I've started making mozzarella using goat milk and citric acid powder (according to the recipe printed in Countryside a few years ago). The first two times I made it successfully, but the past couple times I've tried when I heat the curds they turn grainy and mushy instead of stretchy. The flavor is fine, but the texture simply isn't there. Does citric acid powder lose its power somehow (the powder I'm using is several months old now), or what else could have gone wrong?

-- Alice Torbert (megatron_revised@yahoo.com), December 11, 2001

Answers

No, Alice, citric acid doesn't go bad, but late lactation milk (with its higher somatic cell count and butterfat) requires more citric acid to get the enough acidity for the curd to stretch. A pH of 5.3 is what's needed. This time of year it always takes me an extra quarter teaspoon of citric acid per 4 gallons of milk to get a good stretch, but you experiment with the amount. You know you have too much acidity when your finished Mozzarella won't hold its shape when cold, but kinda melt down into the bowl like it was hot...

-- Julia (charmer24@juno.com), December 11, 2001.

Would you please post the recipe for mozzarella, I would love to make it. I have made cottage cheese and farmer's cheese but have not tried mozzarella.

Thank you,

-- Cordy (ckaylegian@aol.com), December 11, 2001.

This recipe, from Mary Jane Toth's article in Countryside a few years ago, has given me great results until recently - apparently thanks to my goat, not to me. Good luck with it! Dissolve 4 tsp citric acid powder in some cool water. Stir into 3 gallons of cool milk. Heat to 88 degrees. Stir 3/4 tsp rennet into some cool water and stir into the milk for 10 seconds. Allow to set for 10-15 minutes, until the curds are firm. Cut the curds into 1" cubes. Rest for 10 minutes. Heat to 108 degrees in a sink of hot water (I start with tap water and add boiling water gradually - stir the curds around a bit gently so that the temperature is even through the pot). Keep at 108 for 35 minutes. Drain in cheesecloth for 15 minutes. I stretch the curds in the microwave: heat a cup of curds with 1/4 tsp salt in the microwave for 45 seconds, then knead it with a spoon or your hands until it's stretchy and shiny. You can also (though I've never tried it) put all the curds back into the pot of whey (or some water) and heat it to 150-155 degrees until the curds all melt together and knead it with a spoon. This cheese freezes very well - in fact, I think the flavor actually improves in the freezer.

-- Alice (megatron_revised@yahoo.com), December 11, 2001.

Alice,

Thank you so much for the recipe. Can't wait to try it.

-- Cordy (ckaylegian@aol.com), December 12, 2001.

ms. torbert,

If you don't mind answering,how much cheese does this make, pounds or cups? thanks!

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), December 12, 2001.

I think I got about a pound of cheese per gallon of milk - our goat's milk often gets higher than normal yields, though.

-- Alice (megatron_revised@yahoo.com), December 12, 2001.

Amounts of cheese made from one gallon of milk can vary a lot from goat to goat. I don't know weights, but using my saanen's milk, I have enough mozarella for one pizza. Using my kindergoat's milk, I have enough mozarella for 2 pizzas. (I hoping that one extra-cheese pizza is scientific enough of a measure for most of us!!!)

-- Sheryl in ME (radams@sacoriver.net), December 12, 2001.

ms. sheryl, do your recipes contain the words, a pinch of, smidge, or handfull of this? [just kidding!] Thank you for your estimates ms. torbert, they give me a good picture of what to expect. ('>

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), December 14, 2001.