That led us into a bit of a science lesson, (including: coagulation, effects of homogenization, temperature, fat globules…etc.) but Hill’s explanations made these technical aspects easy to digest. She showed us an easy method to mix everything in the goat milk bottle, but instructed us to combine by gently tilting the bottle back and forth several times, instead of shaking. In order to help solids clump together and get rid of excess water, the milk mixture needs to rest quietly for about 12 hours (and not near a radio with a booming base, Hill cautioned).

She brought out a pot she had made the day before. And we got to ladle the curds from the whey into cheese molds to let finish draining in our own kitchens. Hill offered us the probiotic-rich, leftover liquid whey to take home and drink, put in our gardens or use to start another batch of cheese. (And I finally understood what Miss Muffet was eating when that spider sat down beside her.)

Plastic cheese mold vs. cheesecloth draining. Photo: Anna Mindess

As an alternative to using a plastic cheese mold, with holes for the whey to continue to drain out, Hill demonstrated the tradition of tying up the cheese in--what else--cheesecloth.

She also showed us how to sprinkle already formed cheese rounds with ash or, for an added treat, wrap them in booze-soaked fig leaves.

Wrapping goat cheese in booze-soaked fig leaf. Photo: Anna Mindess

San Francisco Milkmaid Information:

SF Milkmaid classes
Twitter: @sfmilkmaid
Facebook: San Francisco Milk Maid

Upcoming classes include:

November 1 and 2, Introduction to Cheesemaking, Relish Culinary Adventures, Healdsburg
November 6, Cheeseboard Collective, Berkeley, Ricotta and Mascarpone
January 18, Farmcurious, SF, Bloomy-Rinded Brie

Louella Hill has a book coming out next May from Chronicle Books, called Kitchen Creamery, with 30 recipes for home cheesemaking.

My chevre comes home. Photo: Anna Mindess

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Cheese Class: Making Chevre with the San Francisco Milkmaid