#there’s a stack of smaller ones and bigger ones along with bowls a serving plate butter dish and salt/pepper shakers | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

josephkitchen0 · 6 years

Text

7 Easy Recipes for Making Goat Cheese

Getting started making goat cheese? Try these recipes first!

If you’ve never made cheese, start with the quick & easy cheeses that need minimal equipment and ingredients and are ready to eat fairly quickly. Once you’ve mastered a few easy cheeses, you may want to move to pressed and aged cheeses. These vary in complexity and aging time; I’ve included a few relatively simple and quick options. We’ll look at some more complicated pressed and aged cheeses in a future article.

Quick & Easy Cheeses: A Great Place to Start

Chévre: Soft Fresh Goat Cheese

Heat 1 gallon of goat milk in large stainless steel pot to 72F.

Sprinkle 1/8 tsp mesophilic culture* on the milk. Let sit for a minute or two to hydrate then stir in. Let it sit at room temperature to “ripen” for 2 hours.

Dilute 2 drops of rennet in ¼ cup non-chlorinated water and stir gently into ripened milk.

Cover pot and let sit at room temp for 12-20 hours.

Gently ladle the curds into fine cheese cloth (butter muslin). Tie up cloth and hang over a sink or tie on the handle of a large pot and let the whey drain for about 12 hours.

Your cheese is done! You can add approximately ¼ tsp kosher or non-iodized sea salt, and/or add herbs or other flavors.

Eat within 2 weeks and/or freeze for several months!

* You can substitute 1-2 tbsp cultured buttermilk or homemade sour cream for the mesophilic culture, if desired.

Chévre curd when it’s ready to scoop. Photo credit Kate Johnson

Ready to Start Your Own Backyard Flock?

Get tips and tricks for starting your new flock from our chicken experts. Download your FREE guide today! YES! I want this Free Guide »

Feta: Dry Salted, Brined, or Marinated

Recipe #1: Dry Salted Feta

Heat 1 gallon of goat milk in large stainless pot to 70F.

Sprinkle ¼ tsp mesophilic culture onto the milk and continue heating to 86F; stir culture into milk, cover and let ripen at room temperature for 1 hour.

Mix 1/2 tsp liquid rennet into 1/4 cup cool non-chlorinated water; stir into milk; let sit 1 hour.

Cut curds with long knife into 1-inch cubes; let rest 5 minutes.

Stir curds while keeping at 86F for 15 minutes.

Ladle into cheesecloth and hang to drain for 6-8 hours.

Take out of bag and cut slices approx. 1 inch thick. Place on flat dish and sprinkle all sides with kosher salt.

Cover plate with a paper towel and let set at room temperature for 24 hours, turning 2 or 3 times and salting each side again. Drain liquid each time.

Refrigerate for 5-7 days.

Eat within 2 weeks or freeze

Dry salted feta when it’s ready to age. Photo credit Kate Johnson

Recipe #2: Brined Feta

Heat 1 gallon of goat milk in large stainless pot to 70F.

Sprinkle ¼ tsp mesophilic culture onto milk and continue heating to 90F; stir culture into milk.

Mix ½ tsp liquid rennet into ¼ cup cool non-chlorinated water; stir into milk; cover and let sit for 30-45 minutes.

Cut curd into hazelnut-sized pieces.

Slowly stir for 15 minutes; let sit for 5 minutes or until curds settle.

Remove the whey until you can see the curds.

Scoop the curds into baskets, filling them and topping off again.

Flip the cheeses 6 times over the next 24 hours.

Rub with non-iodized sea salt or kosher salt and let sit another 24 hours.

Put cheese in a 10% brine (6 ½ ounces salt to ½ gallon water).

Leave in brine for one month (pasteurized milk) or two months (raw milk) at 50-55F.

Recipe #3: Marinated Feta

Using finished feta from either of the above recipes, cut or break cheese into small pieces. Layer cheese and herbs into a jar. You can use fresh herbs, dried herbs, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, etc. Cover with olive oil. Any cheese that is completely submerged in oil will stay fresh for several weeks to several months.

Cottage Cheese

(While cottage cheese is traditionally made with cow milk, it’s also a delicious goat milk cheese!)

Pour 1 gallon of milk into a stainless steel pot. Heat milk to 75F.

Sprinkle ¼ tsp mesophilic culture on milk; let hydrate then stir into milk.

Optional: dilute ¼ tsp of calcium chloride in ¼ cup non-chlorinated water and add to warm milk.

Dilute ¼ tsp liquid rennet or ¼ tablet of rennet (pulverized) in ¼ cup of non-chlorinated water and add to milk.

