Recently a student asked about making your own cheese cultures. I tend to recommend that beginner cheesemakers start with commercially produced cultures such as those I buy from New England Cheesemaking Supply Company for a number of reasons. They tend to be safer and more consistent than those you would make on your own and when you’re first learning how to make cheese at home, it’s nice to know that you can count on your starter culture to do what it’s supposed to do. But there are certainly reasons to consider making your own – the biggest one being cost. It can definitely be less expensive to make your own cultures, especially if you’re planning to make a lot of cheese. And, of course, there is just the challenge and satisfaction that can come from doing it yourself and starting from scratch.
So, for those of you who would like to try making your own cultures, here’s a link to a great website that will tell you how. http://curd-nerd.com/make-your-own-cultures/ For that matter, this is a website and resource that can answer many of your other cheese making questions as well!
posted by Kate Johnson
