I had one of my milk customers ask me today, that when my goats had freshened, would I sell him my homemade cottage cheese. I have always sold fresh goat's milk, but never cottage cheese. I've just used that for myself. I have an excellent cottage cheese recipe, so that's not the problem, but what is the going price for fresh, homemade goat's cottage cheese? I have seen speciality cheeses for sale in the local stores for rediculous prices, and I refuse to sell my cheese at these prices. What would you "goat people" suggest?

-- Marcia Webber (HrMr@webtv.net), March 14, 2001

Answers

Response to Cost of cottage cheese?

Dear Marcia, I have always priced my products by what they are in the store. Around here, fresh raw goat milk is $2.59 a quart, I charge $2.50, just to make it come out even. For cheese, I figure the price of the milk used and double it for my labor...so a one gallon cheese is $20.00. I know that sounds outrageous, but check your local store, where goat cheese goes for $8.95 for a three ounce package. Would you please share your cottage cheese recipe? I'm sure I'm not the only one on the forum that would love to try it. I made cottage cheese for years when we had the cows, and the biggest disappointment we've had with the goats is not being able to make good cottage cheese...the recipes I've tried all turn out "squeaky". Thanks a lot. Kathie in Western Washington

-- Kathie in Western Washington (twinrosefarm@worldnet.att.net), March 14, 2001.

I want the recipe please? Please? WE LOVE cottage cheese!! I have made it once, but it tasted nasty..but then so did the goat milk...I had bought it from a friend who called later to warn me the goat had gotten into the onions. yuck! oops. we went ahead and finished making the cottage cheese, but it was gross tasting, though a nice texture!

-- Cindy in Ok (cynthiacluck@yahoo.com), March 16, 2001.

I would love to have the cottage chees recipe also! Thanks,Chris

-- Chris Dehne (mdehne@ccpl.carr.org), March 17, 2001.

Cottage and cream cheese seem to be the only types of cheese I have good luck with. So I'll gladly share my cottage cheese recipe if someone will share a good mozzarella recipe also!? First of all, clean animals (goats or cows) is essential. I always milk into stainless steel containers which have been rinsed with a mild bleach/water solution. I also heat-treat (not paaturize) my milk. Okay.....Heat 1 gal. whole milk to 90 degrees (double boiler). Add 1 cup sour cream (store-bought) and stir thoroughly. Mix 1/2 tsp. liquid rennet in 1/2 cup cool water. Add to milk and stir. Let sit, covered, for about 1 hr. til curd is set. Heat over double boiler to 110 degrees while cutting curd and occasionally stirring gently. Hold at this temp. til curds are slightly firm, but not rubbery. This is the tricky part for achieving nicely textured cottage! Too hot or heated too long and your cheese will be squeaky or rubbery, not long enough and it will be too soft. Remove from heat and place in cheesecloth for 3 hrs. to drain. Place curds in bowl, add about 1/2 cup medium to heavy cream (store or fresh) and 1 tsp. salt (depending on your taste). Stir well and enjoy! If my instruction are not clear, please feel free to email me. But I'm still not sure what I'll charge!!!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), March 17, 2001.

My boys are mighty fussy cottage cheese eaters. Love it, but it has to be just right. The extra step that I take that makes the difference in the taste of our cottage cheese - I dip the cheesecloth full of drained curd in cold water, kind of open it up and let the water flow through it and then gather the cheesecloth up by the corners and let it drain a minute and then do it once or twice more.

This rinses the curd a little and makes a milder - not sour bite to it cottage cheese. Then, I salt it and mix a little fresh cream throughout. If the cottage cheese has become a little dry in the refrigerator, I mix in a little cream again right before I serve it.

If you are introducing homemade cottage cheese to a finicky group for the first time, keep it mildly salty and moist enough when you serve.

-- homestead2 (homestead@localnetplus.com), March 17, 2001.

I don't know where you live, but before you sell cheese make sure it falls within the regs for the state. In Maine we can sell anything off the farm (and it sounds like that's what your doing) but once you start selling value added products you have to be reallllllly careful. Thanks for the receipt!

-- Mary R. (cntryfolk@ime.net), March 21, 2001.