Reindeer milk and its cheeses

[100folds]

I found a farmer who is going to try it for me next april. Excited but I'm moving to New york so I set it up for another farmer to cheese it for me. Farmers, just lovely people aren't they. We really have to give them credit. Could you imagine that sort of thing happening in any other industry. Anyways, the Reindeer cheese is on its way.

[redace1960]

no way! that is so cool! i can't wait for your post on that!
more thoughts.....back in my hippiechile days i used to make yoghurts and sour creams with plain cream. heaven! so-reindeer yoghurt? might be worth a try. starters easy to find.
so is rennet. if you have the inclination you can cheese your own. i played around with this years ago using whole cows milk and you get a nice spreadable pot cheese. DH's cousin used to hang it in the fireplace over a small fire of whatever smokewood-like alder or apple- and get some really good smoked cheese.

[100folds]

The thing is redace is I don't have a clue where to begin. I've read my books, being the geek that I am but it all sounds greek to me, which is great if you speak greek, but I don't!!
The Reindeer milk will be unpasterized, which is against the law but I think we need to try this the old way. So where would I begin. Have you tried making the cheese from store bought pasterized milk? Where did you get the rennant? Yogart I make already, for health reasons but I would like to learn how to make the other cheeses like brie and smoked cheese. How did it go for you? What did you do? I would like some ideas on what is going to be happening with this milk and then maybe I can add some ideas to it as well.
I love this kind of stuff.
Hey, and thanks for your input. Like I've said before, I am some what of a city gal. I lived on an acreage but we didn't have any cows, chickens, nothing! So all this farm stuff, well I'm just learning. Nevertheless, I'm falling in love with it. So... Any advice you can give me would be sooo appreciated.

[100folds]

Went to an organic cheese farm and found everything that I was looking for. They gave me a name which you might all be interested in learning. If you are interested in making your own cheese you can contact glengarry cheesemaking on line and they sell starter kits for all different types of cheeses.

[redace1960]

right on. get cheezin!
i can walk down to the rite aid drug store in town (fifteen businesses) and buy rennet and acidophilus starter. theres more cows out here than people and enough of a milk surplus that lots of families fool around with home cheese making.
i think the reason it sounds as complicated as it does is that the folks who write these things have your health-and possible lawsuits-in mind. as long as you keep your first efforts in the house and are as cleanly as possible it ends up being harder to read about than do. but boy are the failures ugly! i mean UGLY. smelly AND colorful. voice of experience says do NOT dispose of these failures down the garbage disposal because the -ahem- memory will linger for days.