[Cheese] raw milk

Tue Dec 12 23:32:15 EST 2006

Hi, I am new to the conversation, and have a question.&nbsp; Does anybody make cheese from raw fresh milk?&nbsp; I have dairy goats and would prefer to keep the enzymes alive in making cheese. I use the milk raw for chevre, which works great, but don't know about doing this for hard cheeses.&nbsp; Most of the recipes say to pasteurize. Thanks. Elizabeth
Greetings. Below are comments that are on my website <A href="http://www.moonwiseherbs.com">www.moonwiseherbs.com</A>&nbsp;regarding raw milk cheese making. I have a cheese page with a recipe for a farmers cheese that is great made with goat milk. This cheese is a fresh hard cheese, if you will. It is a good place to start-you can go to the page for the recipe: <A href="http://moonwiseherbs.com/cheesepage.htm">http://moonwiseherbs.com/cheesepage.htm</A>&nbsp;Hope that is helpful. Linda
&nbsp;Historically all cheese was made with farm fresh raw milk. There is a growing desire and movement that is incorporating farm fresh raw milk back into the American diet. Many people are coming to understand that pasteurization destroys nutrients and creates a product that is not easily digested. If you would like to read more about the health benefits of raw milk and/or find a source for raw milk in your area see <A href="http://www.realmilk.com/">www.realmilk.com</A>.&nbsp;
Also remember that not all raw milk is the same. If you are milking your own animals-you know what the conditions of your milk are. If you are purchasing milk become an informed consumer.&nbsp; Read about best farm practices and interview the farmer you are purchasing milk from. Visit and tour the farm, make sure the farm is clean and that the animals are being let out to pasture. Be sure the farmer drinks the milk and that it is strained shortly after milking.&nbsp;
As I started making cheese, I realized that it is impossible to make decent cheese from the milk you purchase in the store. If you are nervous about raw milk and want to make cheese the best luck you will have is with low heat pasteurized milk. Most milk is high heat or ultra-pasteurized, although some organic producers do low heat pasteurize. Just call the company and they should be happy to tell you what their practices are. 
Pasteurization: particularly high heat pasteurization destroys proteins and leaves very little to coagulate or curdle-this is why enzymes and calcium chloride are added in the cheese making process when pasteurized milk is used. When I contemplate this I imagine that food which has been destroyed to this extent cannot be healthful. Most cheese makers are adding ingredients to help pasteurize milk coagulate, when raw milk has all it needs to form a nice curd and a flavorful product as well as&nbsp;eliminate unwanted bacteria. &nbsp;
I would also occasionally purchase "raw milk" cheese. One day I was at a local farmers market talking to a vendor who was selling "raw milk" cheese and she informed me that they actually do low heat pasteurize the milk and that legally they can label their product "raw milk" cheese. Not all producers do this, many small artisan producers do make truly raw milk cheese, but many of the larger scale producers (even organic) are using this practice. If the cheese is not pasteurized it is required that it be aged for at least 60 days (theoretically the acid level would be high enough at this point to eliminate potentially harmful bacteria). Fresh cheese (not aged) that is made with raw milk cannot be purchased. 
In order to know what is in the cheese that I eat I have decided to make most of my own cheese and only on occasion selectively purchase cheese from small artisans cheese makers. So that said I make all of my cheese fresh as well as aged from farm fresh raw milk.
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Blessings,
Linda
www.moonwiseherbs.com

Communication is to relationship what breath is to life. -Virginia Satir