Cheesepalooza

I try to make as much stuff from scratch as possible: homemade breads, cakes, jams, cookies.. etc. However, aside from a few batches of paneer I've never attempted making cheese before.

When I read about Cheesepalooza on the Food Bloggers of Canada's news page I headed over to A Canadian Foodie's blog right away to read up on the details.

Basically it's a cheese making challenge/project that has a different recipe each month for the entire year. It starts out with easy fresh cheese and works towards making things like cheddar. Bloggers and non-bloggers are welcome to join and those with blogs will be posting their results each month.

For some reason I'm super excited at the prospect of making cheddar cheese at home.

 

The book that everyone is working from is called Artisan Cheese Making at Home by Mary Karlin. I can't wait to get started, she really breaks everything down step by step and goes into the kind of detail that you need when you're learning something new.

I convinced my mom to do the challenges with me (actually it didn't take too much convincing, she loves cheese too). She's the perfect person to try this out with because she has a degree in food chemistry and is very detailed oriented. I texted her this picture from a cheese book I found in the library along with the caption "WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS MUCH CHEESE"

She suggested that we start lifting weights so that we'll be strong enough to haul all our cheese around.

We're all about having realistic expectations here.

 

(photo by A Canadian Foodie)

 But for actual realistic expectations for making cheese at home and some insight to how these recipes turn out you can check out A Canadian Foodie's blog. That's her photo of the beautiful goat cheese that she made and she has a few other posts about her adventures in cheese making.

So if you're an adventurous cheese lover I suggest you check out the challenge page here and consider signing up, it starts next month!

If you just want to live vicariously through our cheese making adventures then you can check out monthly posts by all the participants who are listed here.

 Here's to new kitchen adventures and an excuse to eat a ton of cheese (hopefully)

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[A Canadian Foodie]

What a lovely invitation! Your mom will be such a great collaborator. I cannot wait to learn from her reflections and perspectives. I am so excited about this.
Thank you for doing this!
I hope we get some of your readers to join us!
:)
Valerie

[Darina]

This certainly grabbed my attention! I am a total cheesehead and this sounds awesome.I look forward to seeing how you do and great that you have such a knowledgeable mom to work with you.

[Paula]

I think it is awesome that you are going to make your own cheese. Best wishes with this undertaking and I look forward to,seeing your creations.

[Laurel]

Oh, my gosh! My mom and I have been wanting to make cheese for so long, but we always just put it off. That sounds like so MUCH FUN!!! I can't wait to tell her about this, and read up on the details. I do love your site, by the way. Very beautiful and inspirational.

[Jenni]

Awesome!!! I have always, always wanted to make cheese - and not just ricotta and easy cheeses. I want to make big wax sealed wheels! Somewhere in a cave in France assisted by monks in brown habits. That is just the way it has to be. Haha. Good luck with this! I can't wait to see the results!

[erin @ yummy supper]

Stephanie, that's so fun! We've made Mozz once, but I'd love to make more of my own cheese at home. I cannot wait to hear what you and your mom create.
xxoo
E

[A Canadian Foodie]

I can't wait to see how your ricotta turns out and what you make with it - and whether you do any others. I am in the process of trying a cultured butter today - 12 hours on the counter right now. Wonder if I will get all of Chapter one done? Some of the recipes have me hooked - and I want to do them over and over different ways until I get what i am looking for... or to see what will happen!
:)
V

[Becs @ Lay the table]

I find the biggest problem is getting hold of raw milk, would love to make some though!

[replica handbags]

Thanks for sharing the news about such a wonderful organization.Keep up the great work! Love your blog!

[business]

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