Industrial Food: What are they feeding us?

You have heard the old saying "You are what you eat".  The big food companies have to keep their foods stable for a very long time so they add preservatives.  For people like me that have a list of allergies that can not go on one page without making 2 columns that can be a BIG problem.

I have never been able to eat much cheese.  It makes me itch if I eat alot of it.  Now keep in mind I am not allergic to dairy products.  I am however allergic to a multitude of antibiotics and specifically ALL of the "Mycins"... If the name ends in "mycin" then I can not have it.  The same goes with "cillins".  Before I started making my own cheese I bought cheese from the store just like everyone else.  Now that I am making it I can eat it.  Store bought cheese has "Natamycin" added to prevent it from molding.  They all have it.  Here are 2 different brands bought from 2 different stores.  The first is the label from a bag of shredded cheddar from Sam's Club and the second is a block of cheddar from Aldi.

Please note the front label on the bag:

It says "Natural" My natural cheddar has 5 ingredients:
Milk
Annato coloring (natural coloring made from the Annato tree)
Mesophillic starter
Rennet
Salt

Obviously my definition of natural and theirs are worlds apart.

Now here is another point to ponder.  We live in a world of "super bugs" created by the over use of  antibiotics.  One of them is called VRE "Vancomycin resistant enterococcus"  This bug is resistant to all of the "mycins".  Allergies are treated by making us "resistant" to the things we are allergic to.  This is accomplished by giving us very small amounts of the allergen over a period of time.  So my ponder point is this.  Could the resistant strains of super bugs have been created by these small doses of antibiotics in our food?  Mycins in our cheese?  Cillins in our meat?

If you have allergies, I suggest reading carefully the backs of all packages.  Although that is not even fool proof as they are not required to put in everything.  For example many chickens are given Tetramycin in their water.  The chicken consumes the tetramycin then is butchered.  You will not see all of the things that the chicken has consumed prior to slaughter on the package only that it contains a chicken.

The only way to really know what you are eating is to grow, process and produce all of your food.  That is not possible for many city dwellers.  But even the cities have farm land around them.  You can go to the farmers market or get to know a farmer and buy directly from the farm.  You can inquire of their practices regarding what you are buying from them to eat.

Many states have laws that say you can not buy or sell raw dairy products. In Arkansas I can sell 100 gallons a month of goats milk.  I can not however sell the cheese or butter made from it.  And cows milk is right up there with illicit drugs.  The powers that be have put farmers that sell milk in the same classification as a meth dealer!!!  Write to your Governor and complain about those laws.  We should be able to buy what we want to eat and eat whatever we want to.  Our government has become so audacious in its control that it is telling us what we can and can not consume.  I think the worst one was New York saying you can no longer buy a large cup of soda.  Really???  I thought this was supposed to be the "land of the free"  Look at some of the presidential executive orders we are no longer free!  Look at laws on the books regarding food and farmers... Nope, Not free!!!

Using Mother Culture instead of Direct set for Cheese

There are 2 different types of cultures you can get for making cheese.

The first is "Direct Set" this is a predetermined amount of powder culture.  It is pricey when you have to use one packet for each 2 gallons of milk.  They cost $6 for 5 packets.  That is $1.20 for each 2 gallons of milk.  I make 4 gallon batches so that would be $2.40 for each wheel of cheese.

The second is "mother culture" This one is set up by making your starter then saving a "start" of it by freezing it in ice cube trays.  Then each ice cube makes another quart of starter.  The cost for it is $6 for 1 packet but then you keep using it over and over.  Out of my first packet I got 24 fresh starts frozen plus I made 4 gallons worth of cheese.  I have made to this date 20 gallons worth of cheese curd  So right now my cost is at $0.60 cents per 2 gallon batch and it will just keep going down with every batch I make.  I have 22 starts in the freezer so when I get that done used then my cost would be less than $.07 for each batch and then with the last batch I would refill my trays and start over even further reducing the cost.  After 2nd batch of cubes were used my cost then would be $.03 and after the third batch of cubes are used it would be $.01 for each batch.  After the 4th batch it would be basically free.....

