A Snapshot of the Cheese-Making Process

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll find in “Miyoko’s Cheese Shop” and what you’ll need to set up a cheese shop of your own. This section will give you an idea of what to expect and what tools and ingredients you’ll need in order for your cheese-making endeavors to be successful.

First of all, you’ll need a culturing agent. For most of the cheeses in this book, that will be some form of probiotic—a substance that contains friendly bacteria that help turn the base ingredient into cheese, or at least contribute to the flavor. While powdered probiotics can accomplish this, these products tend to be very expensive, and often they aren’t vegan. Their strength also differs from brand to brand, so I’ve chosen not to use them in this book, although you can certainly experiment with them if you wish. Instead, these cheeses are primarily cultured with rejuvelac or nondairy yogurt.