Ben Starr

The Ultimate Food Geek

Tag: cheese

  • Homemade Chevre (Fresh Goat Cheese)

    The pungent, goat-y chevre you get in the grocery store is an acquired taste.  I’ve definitely acquired it.  But many people haven’t.  Part of the reason it’s so pungent is that it’s old.  The longer goat cheese sits, the more pronounced its flavor becomes. This flavor is caused by an enzyme called “lipase” that exists…

  • How to Make Aged Cheese: “Black and Bleu” Ricotta Salata

    I’ve been making cheese at home for about 3 years now, and SO many fans have begged me for instructions on how to make cheese after I’ve posted photos of exquisite homemade cheeses. Cheesemaking is a specific hobby with it’s own set of necessary equipment and supplies.  It’s sort of like wine making or beer…

  • How to Convert a Refrigerator for Curing Meat or Aging Cheese

    WARNING: Working with electricity is dangerous. This article will teach you several ways to convert a refrigerator into a chamber for curing meat or for aging cheese.  (The same principles can be used to convert a refrigerator into a lagering chamber for making homebrew lager beer, or converting a chest freezer into a kegerator.)  If…

  • Smoked Mozzarrella, Eggplant, and Mushroom Fritters

    The inspiration for this recipe came from the book Artisan Cheesemaking at Home, which is a FABULOUS way to get hooked on a new hobby.  Before I even started making my own cheese, though, I had to try this recipe.  The only problem was that I didn’t have most of the ingredients it called for,…

  • Mind-Boggling Life-Altering Earth-Shattering Mac and Cheese

    It’s everyone’s favorite food.  And I confess, I even get excited about eating a fake-orange bowl of the artificial stuff from the box or at a restaurant.  Who doesn’t like macaroni and cheese? The problem is that we get accustomed to this impossibly-creamy texture that we get served at chain restaurants, which contain processed cheese…