Category Archives: Learning

Raw Milk Myths

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There has been a lot of talk recently about how the State of Maine is against raw milk sales. Nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, Maine is one of only 10 states that allow the retail sale of raw milk from licensed producers.

Because of this, a great quantity of high-quality raw milk is available to Maine’s cheese makers, who have taken advantage of this source to produce more and more artisanal style cheeses that are making a positive impression around the country, and consistently winning national awards.

Mainers’ access to raw milk at the retail level is threatened by the sale of unregulated raw milk. Advocates for unregulated sales of raw milk undermine the longstanding — and rare — spirit of cooperation between Maine state regulators and its licensed raw milk producers, and thus threaten the livelihood of many family farms and cheese makers across the states who depend on these raw milk sales or on access to this legal source of raw milk.

If you have any questions about this issue, please read the Maine Cheese Guild’s Quality Statement, or contact the Maine Cheese Guild directly.

Beginner Cheese Workshop Dec 6th in Orono

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The University of Maine Cooperative Extension in Orono, along with Appleton Creamery, successfully held a Beginner Cheesemaking workshop to be held at UMaine, Hitchner Hall on Dec. 6 from 9:00am to 4:00pm taught by Caitlin Hunter (from Appleton Creamery) and Beth Calder (from the UMO Cooperative Extension program).

This workshop is taught hands-on and low tech. We had 12 people attend. We made jack, 30 minute mozzarella, and ricotta cheeses out of cows milk and co-mingled goat and cows milk for the jack. We used common kitchen utensils to produce the cheese in our Commercial Kitchen at UMaine to give beginners the confidence to produce cheese in their home kitchen (for the hobbyists). We also had people attend that may produce cheese commercially, but gives them the introduction on understanding the common cheese making steps, and provides the opportunity to experience hands-on subtle curd/texture changes that are important in producing quality cheeses.

The cows milk was organic cows milk from Grassland Farm in Skowhegan and Appleton Creamery provided the goats milk.

Beth Calder and Caitlin Hunter demonstrate how to determine the rennet set time.

Beth Calder and Caitlin Hunter demonstrate how to determine the rennet set time.

Download the flyer and application here (PDF Format).

Christmas Cove Cottage Cheese

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Eric Rector (Monroe Cheese Studio) and Jamien Shields (Turner Farm Creamery) have collaborated on this simple and straight-forward recipe for making a cottage cheese, just as might have been made every day by settlers on the coast.

Christmas Cove Cottage Cheese

For 1 gallon of fresh milk: 

Add 1/8 tsp MM series freeze-dried culture, or an equivalent mesophilic culture at 70 deg F, then let it “wake up” for 30 minutes.

Stir in 1/8 tsp Calcium Chloride (CaCl) solution for a firm curd, then heat milk to 86 deg F while stirring.

Add 1/2 drop rennet (double-strength, diluted in water) just to incorporate, then settle the milk, cover the pot, and let sit at room temp (72 deg F) for at least 4 hours.

Cut into 3/4″ cubes taking care not to damage the curd.

Raise the temp while stirring, gently at first, to 113 deg F over about 30 minutes.

Drain curds; then wash the warm curds with very cold water to cool them completely, then drain the curds again, as much as possible.

Stir 7 grams of salt (1/4 oz.) into the curds. If you wish to add add any spices, herbs, or flavorings, they can go in now, just before packing.

Pack into tub/containers; the curds will continue to weep whey resulting in a creamy mix to help keep the curds semi-independent. If you set aside the whey from the first draining in the pot, you could skim the whey cream that rises to the top overnight and add that to the packed curds for a creamier flavor.

Yield: about three pint containers (40 oz).

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