Hello from Lincolnshire in the UK.
Have never made cheese before and wondered where the best place is to start in terms of equipment, recipes, books etc.
Would be grateful for any help.
Thank you.
Bob
Welcome to the forum from Tasmania. :)
Hi. Welcome to the forum.
For recipes, you can find quite a few on this Forum by searching for the type of cheese you want. There are also a number of recipes available on the internet, the standout being cheesemaking.com (http://www.cheesemaking.com/recipes/recipedetails.html) .
As to books, the one which I mostly use and which seems highly regarded by those on this forum is "Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking" by Gianaclis Caldwell.
As to equipment, the important things are a pot to heat the milk in, moulds, a curd knife (any long, straight knife) a thermometer, a perforated spoon and cheesecloth. I would also suggest a set of mini measuring spoons and some droppers (pipettes) or syringes, for measuring liquids.
You will probably also decide pretty quickly that you want a press, although there are a number of nice cheeses that you can make without one. Somewhere to age your cheeses is also important.
Have a close look at some recipes and you will be able to work out just what you need.
Don't forget some steriliser. Cleanliness is vital.
Welcome ....... I recommend a feta , as it can be eaten with in a few days , the only issue is you will have to make a brine and that means you will need calcium chloride for sure , heat the whey to 170 f to 190 f let cool and skim off any curds. the ph will be correct and about a tablespoon of calcium chloride per gallon will be more than enough to,stop the cheese from going slimey on the outside .
I agree with the book referenced , though it can be a little over welming at first , try reading a little at a time while you are waiting for the next step in the cheese making process .
Thank you so much for your welcomes and advice.
Looking forward to starting!