Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
agencies, so as long as you keep the temperature above 98 but
below 130, your yogurt will still be fine. To maintain this
temperature you can use the sink method already mentioned,
a mattress heating pad or an electric blanket; be sure you keep
an eye on things and check frequently so it doesn't overheat.
Or, use your oven if it can maintain temperatures under 120.
A slow-cooker with water on the lowest setting may also
work by setting the jars in water in the slow-cooker and
watching the temperature. The key is to improvise creatively.
The yogurt you create is plain yogurt. You can mix anything
with it you'd like—fruit, nuts, granola, sweeteners, etc. If you
decide to use it as a thermophilic cheese starter, use four
ounces of your fresh plain yogurt per gallon of milk that you
will be turning into cheese.
Okay, Let's Make Some Cheese!
There are literally hundreds of types of cheese, all of which
require differences in procedure, technique, or ingredients.
Rather than try to cover all of it, I am going to illustrate how
to make four representative cheeses that are easily made at
home using the ingredients and equipment described.
Between these four cheeses, all of the basic techniques will be
covered, and you will gain enough experience to experiment
and branch out.
I am going to cover a direct acidification soft cheese. Using
the same principle, you could make a soft cheese using a
different acid. Then, I will demonstrate a soft cheese using a
starter culture. Next, I will demonstrate a minimally-aged
hard cheese using both starter culture and rennet. Finally, I
