Archive for ‘April, 2014’

Homemade Mozzarella

It was a beautiful morning with the sun coming up over the mountains and shining through the woods…the woods that is getting greener by the minute.

That itty bitty white patch is the last of the large snow pile and I am fairly sure it will be gone by this afternoon.

For the last week and a half I’ve been on a big push to finish a work project that was due last Friday. I finished about 2 p.m. yesterday – Monday. Yes, late. But, all is well. It has been intense, though and so this morning, before starting on another task, I decided to have some fun and make fresh, homemade mozzarella.

I’ve made ricotta (EASY!) and watched some videos about making mozzarella but it wasn’t until seeing the step-by-step photos and seeing the “only takes 20 minutes” in this post: Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn, that I decided to give it a try.

A beautiful morning…with the sun pouring into my kitchen…perfect for a try at something new and fun!

The ingredient list is short: milk, water, citric acid, rennet and salt. I bought the citric acid and rennet from Amazon. The article also contains links to online cheesemaking supply stores.

The method is short and simple … and it did only take 20 minutes!

The post has complete details but the short version is:
Cook the milk with the citric acid and then the rennet.
The curds (white chunks) separate from the whey (yellow liquid).
Cook the curds, drain the whey and then knead and stretch into mozzarella.

Curds and whey! Bear LOVES, LOVES, LOVES whey and it is good for him. I give him some, put some in my smoothies and it is also good for plants so the lilac bushes get some. Everyone is happy!

The curds are at temperature…

Drain the whey from the curds and then they are ready to be stretched and kneaded…

And suddenly you have mozzarella!

Homemade mozzarella.

I did a melt test and it does just as well, if not a bit better than the store bought fresh mozzarella.

So much fun, so easy and so quick – Happy Tuesday!

April Showers

At least they are rain showers.

But that is my opinion.

Auggie is fine with snow.

But rain gives him the “Oh noes!!”

Rain gives Bear more spots to get a drink.

Because the front porch water bowl is not good enough…

April Showers.

Supper

After a Spring-like 4-5 days, Winter returned.

It snowed, it rained, it graupeled.

The wind blew.

The sun came out.

And a bit of sunshine for supper: seared/braised salmon…

With turmeric-cayenne brown rice and Israeli (middle eastern) salad.

Supper.

*** I’d barely hit “publish” when the setting sun lit the trees to the east…in contrast to the darkish gray sky:

Farmer’s Market: opening day and an Easter Sunday video

It was a stellar start to Kalispell Farmer’s Market.

It didn’t snow.

It didn’t rain.

The sun was shining!

Yes, it started cool, but there was NO precipitation and the SUN WAS SHINING!!!

Bear and I were about 15 minutes late for the absolute start, but still.

What a grand day.

The loot: Eggs and cheese curds from Flathead Cheese, an arnica salve from Montana Folk Remedies, Chocolates from JC Chocolates, Spring Greens, tomatoes and Persian cucumbers from MountainView Gardens (hydroponic) and woven placemats from Martha’s Weaving.

The eggs are beautifully colored by nature for Easter!

We came home…

…and enjoyed the continued sunshine.

The closet door was hung!

Farmer’s Market: opening day.

Today, Easter Sunday, I took the below video. It is marginal but I included as it gives an idea of our walks. I need to figure out what I’m doing wrong with the video outside or if it is just the woods that confuses the camera or ???

Don’t try to watch it full screen – it is best in the small window.

***House maintenance notes for ME: Changed water filter (uneventfully!) and cleared washer discharge (1 lb. lye with hot water before and much after)

Lilac buds

Every year at this time I take photos of the lilac buds.

I think they are beautiful.

And they are the first thing to bloom in my yard.

The day lilies are 6 inches tall.

The rhubarb is up.

The lily of the valley shoots are about an inch out of the ground.

But the lilacs will be the first things to bloom and the buds are so pretty as they grow and unfold.

It is Passover and Holy Week…overlapping. Both speak to new life, albeit in different ways.

Chag Sameach or Happy Easter – whichever you celebrate!