Cheesemaking Supplies Locally?

With a surfeit of milk in the fridge (both MrsF and I brought home a weekend supply of 2 gallons -- teenage boys, y'know), and a lame cheesemaking kit that's been sitting on top of the fridge for a couple years (a frame and blocks for pressing, cheesecloth and a booklet), I thought I'd make some cheese.

Does anyone know where in the Chicago area (hopefully the northern or northwest burbs) I can find cheesemaking supplies such as rennet and mesophilic or thermophilic innoculants? I don't want to mail order, because there's a fine line between spoiled milk and cheese, and I'll cross it if I have to wait for supplies to arrive.

Joel,

In case you don't find cultures locally, you can make queso blanco with vinegar or panir with lemon juice.

Bill/SFNM

Any good grocery store will have rennet. Look in the pudding/dessert section. And, in a pinch, live yoghurt/creme fraiche can serve as usuable innoculants. That's what I used in Wuhan, where the only cheese was mine own.

Geo

I didn't know that that rennet should be easy to find. I'll look closely.
I know about yogurt and buttermilk (actually I'm not sure the local buttermilk will do), but I was feeling like perhaps a packaged culture would be more of a 'sure thing' and perhaps I could find some of the more varietal innoculants for different cheese types -- I'm not going to try bleu or stinky cheeses for a first test, but a swiss mold could be cool.

I know about the vinegar and lemon methods, but I really want to try a traditional rennet curd. I'll let you know what happens.

They even have the vegeterian version of rennet at whole foods. I would try Queso blanco a few times before moving on to the next. When sick of plain farmers cheese, use mix-ins like herbs, dried tomatos and pepper flakes.

Lots of great books on home cheesemaking, some show you how to borrow cultures from other cheeses.

pd

I'll have to try Whole Paycheck, then, the Randhurst Jewel had no rennet at all.

I went to Customer Service, and had a conversation like this which was repeated with several other workers.
"Do you have rennet?"
"Rent-it?"
"No, rennet. R-E-N-N-E-T. It's used to curdle milk, and make cheese?"
"I don't know. Let me call XXXXX"

No, they don't have rennet.

HI,

I've bought rennet at Sunset Foods, which has locations in Northbrook, Libertyville and Highland Park.

Regards,

Trade name "Junket"--in the pudding section.

Geo

http://www.junketdesserts.com/products1.html

I know this isn't local, but it is the best thing going:

New England Cheesemaking Supply

Rikki Carroll knows her stuff. I took a class from her about 10 years ago - she offers beginning classes and some slightly more advanced classes for $195. Unfortunately for us here, the classes are in Massachusetts, but are a great resource for home cheesemakers - and a good excuse to plan a vacation.

_____You all may wish to consult American Farmstead Cheeseto identify the true nature behind rennet. Chapter 5 stated that the superior rennet was from the stomach of calves, but there are also natural plant rennet. The book also notes that a genetically modified organism contains the best of both worlds, but you need to decide where you stand with the slaughter of baby cows, natural “equivalent”, or GMO. Tough stuff that I even have to ask myself when I finally get around to making my own homemade cheese.

GREAT Post!

P.S. I found a non-homogenized milk at Whole Foods in Wheaton, IL that I’ll be using to make my cheese. Nice.

or you could just switch to thistle....

no gmos to worry about there. granted, your product won't be anything like the one made with rennet or recombitant dna, but if it has to be 100% vegetarian, thistle is the way to go.

Queijo wrote:I know this isn't local, but it is the best thing going:

New England Cheesemaking Supply

Rikki Carroll knows her stuff. I took a class from her about 10 years ago - she offers beginning classes and some slightly more advanced classes for $195. Unfortunately for us here, the classes are in Massachusetts, but are a great resource for home cheesemakers - and a good excuse to plan a vacation.

My forays into cheesemaking have all been with the help of New England Cheesemaking. I whole-heartedly recommend it for those who can afford to wait for their supplies to arrive. Needless to say, it's good to hear of all these places that have rennet, because when I started cheesemaking, I couldn't find the stuff anywhere. Maybe decent groceries on the North Side stock it, but on the Southwest Side, I've never been able to find it at any of the local groceries (Jewel, Dominick's, Pete's Market).

Does anyone know where to get cheese-making supplies, like the live cultures, in Chicago? If there was an earlier post on this subject, please link me to that.

Thanks.

I saw a 'cheesemaking kit' at Whole Foods, but I suspect it was for a simple cheese that isn't cultured, like mozzarella or ricotta. I usually get my supplies mail order from New England Cheesemaking Supply Company:

http://cheesemaking.com/

I hope someone comes up with a local source! Also, there was a previous thread about finding raw milk, but I don't think it came up with many sources. I would be happy to find goat milk that is not ultra-pasteurized, if anyone has a source!

Cheers, Jen

Geo wrote:Trade name "Junket"--in the pudding section.
http://www.junketdesserts.com/products1.html

I have seen the Junket pudding mixes at Jewel and Dominick's, but not the rennet tablets.

LAZ--

I just checked, and they're still available in both the U.S. and Canada on the web.

There certainly should be some at grocery stores in Chicago. I wonder if Whole Foods carries them? I bet they do; or, if not, some natural foods stores should.

BTW, here's a University of Cincinatti site which talks about basic cheesemaking, including discussion about rennet:

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Ch ... course.htm

Geo

Thanks for incorporating this into an existing thread and for all the good feedback.

I've heard of Ricki Carroll and her fabulous cheesemaking operation. I was hoping for a Cheese Queen with her classes and supplies closer to home. Is there nothing in Wisconsin? Or would they rather we not make our own cheese and cut into their business down here in Illinois?

If all else fails, the Cheese Queen of Massachusetts it is.

My understanding from Rikki's books is that the 'junket' rennet for desserts is not the same as cheesemaking rennet.

Jen (must make cheese soon!)

Hi JenM--

According to the Univ. Cincinatti cheesemaking prof, Junket tablets are perfectly ok for making cheese. If I followed his discussion correctly, they are made in the same microbial process as the commercial cheesemaking product.

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Ch ... ennet.html

Geo