As compared to direct set it paid for itself with the first quart.

Here is how to use it:

Sterilize your milk:  (Sorry no pics)

Pour 1 quart of milk into a canning jar and then put it into a pot with a rack underneath so the jar is not setting on the bottom of the pot and enough water to cover the top of the jar.  Bring this water to a boil and hold it there for 30 minutes. 

Cool milk:
Remove the jar and run cool water over it until the temp reaches about 70 degrees.

Add one pack of mother culture to cooled milk.  Replace the lid and shake it up.

Allow to ripen for about 12 to 15 hours.  You will know it is ready when it is thick like buttermilk.

See how it coats the inside of the jar

After it is done fill a clean ice cube tray with your starter and freeze the cubes.

Frozen cubes of starter

Place your frozen cubes into a freezer bag and label what kind of starter it is.

To make another batch of it repeat the above steps except add a cube instead of the packet of starter.

When you run low on cubes just fill another tray with your prepared starter and freeze.  This can go on indefiantely so you can see how the cost would actually become less than a penny after several batches.

Use your prepared starter within 1 week and you can store your cubes up to 2 years in the freezer.

To use the starter:

Place your milk in a large pot and add 5 ounces of prepared starter to each  2 gallons of milk and then allow to ripen for 60 minutes.

The Cheddar Experiment

About 2 months ago I made a wheel of cheddar. It was starting to look very dry so in fear that our cheese was ruining we cut it open.
The directions I found were "Old World".  It did not use wax but instead I mummy wrapped the cheese with cheese cloth.    I put a layer on the top and bottom and coated it with olive oil and then I wrapped a strip around the edge of it.  It was then put in my daughters basement to age. 

Cheddar wrapped in cheesecloth

Lipase is the stuff that you add to cows milk to make the cheese sharpen as it ages.  The more you add the sharper it will get.  Goats milk on the other hand is naturally high in lipase so I did not add any.  After only 2 months we had what could definately be deemed as a medium cheddar.  It was not far from being sharp...  The instructions had said to age it 6-24 months depending on the sharpness desired.

It took me many hours to make this cheese.  I had 3 hours alone invested in the "cheddaring" process.  This is where I allowed the curd mass to matt together then I sliced it and stacked the slices on top of each other.  I kept it warm and turned and stacked ever 15 minutes for 2 hours.  It is my understanding that this process allows the production of lactic acid.  That high lactic acid content is what makes Cheddar different than Colby.

Because the cheese had no wax the rind dried.  Even though we kept olive oil on it I still ended up with about 1/2 inch of dried rind that was un-useable.

You can see the dark hard rind all the way around

After cutting off the rind though a very yummy inside was exposed.  It has a nice texture which is kind of crumbly.  It was absolutely delicious.  I just hate the idea that so much of it went to the dogs.  Although they were definately not displeased with the idea.

Wonderful on crackers

So lessons learned:
 

1. If I decide to invest another whole day to make cheddar then I will definately just wax it to age. 
2. You do not have to age cheese made with goats milk nearly as long as cows milk cheese in order to obtain a sharp taste. 
3. Must build a bigger cheese press so that I can make larger wheels of this one.
4. Do not tell your family of cheese lovers that they can eat as much as they want or a 4 pound wheel will be gone in only a few minutes!