Cover pot and let sit for 3 hours at room temperature (if room is cool, you might set the pot in a warm water bath or put in a cooler to help hold the temperature).

Using a big whisk, carefully break the curds up into pea-sized pieces. Let curds rest for 5 minutes.

Slowly warm the curds to 105F while stirring gently.

When the curds are firm, pour them into a cheese cloth-lined strainer.

Rinse the curds gently under cold water until the curds are cold.

Place the curds in a bowl, add non-iodized salt to taste (approx. ¼-½ tsp) and add milk or cream until you get the creaminess you desire (approx. 1/3 – ½ cup).

Best eaten fresh but you can store in refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Intro to Pressed & Aged Cheeses: When you’re ready to tackle a little bit more

Queso Fresco

Queso fresco is a Latin American quick farm cheese. It requires a cheese press (or improvise with weights or buckets) but no aging is needed.

Heat 1 gallon of milk to 70F, then add ½ packet (or 1/8 tsp) mesophilic culture.

Let the culture hydrate for a couple of minutes then stir and heat to 90F.

Add 1/8 tsp liquid rennet (or 1/8 tablet) diluted in 1/8 cup cool, non-chlorinated water. Stir for 1 minute.

Allow to set for 30-45 minutes, or until the curd gives a clean break.

Cut the curd into ¼-inch cubes.

Over the next 20 minutes, gradually increase the temperature to 95F, stirring gently every few minutes to keep curds from matting.

Let the curds set, undisturbed, for 5 minutes.

Drain off the whey.

Add 1 tbsp non-iodized salt and maintain the curds at 95F for 30 minutes longer (you can set the pot in a sink of warm water to help maintain temperature).

Line a cheese form with cheesecloth and fill with the curds. (Variation: you can add fresh chopped or dried herbs or chopped canned jalapeno peppers at this stage, if you like.)

Press at 8-10 pounds of pressure for 6 hours.

Remove the cheese from the form and enjoy now. Store any leftovers in a covered container and refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

Guido’s Italian Hard Cheese

This recipe is adapted from a recipe submitted by a home cheesemaker, Guido Giuntini, to the Home Cheese Making book by Ricki Carroll. It’s a nice Italian hard cheese that is very easy to make and uses minimal equipment along with a short aging time. You can use any milk to make this recipe but I especially love making goat milk cheese!

Heat 1 gallon of milk to 70F, then add ½ packet (or 1/8 tsp) of thermophilic starter culture.

Allow culture to hydrate for a few minutes then stir into milk and continue heating to 90F. Let set 30 minutes.

Dilute ½ tsp of liquid rennet (or ½ pulverized rennet tablet) in ¼ cup cool non-chlorinated water and add to the ripened milk. Stir and let set for 15 minutes.

Cut the curd with a long knife into ¼-inch cubes.

Stirring frequently, slowly heat curds to 120F over a period of 30-40 minutes.

Line a cheese form (or cheese baskets) with cheesecloth, set into a bowl or pot, and ladle curds into the form. Each cheese basket will hold ½ gallon milk so you can stack 2 baskets, then put a third on top with a weight on it.

Set the form’s follower (or another basket) onto the cheese, add a can if necessary for height, and put a 2-3 pound weight on top. Wait 15 minutes.

Take the cheese out of the form, unwrap, turn over, rewrap and put back in the form with the weight on top. Do this once or twice until the rind of the cheese wheel has closed.

Once the rind is closed, let the cheese set with a 2-pound weight for 12-24 hours.

Combine 1/4 pound (approx. 4 oz) of non-iodized salt with 1 quart (4 cups) of water to make a brine solution. Remove cheese from the form and place in the brine solution. Let set for about 12 hours, turning the wheel at the halfway point (more time for bigger wheels, less for smaller wheels).

Remove cheese from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Let air dry for a few days at room temperature, turning once or twice a day until outer edges are all dry to the touch. At this point, you can wax it or allow it to age with a natural rind.

Place the cheese on a cheese mat, in a container, in a cool place for 3 weeks (a dorm fridge turned to the warmest temp. approx. 50-55 degrees, works well for a DIY cheese cave).

For the first week, turn the cheese once a day. After that, turn it every few days.

At three weeks (or longer), slice the cheese and enjoy. Guido recommends serving it as an after-dinner treat with a bit of honey on top and a class of Chianti!

Slices of Guido’s cheese Photo credit Connie Gordon

Want to learn more about these cheese recipes and have me walk through the recipes right along with you? Order my DVD: Cheesemaking Made Easy or register for the online version of the course.

