Long before we ever designed Blaak, the first cheese we ever made in the kitchen at Beekman Farm was a simple Farmer’s Cheese. You can do it, too.
Ingredients
1 gallon whole milk (you can use any variety of milk. Goat milk will provide extra tang.)
1 pinch salt
1 large lemon, juiced
Instructions
1. Pour the milk into a large pot, and stir in a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pot.
2.When the milk begins to boil (small bubbles will first appear at the edges), turn off the heat. Stir lemon juice into the milk, and the milk will curdle. You may need to wait 5 or 10 minutes.
3. Line a sieve or colander with a cheesecloth, and pour the milk through the cloth to catch the curds. What is left in the cheesecloth is the Farmer’s Cheese. The liquid is the whey.
4. Gather the cloth around the cheese, and squeeze out as much of the whey as you can. We tie the ends of the cheesecloth around the kitchen sink faucet to let the cheese drain. You can also suspend over a bowl.
5. Once drainage has stopped, wrap in plastic, or place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator.
Try mixing in various herbs, honeys or jams to make a delicious spread.
In the comments section below, share with us what tasty combinations you come up with.
To Barbara T:
We have a Farmer’s Market-type guy in Richmond who sells what is labelled “cat milk.” It’s raw cow’s milk and labelled for cats because human’s aren’t supposed to drink it. (Yeah, right. Wink, wink.) Might try to Google it.
OHH carrie…cranberry jalapeno sounds fabulous. Can you share the recipe? Two of my favorite ingredients together..YUM
thanks in advance
If you press this cheese mixture for about thirty minutes rather than hang it, it will produce a much firmer cheese. We cube it up and fry it up in ghee! It’s wonderful.
We call this Cottage Cheese in Appalachia (Virginia). I have craved the taste for years – unfortunately the state banned the use of raw cow’s milk which provided the basis for the cheese I remember. I keep thinking I will order the enzymes and try to follow modern directions but haven’t yet. I will try this however, to see if I can recreate the taste of warm cheese freshly scooped from the pot on the stove. We don’t drain it, just spoon it out and like my grandmother, keep the leftover cheese on the back of the wood stove.
Side note – I just got my two cattle panels delivered today to make my arbors/trellises. Yay me!
No need for ticket… I’ve cancelled my trip. Don’t like crowds. Thanks, Albert
What use can one make of the whey? It seems a shame to waste it. Bet you’ve got great ideas on what to do with the whey!
Anyone with an extra ticket to the farm tour. I’ll pay $200.00 cash. I’ll be at the American Hotel on Sunday. Email me. Thanks.
This is what those of us raised in Appalachia call cottage cheese, and was typically made from raw cow’s milk. It’s also a taste I have craved for years – alas the state of Virginia has banned to use of raw milk for anything – even feeding livestock. I keep saying I am going to try to make some using “store bought” milk just never have gotten around to purchasing the necessary enzymes those recipes require. Hopefully I will get some made since you all have said this cheese is pretty good.
Making this with my youngest son today. We love farmers cheese and I prepare dishes with it often in the spring usually paring with fruits and walnuts.
Looks like a great recipe. Check out this link. The talk is given about 2 hrs from you.
http://blog.syracuse.com/farms/2011/05/lern_all_about_new_york_cheese.html
We call this lemon cheese. If you mix some sugar and vanilla into the drained curd and stuff it into a crepe, it’s wonderful!
My friend’s mother always made farmer’s cheese for Easter. It was her Slovak tradition and being Lithuanian myself, I grew up with alot of great Eastern European favorites like; pierogies, haluski, potato pancakes, etc.
MMM, That sounds really good. I can’t wait to try it. Thanks Brent for sharing all these fun things to try!
Hi, Marcia
That will not work
Can I substitute soy or almond milk for regular milk?
We call this type of farmer’s cheese “Quark”. I was always told that the word Quark meant “curd” in German. Either way, the cheese is delicious and is fantastic with herbs on crackers or fresh baked bread. It is a favorite at my house.
Thanks for posting your recipe. I can’t wait to give your version a try!
JUST in case someone reads this and wants to try the yogurt cheese – but SURE to purchase yogurt with NO pectin or geletin in it. (Those are in there to make sure it DOESN’T separate.)
Purchase PLAIN yogurt, place in a cheesecloth lined bowl (I use 4 thicknesses of cheesecloth,) tie up and hang over the bowl to drain (overnight works beautifully.)
As mentioned, can use with herbs or jams or just plain. Consistence, again, is close to soft cream cheese.
I’ve made this (using vinegar) and it’s yummy! Drizzled with a little honey and some chopped nuts it makes a nice dessert!
Hi, Debbie
You can remove the cheesecloth once the draining is done
Cookbook comes out Oct 4. You can pre-order now on Amazon http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=joshkilmerpur-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=140278709X
Hi, Michael
The cheese is soft, kind of a cross between chevre and cream cheese in texture
Make sure to use the leftover whey for lacto-fermentation. http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/04/benefitsoflacto-fermentation.html
This salsa recipe is amazing. http://www.cheeseslave.com/2010/08/08/lacto-fermented-salsa/
Oh, I’m going to make a spread with it this weekend–mixing in some of my homemade cranberry-jalapeno jelly and basil, or maybe lemon balm… It’ll be delicious on whole grain crackers.
I’m totally doing this with the kids this weekend! They will love it!
It sounds so easy! Do you end up with a pretty hard cheese? I’m making macaroni and cheese for my family and I would love to be able to make everything from scratch.
Oooh, can’t wait to try this.
When is the cookbook release date?
I’m sorry but I’m not good at stuff like you all are & I feel goofy asking this but, when u wrap it in plastic do u leave it in the cheese cloth?
Great idea, Maureen. We actually have some recipes in the upcoming cookbook where we use yogurt cheese. It’s great to make and have on-hand for unexpected guests
We have done this, and also take it one step further by making yogurt, then hanging it to make yogurt cheese. We make herb cheese spread with it by warming a couple tablespoons of olive oil with chopped fresh herbs in it (which brings out the herbs oils and flavors), cool, then mix with the yogurt cheese…don’t last long around here!