Update: I am sending this picture to Click, a monthly event dedicated to food photography. Check it out here.
For a long time I’ve been wanting to make my own cheese, but for several reasons I had never done it. All that changed last week when I made my first batch of queso fresco. My friend Darrin made it a couple of months ago and told me that it was a very easy cheese to make. He gave me the link to the recipe and realizing that all I needed was milk and vinegar I decided I didn’t want to wait any longer to start making my own cheese.
It was one of the easiest recipes I have followed. The whole process took about 25 minutes (not including the time that it took the cheese to dry and harden). From now on I will make my own queso fresco and save a lot of money in the process. A gallon of milk costs around $2.50 and makes 24 oz of cheese while 10 oz of queso fresco at the store cost around $4.
There are many reasons to make your own cheese, maybe you want to save money, have more control of the ingredients that go into your food or just for the satisfaction of saying you did it. Whatever the reason is I think it is a good idea to share challenges like this with other foodies. That’s why I decided to create a food event where people would be challenged to make their own homemade products. In times like these when people are looking for ways to save, homemade products are a great idea. Unfortunately, many times we don’t know where to start or we don’t have the peer support to do it. That’s why I think this event will be very helpful for everybody who wants to venture into the Made at Home territory.
The food event is called Homemade and every month I will challenge myself to make an staple food at home. I hope you join me in this adventure. Here are the guidelines for this event:
- This food event will take place in my almost forgotten forum.
- Every month a challenge (either a theme or recipe) will be selected and participants will cook/bake/make that particular item. This month’s challenge is cheese, any kind. It just has to be homemade by you.
- Post completed challenges on your blog. Please include pictures (if possible) and a link to the forum (http://whatscooking.us/forum). You can use the event badge on your posts.
- When your challenge has been posted on your blog, leave the link to it on this discussion in the forum so I can include it in the roundup at the end of the month. The deadline to receive entries is Friday, February 27th and the roundup will be posted March 2nd.
The forum will be open to ask questions, share ideas and recipes about the current challenge. Feel free to participate. We all can benefit from our collective knowledge about homemade cheese. I believe that in harsh times like these the best of people and communities comes out. Let’s show to the world that the foodie community is healthy and strong.
¡Buen provecho!
34 Replies
I am excited! Making cheese – my boys wanted me to make butter, but this will entertain them too.
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Hi Ben,
Excellent idea to make your own cheese looks so tempting!
This queso blanco is a must, often in my breakfast – versatile and easy to spread.
Cheers!
Gera
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
You are one lucky guy with milk being only $2.50/gal where you are. It’s almost 4 bucks here. But still, you are so right. I’ve been seeing lots of cheese making going on and have been tempted to try, too. Gorgeous photo, Ben!
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Making your own queso fresco sounds like fun.
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
That looks wonderful, Ben! It’s so satisfying making things like that at home, isn’t it?
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
This is great, Ben!!! I want to try making it…right after I’m done with work!
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
Great cheese & what a fantastic idea!
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
And it’s just so much better than store bought don’t you think! Great idea.
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
Can’t wait to see how you’ll use this in a few recipes!!!
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
I’m very impressed Ben…I’m curious about the taste.
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
super similar to the ricotta I started making, just your queso fresco is dryer, with the hanging drip time,,,,,, you can save the whey that drips off and use it in place of buttermilk or milk in bread, salad dressing and other recipes….another $ saver!
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
This piques my interest for the very reason you noted…the satisfaction of saying I did it. I hope to participate in Homemade at some point.
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 6:11 pm
I already have my cheese picked out that I am going to make. I just hope I get it in on time!!
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
I’ve always wanted to try this — thanks so much for the recipe and for encouragement. Queso fresco is such a versatile cheese and would be great to have on hand.
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I’m always so impressed by people who make their own cheese. You make it sound so easy, I may just have to give it a whirl. This looks great, I love queso fresco!
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
This is great! I just posted a Peruvian potato dish which requires queso fresco. It would be so much easier to make it that try to find where to point people to buy it. Will definitely try this! Thanks!
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
What a great event: I love the idea of going back to basics, too.
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Great job! We made homemade mozzarella two weeks ago & it was so satisfying
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 11:43 pm
I have never made cheese before and would love to give this a try. It looks delicious!
Posted on February 9th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
I think I’m in on the event Ben, though Feb is flying by too soon. I think this cheese is just like the cottage cheese we get in India, though we can make that with both vinegar or lime juice. How yummy making our own cheese is. i want ot try mascarpone, but still have to find tartaric acid. Cheers my friend!
Posted on February 10th, 2009 at 11:05 am
Pues si está fácil… yo no me había animado porque había que conseguir unas pastillas de cuajo y otro ingrediente… pero con esa receta, creo que si me animaré… Me encanta el queso fresco y aquí en Mty no hay muy bueno…
Saludos!!!! y gracias!!!
Posted on February 10th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Your cheese looks delicious. I’ve made home-made ricotta before and would like to try other kinds.
Posted on February 11th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Ben Queso fresco sounds so easy I would like to try it.
I made halloumi and anthotyro (like ricotta) once but as goat’s milk was used it was very expensive to make.
Posted on February 12th, 2009 at 7:00 am
I love that picture of queso fresco.. so beautiful! Makes me want to try it!
Posted on February 12th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
I’ve been meaning to do homemade queso fresco for ages! This one looks great, I really need to give it a go sometime!
Posted on February 14th, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Looks great… Never tried making cheese at home before but I’ve got a bit of experience with yogurt. Maybe that would help.
Posted on February 14th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Anyone who makes their own cheese is a star in my books…bravo Ben!
Posted on February 15th, 2009 at 10:22 am
[...] great spaghetti compromise” – a ragu for everyone supposedly the best blueberry muffins ever homemade queso fresco s’moregasmic fudge brownies no-churn chocolate frozen custard garlic, mushroom, and goat [...]
Posted on February 16th, 2009 at 1:54 am
Great idea. I made cheese once as a high school science experiment. Perhaps i’ll try this event.
Posted on February 16th, 2009 at 5:41 pm
Hi Ben,
This cheese looks good to have with some fresh made tortillas. I used to make my own while living in Ohio since there were not Latin markets that sell it. I got to go back to make it since it is really expensive at the local stores about $ 8. But $ 2.50 the gallon of milk! I pay around $ 5 here. No wonder, I miss Ohio.
Posted on February 17th, 2009 at 7:42 am
que delicia! no sabes como muero por unos chiles rellenos de queso fresco. En mi ultima visita a Mx me traje en la maleta varios chiles secos, pero anoraba el queso fresco para rellenarlos. Ya me has dado una gran idea. Ya se cual va a ser mi proxima receta en mi blog!
Gracias y recbe un beso enooorme!
Heidi
Posted on March 17th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
[...] Local Harvest: CSA Dairy CSA Cook for Good: Yogurt Homemade Cheese Cheese Making & Supplies What’s Cooking: Homemade Cheese [...]
Posted on March 18th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Looks good Ben. I’d love to try this just for the satisfaction of saying I make my own cheese!
Posted on March 24th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Hi Ben,
Better late than never, right? I decided to join your challenge a couple of months late.
If you’re curious about it, I posted it on my blog today! The Queso Fresco turned out great and now I might try a couple of the harder ones.
http://aestheticdalliances.blogspot.com/2009/04/cup-of-pretty-slice-of-yummy.html
Posted on April 8th, 2009 at 3:51 am
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