Click picture to enlarge - Original hosted at Flickr

I'm making cheese today with a great kit from the New England Cheese Company, which is really Ricki, the Cheese Queen.

So far, so good. Right now I'm waiting 45 minutes for the curd to form. If it doesn't, I'm not sure what we will do.

A few thoughts for future reference:

• Our digital candy thermometer really helped.
• 2 gallons of milk takes a long time to heat up, but also holds it's heat very nicely.
• It's easy to keep a gigantic pot of liquid at 90 degrees for 45 minutes by putting it in a sink full of 90 degree water. You can do the crossword or some other task.
• All in all, the procedure has been easier than I expected, but the harder parts are yet to come.
• I took a cue from my friend Tom who home brews the best beer I've ever had. I was really, really crazy about sanitation, boiling all pots and utensils and sanitizing the whole kitchen.
• I'm convinced good music must be played to make good cheese.
• I might owe my wife a cheese-making present, which is similar to the football-season present.

--------------------

UPDATE: The cheese is in its first 12 hour press. Everything went well except for getting the weights to balance on the top of the press. If I make cheese again, I will build or buy a press.  After the first 12 hours, I turn it and press for an additional 12. Then it dries for 3-5 days. Then it gets waxed. I imagine I will photograph all of that.