kit!
Ok, here are the easy steps involved.
Step 1 -Dissolve 1/4 rennet tablet into 1/4 cup of cool water. Stir and set aside. Wrap the remaining pieces of tablet and store in freezer.
Step 2 -Mix 1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid into 1 cup cool water until dissolved.
Step 3- Pour 1 gallon of milk into your pot. Heat to 85 degrees F, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. At 85 degrees stir vigorously while adding the citric acid solution.
Step 4 -Heat to 100 degrees F while stirring occasionally again (happens quickly). At 100 degrees F slowly stir in the rennet solution with a gentle up and down motion for approx. 30 seconds.
Step 5 -Your curds should show clear signs of coagulation -looks like shiny yogurt. You can see a separation from curds and whey and the curds pull from the sides of the pot.
Stir for another minute and turn off heat.
Step 6-Ladle your curds into a heat resistant bowl. At this point you can cover and refrigerate the curds for stretching later or you can move on to the next step
There is a way to stretch your cheese using a microwave, but I haven’t had one in 10 years, so I’m doing the stove top method.
Step 7- Wash out your pot, and refill with a gallon of clean water. Heat your water to 185 degrees F (no hotter or you’ll overcook the curds).
Step 8 – Stir in 3 tsp. of salt when your water bath hits 185 degrees F.
Step 9 -Take the pot off of the stove. Place half of your curds into the water for 2-5 minutes or until your curds hit 135 degrees F. The curds need to be 135 degrees F, or they will not stretch.
Step 10- Put on your rubber gloves, and stretch the curds. Form them into a nice shiny ball. If you don’t have rubber gloves you can put the curds into a clean bowl, and use two spoons to stretch and form.
Repeat on the second half of your curds. You may need to reheat the water if you are too slow.
Here are my results! They could be a little prettier, but hey -I had fun! and for a first attempt, I thought it was pretty tasty
Overall it took me about a hour, and I had enough moz to last a week or so (pizza, salads, etc). Store the cheese covered. Do NOT store in water or whey.
