Cheesy Reflections ;)

[lady_karelia]

In my effort to marry Indian cuisine with some other cuisine without making any foodie snobs cringe, I figured cheese as a starter is never a bad idea. Most people still raise their eyebrows when they hear the cheese has been made at home rather than bought at the local snob!store, and they'll try it with the intention of claiming there is a place for snob!store if only for decent cheese. I so love proving them wrong. There is a place for snob!store cheese, no doubt, especially aged cheese, and in that department especially the kind that requires cave-like environments (Roquefort? Gruyere, anyone?), but home-made cheese is generally highly undervalued. People tend to go like, "Oh! You make your own cheese? Cool!" and then try some of it with the intention of simply being polite about it. Then you take pleasure in watching their eyes widen because the feta isn't anywhere near as salty as the one sold in stores, the mozzarella tastes authentically mozzarella, and that young manchego, um, I let kittylefish take over on that one. ;) Speaking of manchego, I got a kick out of trying a slice of the one we made at Squeefest back in February yesterday. Huge difference in taste to new, underage manchego, but omg, it's rather divine! Even though it's been aged at 3F lower than the recipe states, but I can't get my fridge any higher without running the risk of spoiling other foods.

So, yeah, I spent the evening making cheese.



Quark, also known as curd cheese or fromage frais. It's awesome when mixed with fruit or jam and makes the best cheesecake ever. Not promising to make the cake tomorrow, but I'm bound to do something with it. Also the simplest way to make cheese: buttermilk with milk, keep at room temperature until thick, pour into cheesecloth and hang overnight. Next morning you'll have quark.



Manchego, which broke into pieces, in brine. It'll be olive-oiled in the morning and ready for eating in the evening.



Ricotta, made the traditional way, from whey. It'll feature in some dish tomorrow, not sure which one yet.



Mozzarella. My hand is still red from working it while hot, but boy, was it worth it. There will be traditional tomato and mozzarella salad with basil, covered in balsamic vinegar and olive oil tomorrow.



Ghee (clarified butter) is traditionally used in Indian cooking, but it costs an arm and a leg if you buy it ready-made. The difference between ghee and butter is that ghee doesn't go brown, and it doesn't burn. And of course, it gives dishes that buttery flavour.



Last, but not least, that latest batch of feta, which is hanging over the bathroom sink because we needed the kitchen sink. Some of it will be used for the stuffed zuccini tomorrow, the rest will go into brine and then herbs and olive oil.

The tentative menu for tomorrow is:

Crackers of various kinds
feta cheese in olive oil and thyme
young manchego
herbed cream cheese (not made up my mind yet which herbs to use)
olives
sundried tomatoes in olive oil
mozzarella/tomatoe/basil salad
cucumber/onion/tomato salad

Beef Tikka
Chicken Tikka
Rice

Spanish Rice
Stuffed Zuccini/courgette
Stuffed Mushrooms
Roast chicken

Some elaborate dessert involving raspberries, chocolate chips and Bailey's, which blue_paris is making, so naturally, I haven't a clue.
Possibly cheese cake or cheese blintzes


And I forgot the disposable plates and cutlery. ::headdesk::