I Love Radio!

I’m off to the studios of KUOW, Seattle’s NPR affiliate, where this morning I’ll be dishing with Weekday host Steve Scher and his panel of gardening experts about the “Canvolution“  sweeping kitchens across the land.

I’m bringing several preserving projects for everyone to sample…well not the listeners.  There’ll be Walla Walla Wild Plum Jelly (recipe here) served with Farmer’s Cheese (see below) on crackers; Old-Fashioned Crock Pickles (recipe here courtesy of Willi Galloway’s great blog, Diggin Food); and Spicy Ginger Syrup to either make homemade ginger ale or hot toddys depending on our crazy weather, (recipe still to come).

Simple Simon homemade cheese -

Farmer ‘s Cheese

Easy to make, this cheese was traditionally made by farmers for home consumption and may be produced from cow’s, sheep’s, goat’s, or more exotic milks.

Season: Any time

Yield: 1 pound

Store: Refrigerator (1 week)

1 gallon whole milk
Large pinch of salt
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 large lemon

Pour the milk into a heavy pot, add the salt, and bring to a simmer over medium heat; stir to prevent the milk from scorching on the bottom of the pot. Turn off the heat when small bubbles appear around the edges.  Stir in the lemon juice and allow the milk to sit for 5 to 10 minutes for curds to form.

Line a sieve or colander with dampened cheesecloth and place it over a bowl. Pour in the now-curdled milk to separate the curds from the whey. Discard the whey or reserve it for use in baked goods. When the curds have cooled a bit and the dripping has slowed, draw the four corners of the cheesecloth together, using your hands to form the cheese into a solid mass. Suspend the bagged cheese over a bowl and allow it to drain for at least an hour at cool room temperature (not over 70°F). The longer it drains, the firmer the cheese becomes.

The finished cheese may be flavored with salt, pepper, fresh herbs, spices, and garlic. Keep refrigerated and use within one week.

Variation: Stir a tiny pinch of salt and heavy cream into the finished cheese for a simple dessert. Drizzle with honey and serve with wheatmeal crackers.

All these recipes can be found in Canning & Preserving Your Own Harvest, by Carla Emery & Lorene Edwards Forkner, 2009 Sasquatch Books.

Tagged as: Canning & Preserving Your Own Harvest, Canvolution, Carla Emery, Encyclopedia of Country Living, pickles, sasquatch books, seasonal bounty, stone fruits