26. Cheese-making — Sixty to Sixty

Who loves mozzarella? The good kind, in the specialty cheese section at the grocery store. The velvety kind that gives a hint of salt to a slice of heirloom tomato and a fresh basil leaf. Ever thought about making it yourself?

I never did until my friend Lysa suggested it. We took a mozzarella making class at Beer and Wine Hobby in Woburn, MA.

Tucked away in an industrial park, Beer and Wine Hobby is a big, warehouse-like store that sells everything a DIY’er could ever need to brew beer, make wine, or create artisanal cheese at home. They offer low-cost how-to classes which work well for them as sales funnels, as all of these endeavors require specialty equipment and ingredients.

Our instructor, Gennaro Cataldo, led us to a classroom where we sat in chairs as he went behind a counter holding all of the materials he would need to turn a gallon of milk into a pound of mozzarella. Gennaro, an affable guy whose family has owned Beer and Wine Hobby since 1972, clearly loves the business and enjoys teaching.

His first lesson was about the importance of sanitation, using phosphoric acid. Then he showed us all of the equipment we would need:

a good digital thermometer;
a glass, stainless steel, or enamel pot (you can use a pot with enamel over cast iron, as long as it’s not cracked - here’s a link to more info about reactive vs. non-reactive cookware);
a curd knife or other long, blunt-ended knife that can reach all the way to the bottom of the pot;
a curd ladle or slotted spoon; and,
some tight-weave cheese cloth.

Gennaro then demonstrated all the steps: heating the milk to 55 degrees then stirring in citric acid; heating it to 90 degrees, stirring constantly, then removing the pot from the heat and adding in diluted rennet, covering and allowing to sit for 5 minutes.

Once the timer rings, the curds and whey should have separated (yes, that’s what Little Miss Muffet was eating). Then you need to cut the curds all the way to the bottom of the pot.

There’s more - once again, heat the curds, gently moving them around with the spoon. Once it reaches 105 degrees, remove from the heat and continue to stir for a few minutes. Then there’s microwaving and kneading involved, until it forms a big, round, shiny mozzarella ball. Voila!

The best part of this whole process? Hanging out with Lysa.

Gennaro kept his audience’s attention, and it really was cool seeing milk turn into cheese, and especially tasting it, with olive oil and then balsamic vinegar. But when I take a class, especially a cooking class, I like to get my hands dirty. I want to put on an apron and learn by doing. This was more of a demonstration than a class.

One of my goals for this adventure quest is community - connecting with old friends and making new ones. After the class, Lysa and I went out for a glass of wine and a bite to eat, probably not something we would have done without the excuse the class gave us. So I’m glad we took the class - it was great to catch up.

Will I actually make mozzarella at home? Maybe. I’m not going to buy a specialty knife or curd ladle, but I might try it with utensils I already own. Lysa’s daughter and mine - bff’s since kindergarten - both love to cook, so maybe we can get them involved.

The verdict? Yum. But not my kind of class.