accidental cheese

[slow learner]

hi all!

I'm here because I forgot to check the milk I was boiling for yogurt. When I finally noticed the steam coming out of my pot the curds had already separated from the whey. I stared at it for a while, wondering if I could stir it back in, but I decided instead to taste some. Surprisingly, it tastes great!

Now I'm wondering what the heck I should do. I'm thinking I might be able to make some kind of feta-ish concoction, as I've already mixed in some live yogurt and left the cheese to drain over the sink. I have already made a brine with the whey.

I mixed in the yogurt after removing the curds from the pot, but before straining (so the mixture was still runny enough for the yogurt yeast to travel). I meant to leave the inoculated curds to sit longer (giving the yeast more time to chow) but I had a brain-fart and put the curds up to drain after only an hour.

What do you think? should I just try pressing it overnight and dropping it in the brine? should I take it down from draining to add more yogurt/something else? should I leave you all alone until I'm ready to 'do it right'?

I only have about 1 cup of cheese, so I'm willing to experiment.

has anyone else made cheese by accident? how did it turn out?

thanks for your time,
slow learner

edit: I'm using 2% buttermilk called country fresh (I know it's all I had, reduced fat isn't so bad for making yogurt) and a batch of homemade yogurt that's one generation away from Dannon plain yogurt.

[Cheese Head]

Hi slow learner and welcome to this forum.

So, by accident, you have graduated from yogurt making to cheese making! Good news, welcome to the club!

Yogurt is sometimes used as a Thermophilic Starter Culture but trying to get it to work in your curds could be tough and if it doesn't catch then you won't be acidifying your curds and I think it will go off soon. For Feta, with cow's milk you really need to add Lipase otherwise just tastes milky. Frankly it's a small batch so not much lost, I'd use it in cooking.

That said, come on in, the water's fine! There is a Sticky Post here for new cheesemakers, may give you a few ideas?