My First Time Making Cheese

India calls this Paneer.  The US calls it Farmer's Cheese.  I call it easy and delicious.  I was astonished at how wonderful this was.  It does taste like chevre goat cheese and has a similar texture - spreadable with a light creamy fluffiness.  

I had NO plans on blogging about my first evening (second try) of making cheese.  I had plans on blogging about my 6th or 7th creations, after authentic and more complex ingredients will be delivered.

Yet,   this recipe link is too good and too easy not to share.  I made this the first time with 1 pint of whole milk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.  After a lot of squeezing after taking the warm curd out of the cloth,  I rolled it into a ball and put it into a bowl of ice water.  I stored it in some of its drained whey.  It tasted fine, but had more of a firm texture.  It was actually more chewy, slicable and meltable.  

I prefer the goat-like--chevre.  Goat's milk is not easy to find around these parts.  Regular milk, lemon, vinegar or pure citric acid is.  No wonder this is a simple "Farmer's Cheese" across the globe or part of your own family's heritage.

I don't know how to mold this yet, nor do I yet have any cool molds. Time will come.

Until then, this cheese does just fine in a small bowl or ramekin.

If this is your first time, consider making half or a quarter of the batch that I am posting.  I did, and wasn't sorry I got two different outcomes.  Everyone deserves a practice swing.

I'll have more photos of my own when I'm actually ready to post.  Until then, and always, refer to THIS LINK:  as my inspiration.