Chevre

We have finally enjoyed a couple of days of sub 100 degree weather. Not only does this mean my attitude has greatly improved, it also means we can recommence making chevre! My first batch of the season came out yesterday and it looks beautiful. 2.5 lbs of wonderful soft white goodness.

I'm still playing around with seasonings but I think this batch is pretty damn tasty.  For 1 gallon I used 1.75 teaspoons of salt and 1 heaping tablespoon of herbs de provence. In  total I used 2 gallons of milk and made 2.5 lbs of cheese :) 2 lbs are traveling to Boston and Maine this weekend to be shared with friends and family on the other side of the States.

Warm Goat Cheese Salad

Goat cheese is pretty amazing at all times. But, it is especially amazing served warm.

Warm Goat Cheese Salad

• spring greens (rinsed and dried)
• lemon mustard vinaigrette
• 6 oz goat cheese (herbed or plain)
• 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts pulverized
• 2 tbsp bread crumbs (plain)

Toss the springs greens with the vinaigrette and set aside. Mix the pine nuts and bread crumbs in a small bowl.  Divide and form the goat cheese into four balls. Roll each ball in the bowl with the pine nut/bread crumb mixture. Slightly press the top and bottom of the balls to form small disks. Roll each disk again in the nut mixture. Place the four disks on a baking sheet and broil for 2-5 minutes.

Remove the cheese from the oven and place over spring greens. Serve immediately. Enjoy with pain complet and a glass of white wine.

Tangy Victory

I am writing this post while happily munching on a goat cheese tartine. (A slice of toasted bread with fresh chevre smothered on it). And yes, I made it. With the help from those splendid people at Summerhill Dairy and the fantastic folks at The New England Cheesemaking Supply Company I was able to successfully produce my first batch of chevre.

After the curds had set and the whey had over 12 hours to drain, I divided the cheese into three batches. One was mixed with herbs de provence, the other was mixed with black pepper, and the third was untouched. I then rolled them in plastic wrap and squeezed them through a cylindrical mold. Now I have three happy cheese logs sitting on the top shelf of my refrigerator.

Basic Chevre:
1 gallon goat milk (I use Summerhill Dairy since it tastes fresh, isn't goaty  and the milk is not ultrapasteurized)
1 packet "Chevre" (you can get them here from the New England Cheesemaking Supply Company)
Stainless Steel pot
Stainless Steel slotted spoon
dried herbs
non-iodized salt
colander
cheesecloth

• Gently heat the milk to 86ºF
• Pour in the Chevre packet and let sit for 2-3 minutes
• Stir the milk to ensure even distribution of the cultures
• Cover and let sit at room temperature (roughly 72-75º) for 12 hours
• With a slotted spoon, gently place the curds in a colander lined with cheesecloth
• Tie the cheesecloth and let the curds hang over the sink or a bowl for 3 hours at room temperature. 
• Transfer the hanging curds to the refrigerator to continue to drip for another 9 hours
• Put the curds in a bowl and sprinkle with 1.5-3 teaspoons of salt, mix thoroughly
• Mold the curds or place in an airtight container for storage. 

The cheese should last about a week and a half in the refrigerator.  However, I cannot imagine that there will still be cheese left after a couple of days.