Homemade Ricotta Cheese. Cheese Making Basics. While cheese making a fairly simple process, it helps to learn the basics before you begin. Starting with a little history. Archeologists believe goat cheese was “invented” around 6000 B.C.E. We know it was a favorite of the Sumerians by 4000 B.C.E. Ancient Egyptian murals depict cheese and buttermaking, and cheese is mentioned in the Old Testament.
The Greeks adored cheese. The caseale, or cheese kitchen, was a fixture in Roman villas. The first European cheese, quark, is described in records dating to 3 B.C.E. Cheese making is a relatively simple process that involves the curdling of milk to separate curds (those milky white clumps in ricotta and cottage cheeses) and whey (a clear to yellowish, watery fluid used to make whey cheese). Following a specific recipe is the key, but understanding the basics before getting started will simplify the process for you.
Cheese Classifications The USDA bulletin “Cheese Varieties and Descriptions” catalogs 400 varieties of cheese, but far more exist. How to Make a Cave to Age Cheese. How to Make Homemade Cheese Making Recipes. Goat Cheese Making Basics. Goat cheese making was never a hobby I anticipated taking an interest in during my younger years. In fact, I was nearly forty years old before I ever tasted goat cheese, and the first that I tasted was...my own! That's right--I never tasted goat cheese until I made it myself. It was love at first bite, and since I had my own goats, I made cheese regularly, mostly chevre, at least every other day during that first milking season.
And it was eaten by the kids and me almost as soon as I made it. Since then, I've gained much more experience in both making and tasting different varieties, though I still think homemade cheese tastes better than any I've ever bought! History of Cheese Making As far as history is concerned, goat cheese making was likely one of the first processes developed by nomadic cultures for preserving food. Photo credit: Unlike cattle, goats can survive in arid, rocky regions with little forage, and are hardier and more resistant to diseases.
Process of Cheese Making.