Mozzarella Mayhem!
Ok....maybe it wasn't quite mayhem. Actually, it was remarkably easy--dare I say, idiot-proof? I bought my cheese making kit from The New England Cheesemaking Supply Co . The 30 minute mozzarella kit has enough ingredients to make 30 batches (!) of cheese. In the kit is a package of rennet tablets, a bag of citric acid, cheese salt, cheesecloth, a thermometer, and directions. First step, add the citric acid to one gallon of milk and heat to 90 degrees (I used Snowville Creamery, whole milk). You cannot use ultra-pasteurized--ultrapasteurization kills all the little bacterias you need to make your cheese work. While that's heating, you dissolve 1/4 of a rennet tablet in 1/4 cup water. Step two, turn off the heat, and gently mix in the rennet solution for 30-60 seconds. Then, step away from the pot (pour a glass of wine, munch on some olives, whatever--just leave the pot alone.) In three to five minutes, the milk will develop a custard-y consistency, and the whey and the cu...