For thousands of years, cheese has been one of the most important foods of people throughout the world. This healthful, tasty food made from milk has much of milk's food value, including proteins, minerals, and vitamins.
For Katie Wiste, cheese made from goat's milk is the best. "We all drink a lot of goat's milk and make cheese," states the youngest daughter of dairy farmers Larry and Sharon Wiste of Black Hammer Township. "Now it's cow's milk that tastes different."
"People say what I do is cool; they are amazed and surprised," she noted about her somewhat unusual interest. "It's different, but there is a movement to good food - less refined food. I have friends who think along those lines."
In 2000, just before her sixth grade year in school, Katie won a Nubian goat through the Houston County 4-H Dairy Goat Exchange. To get the young doe, she had to write an essay, and the youth most capable to take care of a goat was picked the winner. The rules of the program were that the goat had to be bred and the doe kid given to a 4-Her the next year.
"We built our herd, starting with two goats the first year, and had five the following year. By that next summer we were milking six goats, she recalled. "Nubians are noted for higher butterfat in their milk."
"At one time we were up to milking nine goats. That was all I could handle to milk by hand," Katie reported.
Currently she milks three goats twice a day - at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. For good quality milk, it's very important to refrigerate the fresh milk as soon as possible.
"An average goat produces a half-gallon at a milking. "Ivory age 4 and my oldest doe, gives one and one-half gallons per day. She's a pretty good goat." The two-year-olds, "Honey" and "Oreo" are named for their coloring.
The closest large goat farm is in Iowa, she pointed out. In Minnesota, the closest farm is in the Preston/Lanesboro area. "There aren't many goat farmers around, but it's becoming a growing thing."
The closest creamery to sell goat's milk is at Mount Sterling, Wis., where they make good cheddar and feta cheese and sell it at some food coops. Currently they pay $31 per hundredweight for goat's milk.
Cheese making
"About three to four years ago we got too much milk and then I dabbled into making cheese. I learned a lot on my own, mom helped, and Nadine Wise, a good neighbor, gave me the first recipe for mozzarella."
"Later on, I bought a cheese maker book which is pretty much like a cheese maker's bible."
"Chemistry and hygiene are the basic things of cheese making," she pointed out.
"Equipment is very important - use stainless steel, glass or copper, and be sure to store the milk and cheese in glass so it doesn't take on any other flavors.
"Following directions are very important. Once you get good at it and know what's going on, it turns out good." She admits, "I've had some failures."
One gallon of goat's milk will yield 1-1/2 pounds of cheese. The more hard cheese, the less yield.
Goat's milk has higher protein than cow's milk. Also, goat's milk is naturally homogenized and doesn't separate. Since fat in goat's milk is easier to digest and more palatable, it is an alternative to some people who cannot handle cow's milk.
"My favorite cheeses are soft cheese with different herbs, mozzarella, and feta. Soft cheese is the regular basic cheese, and I have gotten into making cheddar and ricotta. I've also gotten into mold-ripened cheeses, which are more difficult because of different aging parameters - temperature and humidity. I'm starting to experiment with different kinds."
Wiste willingly shares her cheese making knowledge with others. She gave a presentation at the Wabasha County Fair, and has had people over to her home (as this reporter experienced) and taught making cheese. Some people have come to the farm to get milk and cheese.
How cheese is made
To make cheese, start by heating good quality milk and add culture. I order the freeze-dried bacteria, which forms acids and turns the milk sour. Then let it sit for a while, which lowers the acidity, she reported.
After a period of time, rennet, an enzyme that breaks protein in the milk, is added to cause the milk to thicken to make the soft custard-like substance called curd. The curd contains a liquid called whey, which must be removed before the cheese can be made.
In making most cheeses, the curd is left undisturbed after the whey is drained off. The particles stick together and form a solid mass.
Mozzarella cheese
"My favorite is mozzarella; it's not normal pizza mozzarella, but is a soft ball, like traditional mozzarella. It is really best fresh, right after you make it."
"Traditional mozzarella is made from water buffalo milk, which is 6 percent butterfat. Goat's milk averages 4.2 percent butterfat; cows milk is 3.8 percent. Goats milk varies a lot just like cows milk."
"Making mozzarella is pretty labor intensive - getting it to the right PH level is important."
During the interview for this story, Wiste demonstrated her cheese making expertise by making a batch of mozzarella cheese.
After heating the milk with the culture, she carefully ladled the curds into a strainer over a large kettle to remove the whey. Next she carefully transferred the curd to hot, salted water heated to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The salt is for flavoring.
With her hands, she gathered a clump of curd from the hot water and began to stretch it. "Stretching it gives it its texture. It's like making taffy, but you have to be more gentle with it."
Then she squeezed the whey out and shaped it into a ball, which was then immersed into cold water to firm up.
"Good mozzarella has many layers, is sweet and has milky flavor," Katie noted.
Our family likes soft cheese with garlic and chives, Katie points out, adding, "The ingredients to make it all come from our farm and garden."
Soft cheese takes two to three days to make because there is a lot of waiting around, Katie explained. When the appropriate time is up, Katie scoops the mixture into cups to let the whey leave the cheese.
She was creative and drilled holes in the sides of several milk replacer cups for this purpose. "I put it into a mold and let it sit for a couple days."
The whey is fed to the pigs. "They love it!"
Certified cheese maker
Katie attended a two-week certification program at the Vermont Institute for Artisan Cheese (VIAC), through the University of Vermont at Burlington. VIAC, established in 2004, is the nation's first and only comprehensive center devoted to artisan cheese.
With the greatest number of artisan cheese makers per capita in the United States, Vermont is a leader in producing both excellent traditional cheeses and new cheese products.
"I am a certified cheese maker," Katie states with pride. "In addition to taking the classes, I met a lot of really cool people and took trips to several farms. Eventually I want to do the next class to become an advanced cheese maker, and also a class on the aging of cheese."
On Sept. 8, Katie will start classes as a junior at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities with a major in Italian and minor in food science.
"Mom cares for my goats while I'm at college."
The Wiste family does a great deal of self-sufficient living on their farm.
"We make our own wine, beer, bread, and have a big garden," Katie noted, adding, "There are a lot of people who don't know where their food comes from. I'm really lucky I grew up on a farm, and realize that more as I go to college."
The following recipe is taken from "Home Cheesemaking," written by Ricki Carroll. "This recipe is easy and doesn't include citric acid, which is sometimes difficult to find," Katie explained.
Whole Milk Ricotta
1/2 gallon whole milk (can be cow's, goat's, or sheep milk, but whole milk is necessary)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. salt (without iodine)
3 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1. Add the salt to the milk and mix thoroughly.
2. In a non-aluminum pot, directly heat the milk to 185 to 195 degrees Fahrenheit (do not boil). Stir often to prevent scorching.
3. When the milk has reached the correct temperature, add the vinegar.
4. As soon as the curds and whey separate (make sure there is no milky whey), turn off the heat. Allow to set, undisturbed, for 10 minutes.
5. Line a colander with butter muslin (any finely woven cheesecloth-type fabric will work well). Carefully ladle the curds into the colander. Tie the corners of the muslin into a knot and hang the bag to drain for only 1 minute, or until the cheese has reached the desired consistency. The cheese is ready to eat immediately.
6. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
