This weekend was spent assisting a demo for the Girl Scouts, and it was amazing! I helped Katerine feed all the volunteers by cooking kebabs, I spatchcocked a chicken, and the flatbreads poofed up so nicely ^_^
AND THEN I MADE CHEESE.
The first batch I was extremely cautious and it took me three or four hours to bring the milk up to temperature and probably five times as much vinegar. After straining, it was mixed with fresh garden herbs.
The second batch I put a lot more coal under the pot and got it to boil and curdle in an hour. I mixed in the leftover honey syrup from the spiced cookies. It sucked the orange out of the cookies and it was AMAZING.
Third batch maybe took 45 minutes, tops, and was enjoyed plain. We started to philosophize about how different acids could affect the taste, which I plan to try out with the two leftover gallons of milk. I know I have white and apple vinegars, maybe rice, and maybe lemon juice? But I'll have to unfreeze that. I also have balsamic, but that might be a much stronger flavor. I wonder if I can still find a bottle that someone gave me of a vinegared garlic wine?