More Fun With Milk

Little Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet,

Eating her curds and whey. . .

 

Here's a fun bit of kitchen chemistry that you can do to produce your own curds and whey.

Call it panir or queso blanco or vinegar cheese -- this is the quickest, simplest cheese imaginable.

Heat a gallon of milk to 190 F (just short of a boil.) Off heat; add a half cup of vinegar or lemon juice. Almost immediately the milk will separate into curds and whey.

Let the curds and whey cool a bit, then spoon the curds into a colander lined with cheesecloth ( or a white handkerchief.) The whey can be saved and used in cooking or, as I do, to moisten the dogs' kibble.

Add a teaspoon of salt to the curds, You can also add a little cream and whatever herbs or spices appeal to you. For this batch I used some herbs de Provence. Chives would be nice; Justin once made a batch using tarragon vinegar and it was wonderful!

Vinegar cheese is mild --- some might say bland. I find it delicious.  You can stir it into pasta or use it in cooking but be aware that it doesn't actually melt -- not a great pizza topping. It keeps about a week in the refrigerator.