Cheese making, and dairy and creamery operations in general are complex endeavors with a history rich in tradition and regional knowledge. Making cheese is part science, part art, part tradition, and can be very rewarding. Learning to make cheese requires time and experience. Learning requires failure, and from failure we get better as cheese makers and artisans. Embrace the time, effort, failure, and complexity, and the process will reward you abundantly in the end.
Here we provide a reference for the most important aspects of cheese making, from livestock management to acidity control to affinage to marketing.
Cows
Goats
Sheep
Properties and Structure of Milk
Pasteurized and Homogenized Milk
Do not Make Mozzarella Yet - A philosophical primer on making good cheese
A Caution about Internet Recipes
Lactic cheeses are characterized by curds formed using only lactic acid, with little to no rennet used to assist in curd formation. If a small amount of rennet is used, it is usually termed a semi-lactic cheese.
Sour Cream - An almost cheese
Yogurt, Clabber and Kefir Cheeses
Rennet cheeses are characterized by curds formed using rennet enzymes or their analogues. While not always done, they can be aged longer than lactic cheeses.
Drying - Cutting, stirring, heating, evaluating doneness
Troubleshooting
Butterkase
Colby
Jack
Havarti
Mozzarella
Raclette
Tallegio
Troubleshooting
Alpine Tomme
Brick
Gouda
Gruyere
Ibores
Herdsman
Tomme de Savoie
Troubleshooting
Asiago
Beaufort
Cheddar
Cheshire
Manchego and Friends
Lancashire
Troubleshooting
Parmesan Style
Romano
Whey and heated cheese are formed usually from leftover whey from making another cheese, but can be made directly from milk as well. They are typically made by heating to around 185 F (85 C) and have an acid added to precipitate curds out of the whey or milk. The acid can be vinegar, lemon juice, citric acid, tartaric acid, etc. The 'osts cheeses are made without added acid, and are cooked until almost all of the water is gone, and what's left is sweet, cheesy, carmel-like whey and milk solids in spreadable form.
Nordic 'osts
Ricotta, Paneer and Friends
Troubleshooting
Environments for Natural Rinds
When and How to Make Rindless Cheeses
Manufacturers
Vendors
Dosing
Penicillin Candidum
Penicillin Roqueforti (Blue)
Geotrichum Candidum
Mycodore, Mucor and Cats Hair
Yeasts
Other Molds
Spices
Infusions
Cleanliness
Curd Tools
Molds and Forms
Pressing
Draining
Acidity and pH Measurement
Wax, Coating, Sealing, Brushing
Cheese Caves, Aging Spaces, Shelving
Rind and Aging Tools
Philosophies
Histories of Cheese Making
Economics of Cheese Making
Charcuterie, Salumi, and Salami
Cheese and Charcuterie Boards (Woodworking)
Governments and Regulations
Transport and Distribution
Marketing
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