More Money in Making Cheese than Wine?

[ibglowin]

Its famers market time all over the country this time of year. Thursday morning is our day locally. There is a small dairy in Estancia, NM that comes up the hill each week selling all sorts of cheeses made locally. He sells a 5oz tub of flavored Chèvre for $8 ea or 3 for $20. We had a dinner party last weekend and served them for appetizers. I picked the Holy Chipotle, Chili & Hot (Green Chile and Jalapeño), and the Capers and Garlic. They were fantastic served at almost room temp with some of the Triscuit flavored crackers they have out today. I wish I could find good goats milk locally that is fresh and not ultra pasteurized. they carry some local goats milk at a couple of the small organic markets in Santa fe but its all either pasteurized or ultra pasteurized so I am thinking that neither will make a very good cheese.

Costco sells a bulk 2 pack of (very good high quality) regular goat cheese. 2 8oz packages for $10. I don't think I could make it for that if I could find the goat's milk. Am thinking about trying to "make my own" using canned chipotles, green chile that I have (frozen locally grown) and of course capers and garlic which are easy to get.

This stuff is so good I could easily pick up 3 a week and they would be gone by the end of the week making for an even more expensive habit than wine making I think!

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Check craigs list and find poeple selling goats, call them and see if they sell milk too.

 

[Julie]

Mike you can use a wide variety of milks, from commercially purchased pasteurized homogenized cow's milk, raw cow's milk, or goat's milk. All will make cheese, each with its unique flavor. Cheese from unpasteurized milk makes the best cheese, but should be cured for 2-4 months if there is any doubt about pathogens in the milk. If you use pasteurized milk, you may need to add a little calcium chloride to firm up the curd because the heat makes the calcium unavailable. Calcium is required for a good clean break. You should get 1 to 1.5 pounds of cheese per gallon of milk.

So if you cannot get unpasteurized go with the pasteurized but I have read that you should not use the ultra pasteurized.

 

[grapeman]

Most of the 8-10 markets we do every week feature goats and cows cheeses made from fresh milk by friends. They set up next to me at many markets and makes a good complement to the wines. At the end of the market, they pass out unused portions of the samples. I love the chevre (goat) and chevre (cows) cheese spreads. The cracked pepper and olive oil and the chives and garlic are great. I even made some chevre myself a couple months ago and made several flavors. It turned out great even using simple pasteurized cows milk (not ultra pasteurized) I flavored them to our tastes and we all liked the cajun spiced one best. Simple pasteurized is fine, but ultra-pasteurized requires you to add extra calcium chloride.

 

[ibglowin]

I just signed up for a cheese making class put on by the makers of the cheese at the farmers market. It's going to be held at Black Mesa Winery where I am friends with the owners. I understand some wine drinking will be involved as well! I found fresh goats milk in ABQ for $5 a gallon. Is that a decent price? I see some chèvre in my future!

 

[robie]

My wife has no interest in my wine making, but she does want to learn to make her own cheese. She just retired from teaching grade school, so she finally has the time.

I also think it would be fun, as I really do love many types of cheese.

I know we will go that direction someday soon.

 

[Julie]

I just signed up for a cheese making class put on by the makers of the cheese at the farmers market. It's going to be held at Black Mesa Winery where I am friends with the owners. I understand some wine drinking will be involved as well! I found fresh goats milk in ABQ for $5 a gallon. Is that a decent price? I see some chèvre in my future!

you should get about 1 1/2 # per gallon

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

$5 a gallon is a good price, I have a local guy who sells his at $7 a gallon for goats milk and another sorce for cows milk at $5 a gallon


edit: Just teamed up with a local lady who does cheese making classes. We will be bringing in more of the commercial cheese making supplies for the home cheese maker at lower prices....stay tuned.

 

[ibglowin]

I am going to make my weekly trek to the market tomorrow morning and talk with the guy manning the booth. He is the head cheese maker for the dairy and teaches the class. I want to see if I can source fresh goats milk a little closer to home. Perhaps their is a secret goats milk society I can join..... ABQ is 200 miles RT so hoping to find something a little closer to home.

 

[Runningwolf]

I think you all have a friend in cheeses! Some day I definitely want to get into it also after tasting Julies.

 

[ibglowin]

Especially the "baby cheeses" as Gloria would say.

 

[GrandpasFootsteps]

Making cheese is serious business, even on a small scale. I won't go into the details of how to come up with a delicious and successful model. However, I will give you a bit of advice. You need to invest in Quality Assurance. I have my own service that can provide you with experienced Quality Assurance testing. The best part is that for you, right now, for a limited time, this service can be provided absolutely free. Just send down a sizeable sample of each cheese you make to Austin and I will perform careful analysis on each product and provide a written report for you.

 

[Julie]

Making cheese is serious business, even on a small scale. I won't go into the details of how to come up with a delicious and successful model. However, I will give you a bit of advice. You need to invest in Quality Assurance. I have my own service that can provide you with experienced Quality Assurance testing. The best part is that for you, right now, for a limited time, this service can be provided absolutely free. Just send down a sizeable sample of each cheese you make to Austin and I will perform careful analysis on each product and provide a written report for you.

Good one!!!!

 

[ibglowin]

Hehehehehehehehehe....... :>

 

[lieu]

I have experimented in cheese making a little and it was fun. I made the simple Queso Blanco. It was so easy and tasted great. Especially when it was still warm spread on crackers. It was good cold on salads also.