Goat Journal contributor Kate Johnson is the founder and lead instructor of The Art of Cheese – an artisan home-cheesemaking school located in Longmont, Colorado.

Originally published in the March/April 2018 issue of Goat Journal and regularly vetted for accuracy.

7 Easy Recipes for Making Goat Cheese was originally posted by All About Chickens

0 notes

cherryblossomcheesecake · 6 years

Text

How Rare & Beautiful: Chapter 7 - A FFXV OC Fanfic

I'm sorry this took so long, I've had a lot on my plate these past two weeks and this chapter was just not my best friend at all. It was painful to write at the best of times, but I got it done! And platinum demo time! Chapter title taken from David Eman & Trevor DeMaere's "Final Millennium". Give it a listen while reading for the full effect. WORDS: 2,827 EDITED: 12.19.17 Master List Previous Chapter

Final Millennium - David Eman & Trevor DeMaere

I found myself in the familiar forest of the dream world, looking around at the undisturbed environment that surrounded me. The leaves cast shadows across the forest floor, shifting with the wind as I walked along the path to the clearing that I knew lay ahead. I hummed a light tune as I travelled the familiar path, careful to avoid tree roots that would cause me to trip and fall like last time. I eventually came upon the clearing, approaching silently as the prince spoke with the small form of Carbuncle.

"I see you're in good hands." I said, trying my best to not startle the prince but failing, Noctis spinning around in shock at the sound of my voice. The phone he had in his hand went tumbling to the ground, sapphire eyes widening in surprise as I stood over the prince silently.

"You don't need to be afraid of me, he's probably the bigger threat." I joked lightly, gesturing to Carbuncle, who yipped from his place a few feet away. The small guardian walked over to weave between my legs, displaying his familiarity with me as he looked at Noctis.

"Who are you?" I looked back to the prince, watching as he cautiously approached me. I offered him a soft smile before holding a hand out in greeting.

"Think of me as your guardian angel; I'm here to help you get home because people miss you." I replied, not disclosing who I was to him but still giving him a trustworthy answer. Noctis stared for a heart beat longer, eventually clasping his hand in mine, giving it a tentative shake.

My smile widened before the boy withdrew his hand and directed his attention to Carbuncle, who was yipping as he moved between our legs. "I think that's our queue to get moving, since you need to get home." I said, barely resting a hand on Noctis' shoulder to guide him in the direction the smaller astral was running off in.

"If you're my guardian angel, does that mean you died?" questioned the prince meekly, puffing out his cheeks as his arms swung as we walked. Blue eyes lingered on the dried blood that no doubt decorated my face and collar still, standing out against the stark white of my skin and the obnoxious yellow hew of my uniform jacket.

I stuffed my hands into my pockets, answering the prince as honestly as I could, "Yes, I did die…" I smiled thinly, diverting my gaze from the prince to look ahead.

"I was a girl once, nobody special really; an average high school student. But then one day, I fell and hit my head, and nobody was around to help me." I gestured to the small astral walking in front of us before continuing, "He brought me to the other side, where I waited until the Draconian told me to help bring you back."

Noctis remained silent for some time, leaving us to walk through the dreamscape surrounded by the sounds of the world around us.

We felt tremors beneath our feet as we passed under a ridge, my hand darting out to grasp the younger boy's shoulder in order to steady him. An extremely large face slowly appeared from behind the ridge, peering down at us with its golden gaze.

Carbuncle yipped at us, Noctis pulling out the phone to see what the astral had to say.

'Don't worry about that guy. He may look scary, but he's really a gentle giant!' the fox-like astral proclaimed as the giant disappeared from sight in an orange light.

We continued to push forward, coming across a steep hill. I groaned slightly, internally lamenting about the dirt and grass stains that would soon paint my backside due to my uniform skirt. Noctis, lucky bastard, was dressed in the usual black and had pants, so the little prince could slide down the slope no problem.

As I tried to rub the dirt and grass stains from the backs of my thighs and ass, our rather silent trio wove our way between the large bodies of water that had gathered between the rocks. The raven-haired prince walked beside me in silence, pursing his lips slightly in thought before speaking.

"Do you think your parents missed you, after you died?" I blinked in surprise at the sudden question, looking down at the boy with astonishment.

I took a moment to compose myself, replying quietly, "I think so. My mother was my best friend, and even though I didn't spend a lot of time with my father because of his work, I know he loved me. If they loved me as much as I loved them, they both must miss me now that I'm gone."

"I bet my dad doesn't miss me, he barely saw me anyways..." the prince muttered quietly, shoving his hands into his pockets and hunching his shoulders.

