Easy Chevre

Ah, Summer!  The garden is resplendent in every shade of green, purple and red. The fresh produce spills from the basket onto counter tops and table as it all gets cleaned and put away.  Babies are weaned and it's time to put that milk to good use.  Chevre is the easiest and most fool proof cheese to make.  Here's my recipe  You will need

• 1 Gallon of Goat's Milk
• Chevre Starter
• Rennet
• Cheese Salt
• Herbs

Equipment:

• An accurate thermometer that reads up to 145 degrees Fahrenheit
• A Large Steel Pot 
• Another Steel Pot  with a lid that holds one gallon and fits inside the larger pot
• Cheese Cloth
• Colander or cheese mold

Pasteurize the milk: Put the big pot filled with enough water to float the milk pot slightly on the stove on high.  Bring the milk to 145 degrees and turn off the heat.  Leave for 30 minutes.  If you home is a comfortable temperature the milk will hold 145 degrees in the water bath for the entire 30 minutes.  Cool the milk quickly by moving the pot with the milk in it from the hot water and into an ice water bath in the sink.  Stir the milk gently to release the heat.

Bring the milk down to 80 degrees.  Sprinkle one packet of Chevre starter on top of the milk.  Let stand for 3 minutes and gently stir the starter into the milk.  Let rest for 45 minutes.  Take 1/4 of a rennet tablet and dissolve in 1/4 cup of un-chlorinated water.  If you don't have a well at your house you will need to use bottled water.  When the 45 minutes is up, add 1 teaspoon of the dissolved rennet to your milk and gently stir until well blended.  

Put the lid on your milk pot and place in a warm-ish (75 degrees or so) place to mature for 12 hours. On top of my freezer works in my house--it produces heat and keeps the milk the right temperature.  I have used a fish tank heater in a water bath on particularly cold days.  Wrap the pot in a towel to help keep it insulated.

The curds will be soft but will have a clean break from the edges of the pot.  You should see a definite layer of whey ready to drain from the curds, which will form a mass with a custard-like consistency.  Ladel the curds into a colander or cheese mold lined with cheese-cloth. I add my salt now--to taste.  For me that's about 1 teaspoon. Take up the cheese cloth edges and tie together to make a bag.  Hang the bag over a sink or pot to drain for 12 hours.  The resulting chevre is ready for seasoning any way you like it.  In the picture: The finished cheese was rolled in Italian herbs and garlic salt and sprinkled with a touch of fresh lemon juice and garnished with fennel greens.