After a long sunny Sunday spent assembling bee hives and running, I sampled Slide Ranch Steve's latest cheese effort, a tangy, salty cheese spread made from adding rennet to the milk of Slide Ranch goats. Most farmer's cheese is made with archaic methods that often require a bit of brute force. For instance, I often made cheese by heating up a few gallons of goat milk on a rickety old gas stove and adding a bunch of vinegar just before it boiled. This method works, sort of, but you get what you pay for. The milk heats unevenly, so you waste lots of curd; the milk on the bottom often burns, making it taste, well, burnt; and the milk near the bottom gets too hot and makes the rest of it taste sour. Steve made his by adding rennet to fresh goat milk and then spicing it with a little salt and chili powder. The result: a safe, satisfying cheese that would never, ever offend. Meg Ryan in cheese form. Fluffy, creamy, easy-going. Highly recommended on nacho chips. Best enjoyed during the late afternoon of sunny, breezy Sundays while sitting on rustic cabin porches. Absolutely must be eaten while drinking Black Butte Porter.
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