"Noctis Lucis Caelum, your father does miss you. All he does is sit by your bedside and pray to the gods for you to awake. So don't you dare disregard the love he has for you, because there will come a day when you need his love and care, and your father won't be there for you anymore," I stated after coming to a sudden halt, my face feeling stiff as a small anger took ahold of me. The boy at my side stared up at me as I reprimanded him, his blue gaze widening in shock.

"Don't throw away what family you still have, Noctis. You should treasure it while you still can, you never know when it will be taken from you," I added, turning and following Carbuncle further down the path while the dark-haired boy trailed behind.

The small white astral had run ahead, yipping loudly as he jumped at the edge of a large lake nestled at the base of the rocky ravine we were in. Noctis pulled out the phone again to see what Carbuncle had discovered.

'Found it! I found one of the exits! Follow my tail! Ready, set, jump!" the fox-like creature exclaimed before diving into the water and disappearing from sight. I sighed heavily, reluctantly following the astral into the pool and pulling the prince in behind me.

We ended up in a pet's water bowl, as small as mice now. I rolled my eyes at how similar this was to my experience in my own dream world, although instead of landing in a classroom, we found ourselves in a dining room. Toys littered the floor and table, stacks of books being integrated into the toy structures that connected the chair to the floor and table.

I guided Noctis out of the water as Carbuncle yipped and surveyed the room.

'So, uh… Where are we supposed to go next? Is the next door over here? Or was it over there?' the astral yipped quietly, padding around the room in search of the next exit.

I shook my head lightly, walking to the center of the room while the creature wandered for a bit. Caught up in my own thoughts, I was startled when the younger boy pulled lightly on my jacket's sleeve to get my attention.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier, I didn't mean what I said about my dad not missing me…" Noctis mumbled, ducking his head to avoid my gaze. I smiled at the prince, crouching down to his level to meet his downward gaze.

"Don't apologize to me, just promise me you'll show your dad how much you love him whenever you can, okay? Don't waste the time you have with him." I assured the boy in front of me, waiting for him to nod in understanding before standing up to my full height again.

Carbuncle's excited yipping caught our attention as he jumped up onto the table.

'I think I found it! The table top! Up here!'

I began to wander around the room to find a way up to the table, pulling Noctis along with me. We headed towards a stack of books and building blocks that was beside the table. I helped the younger boy up onto the books that were stacked higher up than Noctis could reach, pulling myself up after him.

It was a quick climb up from there, pairs of forks serving as a makeshift ramp between taller stacks of books. I grumbled the whole way up, shrugging off my school jacket once we had made it onto the dining table. I folded it over my arm while watching Noctis approach the next door.

"Do you think this is the final exit or will it just go on forever?" the young prince asked me, stopping before the golden ring that would lead us forward. I looked down at the eight year old, offering a hopeful smile.

"It can't go on forever, since there is for sure an exit. It'll be where you feel safest in the waking world." I assured Noctis, walking confidently into the door and being surrounded by darkness.

I found myself stepping out onto a terrace situated in an empty city, the young prince stepping up beside me as I took in the beautiful architecture of the buildings around us. The view was absolutely breathtaking, even in the misty weather that the dreamscape was creating.

"Do you know where we are, Noctis?" I asked the prince in a hushed tone, awe filling me as my brown eyes took in all the beautiful arches and colours of the city.

"I think it's supposed to be the upper levels of Altissa. I've never been there before, but my dad has told me stories about the city and what it looks like," the ebony haired boy replied, looking to Carbuncle who padded in front of us, now back to his regular size.

'We're looking for a long hallway now. It'll lead to the end of your dream. Let's get a move on!' the astral yipped excitedly, not sparing any time in bolting up the stairs to our right and going further into the dreamscape city.

We chased after him, the fox-like creature leading us up countless flights of stairs in search of the end of the dreamscape. I clutched my torso in response to the cramps that began to take a hold over my lungs, bending slightly at the waist as I panted for breath.

I dropped down to sit on a stone bench once had reached the top of the last set of stairs, attempting to slow my heart rate. Carbuncle led the young prince over to an empty hallway, giving a happy yip as he ran through it.

'Aha! This must be it! Up ahead is where your dream ends: the one place you feel safest.'

The prince and I stood at the entrance to the hall, staring at the bright door placed at it's end.

"So, are you ready to see everybody again?" I enquired as I slipped my school jacket back on. Noctis looked up at me with his big blue eyes, a frown decorating his mouth and brow.

"What'll happen to you after I wake up?" I blinked owlishly down at the raven haired prince.

"Well, you won't be able to see me, but I'll always be there watching out for you. And if Carbuncle lets me, I'll visit you in your dreams sometimes. I'm your guardian angel; I can't just disappear on you," I assured my friend, resting a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

With a nod, Noctis faced the doorway and said, "Okay, then it's time to wake up."