Parmasean cheese

This is the chronicle of my second attempt at parmasean cheese.  The first is hanging in my daughters basement at this time.  We won't know if it turned out right until May so I am keeping my fingers crossed.  To this date I have made: Mozzarella (It turned out awesome as string cheese but did not melt, still working on that issue), cheddar (one try, it is hanging in the basement), parmasean, Ricotta and Chevre (this one is great for cheeseballs).  I always thought making cheese would be "hard".  I would not classify it as hard but instead I would classify it as tedious.  I apologize for forgetting to take pictures of a few of the steps.  It does take special equipment that won't be found in the common kitchen.  The cultures, rennet, etc. can be bought at many cheesemaking outlets.  I like the website www.cheesemaking.com They have lots of step by step pictures and LOTS of recipes.  All of my cheese is made with Goat milk from my girls.  Since Goats milk is high in Lipase naturally I do not add it to the recipe.

First we have to skim the milk, pasrmasean uses skim milk, NOT whole milk.  I save the cream for whipped cream, icecream and butter.  I have an antique cream seperator that works beautifully.  Eventually I will remember to document the process, but for now you warm the milk and then crank it thru.  The cream drizzles out the top spout and the skim milk comes out the bottom.  It is an old sears model that was made sometime between 1902 and 1940.  I cleaned it up and oiled it and works as good as the day it came from the catalog.

First we gather our supplies

A sterilized spoon for stiring, a thermometer abd the package of Thermophillic culture.

 Then we sterilize the pot.  Do this by placing some water in the pot and bringing it to a boil.  Then pour out the water and leave the lid on until you are ready to pour in the milk.

Then we put 2 gallons of our skim milk in a thick bottomed pot.  We heat it to 90 degrees.

Sprinkle the culture on the top, stir it in and then put the lid on and let it sit for about an hour.
Then you get the Rennet out of the fridge

Add the reccomended amount of yours to set up 2 gallons.  Mine is 1/8th of a teaspoon to 1/4 cup cool water.  Then drizzle it into the milk.  Hopefully it is still at about 90 degrees.  Stir it well for about 2 minutes then put on the cover and let it sit again for about 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes test it for a "clean break" To do this insert your clean bare finger into the curd and pull up with your finger tip.  The curd should seperate cleanly and not be mushy.  Also you will see greenish whey around the edges of the pot.

 If it does not break clean then let it sit undisturbed a few more minutes.

When it is set then using a long knife cut into small cubes about 1/4th of an inch.  It is really hard to do the cross wise cuts and I always end up scooping up a handfull and continuing to cut it that way.  We are not suposed to crush the curd squares only cut them.

Once we get them all cut up then we have to "cook the curd" by raising the temperature VERY slowly (2 degrees every 5 minutes) to 100 degrees.  I turn my electric stove all the way down and that is close to right.  Stir it frequently to keep the curds from clumping.  Then contiue to raise the temp to 124 degrees a little faster.  I put my stove on 1 for this step.

When it is to 124 degrees it is done.  The curds should be little and hard.  When you bite one (they have no taste, so it is not "yucky") they squeak on your teeth.

(Sorry here is where I forgot the pictures.)
Pour the whey off without pouring out any curds.  (You can make ricotta from this or the dogs love it)
Then scoop the curds into a cheesecloth lined press.  Press it lightly for 15 minutes then take out the wheel and turn it over (you will have to peel off the cheesecloth and replace it so that the cloth is now over what was the top.  Put it back into the press with a little more pressure for 30 minutes.  Then repeat the process of turning it over.  Do this agian increasing the pressure each time and this time let it sit for about 2 hours.  The last time you put the press at about 20lbs of pressure and let it sit for 12 hours. 

When it is done then take out your wheel and peel off the cheesecloth. 

Make a "saturated" salt brine.  In otherwords more salt than the water can absorb.  About 3 cups of Non-iodized salt to 2 quarts of water.

Put your wheel into the brine and let it float for 24 hours

After the 24 hours is over take out, pat it dry and mark the date on it.  I used a crayola washable nontoxic marker.
Let it sit in a cool dark place for 10 months, like a basement.  You will have to turn it over every few days if it is on a shelf.  My daughter made a net to hang it so that it gets air all the way around.

So in May I will see if it turns out good