Making cheese at home may seem like a task to leave to the experts. But with such a wide variety of cheese recipes available, it is quite simple to get started, and there are many reasons to make your own cheese at home.
REASONS TO MAKE YOUR OWN CHEESE
1. It's a rare skill.
Making your own cheese is the culinary equivalent of building a log cabin. There just aren't that many people who know how to do it anymore. A homemade cheese will always be a hit at a potluck or party. Want to become an expert? Begin with easy cultures like our Cream Cheese Starter Culture and work up to hard cheeses made with our Mesophilic Starter Culture such as Cheddar or Colby.
2. Homemade cheese contains the best ingredients.
Commercial cheeses may contain artificial colors or additives. Making cheese at home allows you to choose your own ingredients and decide what works best for you. Choose from our list of quality Rennet and other cheesemaking ingredients. (Our products contain no GMO ingredients.) We'll help you learn to use these ingredients in your first cheesemaking project.
3. It's easy!
There are a few basic steps to cheesemaking, and they are the same no matter what kind of cheese you want to create. Once you have mastered those steps, you can make anything, from brie to mizithra. We can help you get started! Browse our list of easy cheese recipes for beginners to get started.
4. Homemade cheese connects you to your farmer, the cows, and the land.
As you begin to make cheese, you will naturally seek out the best milk for your product. You will ask questions, talking to farmers and other cheese makers. While you can make cheese without ever meeting a cow, knowing your sources is so much more fun!
5. It's inexpensive.
Unlike other hobbies you don't need a lot of fancy supplies to make cheese. A large pot, a basic thermometer, cheesecloth, and a few cheese cultures will get you started on the right path. To learn more about cheesemaking supplies, browse our Basic Supply List for Beginning Cheesemakers.
6. Children love it.
Kids love to make cheese. Kids love to eat cheese. If you have children, cheesemaking is a great kitchen activity. They can participate and learn along the way. If you homeschool, cheesemaking is a unique way to teach science and chemistry. Try an easy Cheese Starter Kit for a great family project.
7. It's delicious!
No matter what kind of cheese you make, your homemade cheese will be edible. Some of the most fabulous, rare cheeses were discovered by accident. Even if you think you've messed up your cheese irreparably, drain, salt, and try it anyway. You may not ever be able to repeat it, but you can still enjoy eating it.
START TO MAKE YOUR OWN CHEESE
Now that you know the top 7 reasons to start making your own cheese, it's time to get down to business and start fermenting in your own home! It's not as scary as you might think people have been doing it for thousands of years and they didn't have Cultures For Health to help them out.
Lucky for you - we're here to help. Cultures For Health has the largest selection of fermentation starters, tools, and kits for you to select from. We even have a large number of videos and help guides to make your cheese-making experience an amazing one.
