ANNATTO
A natural food colourant made from the seeds of the achiote shrub (grown in the USA and Mexico). Annatto is used to give yellow, orange or red hues to homemade cheese. Also used for colouring soap. Add directly to milk as recipe states. Store in the refrigerator.
Sometimes used to coat the exterior of french goat cheeses.
CALCIUM CHLORIDE
A liquid that helps coagulate the milk: to collect the protein and fat in the milk and form a curd. It is added at the beginning with the milk (before you add culture or rennet). If you are using fresh, farm milk that you have pasteurised, or you are using store-bought non-homogenised milk, you will not need to add calcium chloride. Store-bought homogenised milk will need calcium chloride added.
CHEESE SALTCheese salt is a large crystal salt that is suitable for cheese-making, fermenting and pickling. It does not contain iodine or anti-caking agent, and can be dissolved in filtered water to make brine, or sprinkled onto cheese to draw out whey. Also suitable for flavouring food and general cookery. We use organic, sustainably sourced Western Australian lake salt in home cheese-making. Store in the pantry.
CHEESE CULTURES
Powdered cheese cultures that contain live “good” bacteria that acidify the milk and help develop the flavour of the cheese. Use mini measuring spoons to measure precise amount of culture required, sprinkle onto the surface of the milk and wait 30 seconds (to rehydrate) before mixing well. Freeze dried powder. Store in the freezer.
Mesophilic Culture MO30 - for hard curd cheeses i.e. farmhouse cheddar, feta
Mesophilic Culture MO36 - for soft curd cheeses i.e. fresh soft cheeses
Mesophilic, Flora Danica - aromatic
Mesophilic, English & American Style - mild
Mesophilic, English & American Style - strong
Thermophilic Culture - for hard cheeses
Chevre Culture
Creme Fraiche Culture
Fromage Blanc Culture
Mozzarella Culture
Sour Cream Culture
Swiss Cheese Culture
CHEESE MOULDS
Brands of cheese moulds vary in strength, check packaging for details when using in home cheese-making. Use mini measuring spoons to measure precise amount of cheese mould required. Store in the freezer.
Geotrichum candidum - white/cream mould i.e. brie, camembert
Penicillium candidum - mild white mould i.e. brie, camembert, coulommiers, French goat cheeses
Penicillium roqueforti - mild blue mould with light grey/green marbling, firm texture
Penicillium roqueforti - strong blue mould with deep blue/green marbling, creamy texture
CHEESE WAX
Used to seal hard cheeses for aging (maturation) to prevent the cheese from drying out. Available in many colours: natural (very light yellow) to black, blue, green, purple, red, white (clear) and yellow. Store in the pantry.
CITRIC ACID
A common food preservative that is used to acidify milk in cheese-making, especially soft fresh cheeses such as mozzarella. Store in the pantry.
HERBS & SPICES
Add fresh or dried herbs and spices to flavour cheese, use in cooking and make your own blends! Store in the pantry or freezer.
LIPASE
An animal-based enzyme that gives a stronger flavour in traditional Italian cheeses such as Feta, Mozzarella, Romano and Parmesan. Extra rennet is often required when adding lipase - check your cheese recipe for details. Use mini measuring spoons to measure precise amount of lipase required. Powder. Store in the freezer.
LIQUID SMOKE
A natural concentrate for adding to meat, poultry & fish - we love adding it to our sauces for preserving and using in homemade jerky. Can also be used to cold smoke firm cheeses.
STERILISER
For rinsing equipment before and during use in cheese-making to prevent contamination. Can be powdered or liquid i.e. iodophor. Follow package directions for use. Store in the pantry.
WATER
Filtered or spring (no chlorine or fluoride) to dilute calcium chloride, rennet and annatto, and to make brine.
Powdered cheese cultures that contain live “good” bacteria that acidify the milk and help develop the flavour of the cheese. Use mini measuring spoons to measure precise amount of culture required, sprinkle onto the surface of the milk and wait 30 seconds (to rehydrate) before mixing well. Freeze dried powder. Store in the freezer.
Mesophilic Culture MO30 - for hard curd cheeses i.e. farmhouse cheddar, feta
Mesophilic Culture MO36 - for soft curd cheeses i.e. fresh soft cheeses
Mesophilic, Flora Danica - aromatic
Mesophilic, English & American Style - mild
Mesophilic, English & American Style - strong
Thermophilic Culture - for hard cheeses
Chevre Culture
Creme Fraiche Culture
Fromage Blanc Culture
Mozzarella Culture
Sour Cream Culture
Swiss Cheese Culture
CHEESE MOULDSBrands of cheese moulds vary in strength, check packaging for details when using in home cheese-making. Use mini measuring spoons to measure precise amount of cheese mould required. Store in the freezer.
Geotrichum candidum - white/cream mould i.e. brie, camembert
Penicillium candidum - mild white mould i.e. brie, camembert, coulommiers, French goat cheeses
Penicillium roqueforti - mild blue mould with light grey/green marbling, firm texture
Penicillium roqueforti - strong blue mould with deep blue/green marbling, creamy texture
CHEESE WAXUsed to seal hard cheeses for aging (maturation) to prevent the cheese from drying out. Available in many colours: natural (very light yellow) to black, blue, green, purple, red, white (clear) and yellow. Store in the pantry.
CITRIC ACID
A common food preservative that is used to acidify milk in cheese-making, especially soft fresh cheeses such as mozzarella. Store in the pantry.
HERBS & SPICES
Add fresh or dried herbs and spices to flavour cheese, use in cooking and make your own blends! Store in the pantry or freezer.
LIPASE
An animal-based enzyme that gives a stronger flavour in traditional Italian cheeses such as Feta, Mozzarella, Romano and Parmesan. Extra rennet is often required when adding lipase - check your cheese recipe for details. Use mini measuring spoons to measure precise amount of lipase required. Powder. Store in the freezer.
LIQUID SMOKE
A natural concentrate for adding to meat, poultry & fish - we love adding it to our sauces for preserving and using in homemade jerky. Can also be used to cold smoke firm cheeses.
MILK – COW, GOAT & SHEEP
You can use farm-fresh or store bought milk – farm fresh milk must be pasteurised at home prior to commencing cheese-making, store bought milk (pasteurised and/or homogenised, NOT UHT) is ready for use in the recipe. Use the freshest milk possible (i.e. check for the oldest best before date or buy from the back of the shelf from the store). The higher the butterfat content, the higher the yield of cheese you will make. Warm milk is an ideal environment for bad bacteria, so ensure utensils are sterilised before making cheese at home.
RENNET
Rennet is available in powdered tablet form, or liquid form. Rennet is an enzyme used to clot, or curdle the milk, which separates the milk into curds (solids) and whey (liquid). We find the liquid rennet gives a more consistent result when making cheese – liquid rennet needs to be mixed with ¼ cup filtered water before adding into your recipe. Rennet can be animal or plant based – we prefer to use vegetable rennet. Some cheeses require rennet, whilst others do not, so follow your recipe carefully. Liquid rennet is stored in the refrigerator and rennet tablets are stored in the pantry or refrigerator (or your freezer for long term storage).
For rinsing equipment before and during use in cheese-making to prevent contamination. Can be powdered or liquid i.e. iodophor. Follow package directions for use. Store in the pantry.
WATER
Filtered or spring (no chlorine or fluoride) to dilute calcium chloride, rennet and annatto, and to make brine.