We quickly walked down the hall, moving ourselves closer to the white light and allowing it to envelope us. It eventually faded until it was just the sunlight minorly blinding us, making me wince and shield my eyes. As my eyes adjusted, I noticed that we were now standing in a place that I recognized from the waking world.

'It's the Citadel,' Carbuncle stated, trotting down the stairs to look around with Noctis and I following, 'Something doesn't feel right… It's your home and all…but is it truly your safe place?' the little astral questioned, looking to Noctis for some answers.

None of us could have expected a sword materializing and sending Carbuncle across the courtyard with one swing. I pulled the younger boy behind me, placing myself between him and the daemon that manifested.

"Noctis, when I tell you to run, grab him and go, okay! Get as far from here as you can, this isn't just a nightmare; it's the scourge keeping you here." I yelled at the boy behind me, going down the steps at a jog before launching myself at the daemon.

Blessed stars of life and light, deliver us from darkness blight.

The whispered prayer that drifted through my head startled me, distracting me from the daemon in front of me. I could do nothing as the monster swept me up into its grasp and started to squeeze the life out of me.

I screamed in pain, the daemon's grip slowly crushing my bones and cutting off my air.

"Noctis, run!" I gasped, feeling my ribs crack under the pressure and screaming violently.

My head was slowly going fuzzy and dark because of the pain, barely comprehending the prince's denial of, "No! I'm not afraid!"

As darkness was slowly beginning to consume my vision entirely, I was tossed to the side by the daemon, pulling a shriek of pain from my nearly unconscious form.

I struggled to breathe as colours blurred in front of me, trying to focus on the massive form of the monster as it thundered around the courtyard. The dreamscape kept fading in and out of my vision as I was sprawled on the ground, darkness creeping across my sight. I could faintly hear Carbuncle yipping before unfamiliar hands were holding me and carefully moving me onto my back. I could barely make out the voice of the person above me, let alone their face.

However, when calloused fingertips brushed my skin, I gasped as white noise filled my head and images flashed before me—a burning meadow, a girl in white slowly fading into the distance, and Noctis reaching out to her and screaming.

I coughed as air filled my lungs, no pain afflicting me when I breathed. Noctis sat at my side, his small hands hovering as he worried his lip between his teeth. I smiled softly at the prince before sitting up with a groan, allowing the younger boy to help me stand as I looked at the small astral by his side.

"Why did you do that?" the prince whispered, looking to the ground, "You could have been killed…"

"It's my duty to protect you...I'm your guardian angel after all…" I smiled fondly at Noctis ruffling the boy's dark locks.

Carbuncle yipped to gain our attention, jumping around our feet.

'You did it! Now you can finally wake up!' I sighed in relief, glad that we had managed to reach the end of the dreamscape. A loud pop sounded, a regal black car appearing from smoke a few steps away from where we stood.

'Hey, that's your dad's car, isn't? Now I get it… THAT's your safe place! You can always be with your dad when you're riding in his car.' Carbuncle walked towards the vehicle, waiting for Noctis and I to follow.

"I guess this is it, huh?" the prince offered, his blue eyes staring up at me, saddened by our parting.

"Hey, I told you. I'm always watching over you, kiddo. You can't see me but I'll be there." I rested my hand on his cheek, trying to lighten his spirits a little. "I'll see you in your dreams sometimes, especially when you need me the most, okay?"

The dark haired boy nodded gently in understanding, pausing before wrapping his arms around my waist in a firm hug.

"Thank you," the prince whispered, my hands holding him close.

"I'll see you soon, Noctis…" I replied, squeezing him tightly and releasing him to go to the astral.

'Everyone's waiting for you.' Carbuncle squeaked as Noctis opened the back door of the car. The prince crouched down to face the astral, waving to him.

"Thanks. See you."

'You bet! Now, in you go.' the boy stepped into his father's car, sliding across the seat and shutting the door behind him. The car slowly faded from sight, signalling Noctis was returning to the waking world.

'Time for you to go home too. He'll want to see you when he wakes up.' the fox-like astral said from his spot at my feet, nosing my ankle as I watched the car disappear entirely.

"I guess you're right. Thanks for letting me help." I thanked Carbuncle, petting his head gently.

'You're welcome, now off you go!' he reprimanded in his little yip, making me laugh as I slowly willed myself to wake up, the dreamscape fading from my sight and replaced by darkness.

Next Chapter

#ffxv #original characters #noctis lucis caelum #ffxv fanfic #my fics

0 notes