[Cheese] Cheese Digest, Vol 6, Issue 7

Sat Feb 4 13:26:03 EST 2006

Botlism lives in soil, that is where the spores come from, so garlic and other roots are not a good choice for long steeping in oil. I am also careful to collect the arial (top) parts of plant rather than those close to the earth. I keep my feta cheese that is marinating with herbs in olive oil in my pantry at room temperature-never has gone bad-I have been doing this for more than 6 years. I make a point of eating it within 6 months, as I do not expect fresh foods to last the way that comercial products which are full of preservatives do. Also I have steeped dried tomatoes and they too are fine. 

When steeping herbs: be sure they are fresh, but not wet. I like to collect on a very dry afternoon. Do not wash them-if I collect from my own pesticide free garden there is no need to wash. Be sure everything is below the surface of the oil, you are cutting off from oxegon and anything above the surface will mold. 

Also a note about oils: Buying oil from the store in a clear bottle means that the oil is either already rancid or on it's way to becoming rancid. Light compromises the integrity of oil. So I buy my olive oil in a can. 
I hope this is helpful. 
Happy Cheese Making
Linda 
www.moonwiseherbs.com

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> Today's Topics:
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>    1. Re: A story about draining whey (JOHN MURREN)
>    2. Re: Advanced book recommendations? (JOHN MURREN)
>    3. Re: Preserving cheese in herb oils (JOHN MURREN)
>    4. Re: chevre balls (Miskin Meadows)
>    5. So how are these Chevre balls actually served? (Miskin Meadows)
> 
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2006 05:45:25 -0800 (PST)
> From: JOHN MURREN <jmurren at verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: [Cheese] A story about draining whey
> To: "The Cheese Makers' Digest" <cheese at hbd.org>
> Message-ID: <20060204134525.38570.qmail at web84013.mail.dcn.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> 
> 
> Doug Snyder <dsnyder at swlaw.edu> wrote:     And the second factor is, I found my cat drinking 
> the whey from the bowl on the top of the counter ;-)
> 
> Doug
> _______________________________________________
> Smart cat!  
>    
>   After discovering how much protein and nutrition was left in the whey, I've started using it for any number of things - mostly as the liquid in breads - adds much flavor too!  I just saw on The Food Network that whey is the key ingredient in todays' popular energy bars.
>    
>   Good stuff - the cat knows!
>   John
> 
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> ------------------------------
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> Message: 2
> Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2006 05:56:17 -0800 (PST)
> From: JOHN MURREN <jmurren at verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: [Cheese] Advanced book recommendations?
> To: "The Cheese Makers' Digest" <cheese at hbd.org>
> Message-ID: <20060204135617.20115.qmail at web84012.mail.dcn.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Hi Erica!
>   Although I don't have the scientific answer to the "acid" cheese question, I suspect that the amount of acid added contibutes to the melting factor - I say that because mozzarella has citric acid and it melts (maybe not as quickly as others).  Again, my guess is that rennet is a slow acting acid builder, while the others are acid "jolts" to the milk.  ???
>    
>   John
> 
> Erica Schechter <erica.schechter at gmail.com> wrote:
>   Hi all,
> 
> I've read Ricki Carrol's book cover to cover, and made several
> cheeses: soft, hard, pressed, mold ripened, you name it. I'm certainly
> no expert, but I'd love to learn more of the science behind
> cheesemaking so that I can understand the process at a much more
> detailed level. I've read the relevant chapters in "On Food and
> Cooking" by Harold McGee, but I'd like something more specialized. Can
> anyone recommend something?
> 
> By the way...does anyone know why cheese that has acid added to it
> (lemon juice, vinegar, citirc acid) does not melt? I can't find the
> answer anywhere...
> 
> --Erica
> 
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> ------------------------------
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> Message: 3
> Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2006 06:14:24 -0800 (PST)
