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Devonviolet
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Today was another busy day on Devonviolet Acres.
Of course it started out with DH feeding animals while I milked the girls. I'm drying them off, since they will both be kidding around the middle of April. Actually, they have already been drying themselves off. I'm just taking a little less each day. Today, it was a little less than 5 cups for both girls.
Lately, we have been eating a lot of grapefruits and oranges, and giving the girls a few pieces of the rinds after they finish milking. To watch their anticipation
and the way they relish each bite, you would think it was candy. 
I had been trying to give Angelica pieces of rind also, but she would sniff it and run away, shaking her head, like I had tried to give her something awful!!! It was quite comical. 
So, she would get some dried apple leaves, which was her favorite treat.
This morning I gave her some of the green leaves, that fell off the lemon tree, in the house, and then I slipped in a piece of grapefruit rind, like I had done in the past. Only this time, she sniffed it and tentatively took it in her mouth.
WHAT??? She actually took it???? WOW!!! So, I got another piece and called her over to the gate. She took that too!!! Only she had to be fast, because Ruby was trying to take it from her.
I had about 4-1/2 gallons of milk in the fridge. I was planning to freeze it. But then decided to make some Feta cheese. I hadn't made that before, and wanted to make Spanakopita, for dinner soon.
So, this afternoon I opened one of my cheese making ebooks, and looked up the recipe. Thankfully, I did have the rennet, Mesophilic starter and calcium chloride. With two one hour resting periods, and hanging time, it took about 5-1/2 hours to make.
I used 2 gallons, of milk, figuring I would get 2 pounds of cheese. However, as I worked with it, it seemed like more than 2 pounds. So, I weighed it and we ended up with 3 lbs 6 oz of Feta cheese!!!
Here it is sitting in the whey after I added the rennet & let it sit for an hour. I then cut it into 1/2" cubes, to help release the whey from the cheese.
Here it is after it hung over the sink for 3 hours, and I sliced it into 1" slabs, before I cut it into 1" cubes.
And here it is in the bowl, after I salted it.
It is in the fridge now, as it has to mature for 4–5 days. But so far, we are happy with the results. It doesn't taste anything like what we have bought at the store. It's a lot milder. But then, I had read that somewhere. The recipe says for a stronger taste, put it in a salt brine for up to 3 days in the fridge. I would think if it is in a brine, it could stay in the fridge for longer than 30 days.
While I was making the Feta, I also made some Matzah. We are having communion at church tomorrow, and a while back, I offered to make some. So, between adding ingredients & letting the milk rest, on the Feta cheese, I was also making Matzah & cleaning up after myself. By the time I hung the cheese, to drain, my feet hurt and I was exhausted! But, the kitchen was clean and it felt good to get so much done.
Of course it started out with DH feeding animals while I milked the girls. I'm drying them off, since they will both be kidding around the middle of April. Actually, they have already been drying themselves off. I'm just taking a little less each day. Today, it was a little less than 5 cups for both girls.
Lately, we have been eating a lot of grapefruits and oranges, and giving the girls a few pieces of the rinds after they finish milking. To watch their anticipation
and the way they relish each bite, you would think it was candy. I had been trying to give Angelica pieces of rind also, but she would sniff it and run away, shaking her head, like I had tried to give her something awful!!! It was quite comical. So, she would get some dried apple leaves, which was her favorite treat.This morning I gave her some of the green leaves, that fell off the lemon tree, in the house, and then I slipped in a piece of grapefruit rind, like I had done in the past. Only this time, she sniffed it and tentatively took it in her mouth.
WHAT??? She actually took it???? WOW!!! So, I got another piece and called her over to the gate. She took that too!!! Only she had to be fast, because Ruby was trying to take it from her. I had about 4-1/2 gallons of milk in the fridge. I was planning to freeze it. But then decided to make some Feta cheese. I hadn't made that before, and wanted to make Spanakopita, for dinner soon.
So, this afternoon I opened one of my cheese making ebooks, and looked up the recipe. Thankfully, I did have the rennet, Mesophilic starter and calcium chloride. With two one hour resting periods, and hanging time, it took about 5-1/2 hours to make.
I used 2 gallons, of milk, figuring I would get 2 pounds of cheese. However, as I worked with it, it seemed like more than 2 pounds. So, I weighed it and we ended up with 3 lbs 6 oz of Feta cheese!!!
Here it is sitting in the whey after I added the rennet & let it sit for an hour. I then cut it into 1/2" cubes, to help release the whey from the cheese.
Here it is after it hung over the sink for 3 hours, and I sliced it into 1" slabs, before I cut it into 1" cubes.
And here it is in the bowl, after I salted it.
It is in the fridge now, as it has to mature for 4–5 days. But so far, we are happy with the results. It doesn't taste anything like what we have bought at the store. It's a lot milder. But then, I had read that somewhere. The recipe says for a stronger taste, put it in a salt brine for up to 3 days in the fridge. I would think if it is in a brine, it could stay in the fridge for longer than 30 days.
While I was making the Feta, I also made some Matzah. We are having communion at church tomorrow, and a while back, I offered to make some. So, between adding ingredients & letting the milk rest, on the Feta cheese, I was also making Matzah & cleaning up after myself. By the time I hung the cheese, to drain, my feet hurt and I was exhausted! But, the kitchen was clean and it felt good to get so much done.
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