Make your own cheese.

How to make Queso Fresco Cheese

  1. Pasteurize your milk (recommended if you’re lucky enough to get raw milk.) Heat milk to 145F and hold for 30 min.
  2. Cool milk to 90F. Add mesophilic starter culture. Add rennet. Stir for 1 minute. Hold for 30-45 minutes until the curd gives a clean break.
  3. Cut the curd in 1/4″ cubes.
  4. Raise the temperature to 95F over 20 minutes. Stir gently every few minutes to keep curds from matting.
  1. Let the curds set, undisturbed for 5 minutes.
  2. Drain the whey. (save to make ricotta or biobutanol, if you’re so inclined.)
  1. Add salt, and let sit at 95F for another 30 minutes.
  2. Ladle into cheesecloth lined mold/press.
Curds in cheesecloth

9. Apply 35 pounds of pressure for 6 hours. (ramp the pressure up gradually over 1 hour.)

  1. Remove from mold. Enjoy fresh, or allow to age for a few days.