> From: JOHN MURREN <jmurren at verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: [Cheese] Preserving cheese in herb oils
> To: "The Cheese Makers' Digest" <cheese at hbd.org>
> Message-ID: <20060204141424.30073.qmail at web84003.mail.dcn.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> 
> 
> Linda Conroy <rosemarygoddess at moonwiseherbs.com> wrote:    > Greetings. As for the Chevre in oil, olive oil will keep the longest so is a really good choice. Seed oils go rancid more quickly than fruit oils ie olive, avacoda, coconut etc. And an herbal oil you make yourself would be fabulous. I like to add fresh herbs to the jar that I put the cheese in. I put the herb in the jar before I add the cheese, I then add the cheese and then the oil. I predominantly use olive oil. The nicer the oil, the better the flavor. 
> happy cheese making
> Linda
> 
> 
> A note of caution - be careful about your preserving techniques when using herbs in the oil.  I lost a bushel of beautiful roasted/dried tomatoes this past season by following a recipe off the web that called for emersing the dried tomatoes in basil olive oil, and storing them at room temp.  Within a few days, they all began to spoil.  Refrigeration is needed, and that means the oil turns solid.  It's fine, it just doesn't look as nice!  Only later did I read that although the old timers often preserved by covering with oil and storing at a "cool" cellar temp, it's not recognized as a safe thing to do today, especially when adding herbs, which add the likelyhood of botulism or other nasties.
>    
>   John
> 
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> ------------------------------
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> Message: 4
> Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2006 09:32:40 -0500
> From: "Miskin Meadows" <emerald at hawk.igs.net>
> Subject: Re: [Cheese] chevre balls
> To: <cheese at hbd.org>
> Message-ID: <FEEAJLCCMBNHNFHOGPAGOEPHGAAA.emerald at hawk.igs.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> 
> Hi Linda,
> 
> what herbs would you add? I have chives in oil, garlic, herb de province,
> fine herbs mixes to try. I agree with the olive oil being best for
> preserving but that too left long enough on the counter will go bad. It
> might be though the spices or the little bit if whey that adds to the oils.
> I'd love to hear what spices folks use..
> 
> I got great feedback from my clients on some new ones I did the other day..
> it was a good experiment.
> 1.  Herbs & Garlic  (everyone always loves this one)
> 2. Salsa- (everyone loved this one, one client said too salty for her taste
> but she doesn't use salt<LOL>)
> 3. Sun dried tomatoes & Bacon- (Everyone said amazing flavor but this one
> was drier.. I think the bacon soaked up some of the moisture)
> 4. Grainy mustard- (everyone said excellent with ham/meats on and the cheese
> together, which is how I told them to eat it. )
> 5. Cranberry & Cashews-( this one was drier as it drained longer so most
> wanted it like the others more moist. some said to add cranberry juice for
> stronger flavor as it was great tasting but very mild) Also I told them to
> try this with fresh fruit and honey and they loved it that way too.
> 
> So all in all the samples went well with test home # 1
> I really want to try them with the balls in oil this week.
> 
> Regards,
> Bev & John
> Miskin Meadows Farm
> http://www.hawk.igs.net/~emerald/index.html
> Owner VankleekHill_Freecycle
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VankleekHill_Freecycle
> 
> 
> 
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> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 5
> Date: Sat, 4 Feb 2006 09:32:42 -0500
> From: "Miskin Meadows" <emerald at hawk.igs.net>
> Subject: [Cheese] So how are these Chevre balls actually served?
> To: <cheese at hbd.org>
> Message-ID: <FEEAJLCCMBNHNFHOGPAGAEPIGAAA.emerald at hawk.igs.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="iso-8859-1"
> 
> Hi James,
> 
> We serve them as snacks with crackers or fruit, in salads, on a plate with
> sliced tomatoes. I personally eat them just like they are out of the bottle.
> I do love them with dried apricots though.
> 
> 
> Regards,
> Bev & John
> Miskin Meadows Farm
> http://www.hawk.igs.net/~emerald/index.html
> Owner VankleekHill_Freecycle
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VankleekHill_Freecycle
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> End of Cheese Digest, Vol 6, Issue 7
> ************************************