About four miles away, in Rollinsford, NH (literally a stone’s throw from the Maine border), lies the incredibly scenic Brookford Farm, our nearest organic dairy. The natural beauty is quite striking, especially during a sunset visit.
We began by ogling the mechanical equipment, some of which looks incredibly fun to drive, and then quickly introduced ourselves to the milk-making machines themselves, which (facial expressions notwithstanding) appear to live a very happy life.
While we never negotiated directly with the cows, we left them some compensation as suggested by the farmers, and headed off with a yummy gallon of raw milk.
This requires a taste test! Verdict? Mmm!
With the milk in tow, we now had all the necessary ingredients and supplies, and it was time to delve into the shadowy world of cheesemaking! Various sources we researched recommended that we begin my making a soft cheese, so we opted for a yummy, fresh mozzarella.
We began by heating the milk gradually, and then added both citric acid and vegetable rennet to cause the milk to separate into curds and whey.
As we applied more heat to the mixture, the separation became even more pronounced, and soon we were able to literally cut the curds into blocks, which in time formed a gooey glob of goodness!
After draining much of the excess whey, we began a repetitive process of heating the curds and straining more whey. Then, it was time to add some salt and begin streeeeeetching the cheese!
That’s it-making mozzarella is easy. There’s only one step remaining: cut it and have a taste!
With our first attempt at cheesemaking successfully completed, it's now time to put our mozzarella to good use. Stay tuned for Part II!
