Edam if I do....

Cheese has graced our tables since the earliest days of humanity when some bright spark discovered that storing milk in animal stomachs transformed the milk in the most wonderful way. The simple alchemy is one embraced by farmers, shepherds and the resourceful across many cultures, creating a food source from surplus milk.

We do know that the Ancient Romans were cheese connoisseurs with sophisticated palates. There's now an estimated 900 types of cheese in existence, ranging from the simple cheeses created through deliberate curdling through to the more complex Cheddars and Blues.

I love cheese. I love cheese so much that I had a wedding cheese rather than a cake. I dream of cheese. Never, in a million years, however did I think that I would be a cheese maker. 

Yet, after just a 6-hour workshop, I am. I have 5 baby bries maturing in a tupperware container in the wine fridge waiting for their white rind to completely encase them and a teeny camembert softening towards consumption in 4 weeks' time.

Cheese making at home isn't difficult. With some basic equipment including a digital thermometer, cheesecloth, cheese hoops, a styrofoam box and the right selection of moulds, all of which are easily available online, your days as a blessed cheese maker are under way. Critical to your baby cheeses' success is your attention to detail. You need to take the time to get the milk and/or curd to the right temperature. You need to be gentle with your curd when scooping them into the cheese hoops to avoid breaking them.  You need to be prepared to discover the zen of cheese making.

One of the simplest cheeses to start with is ricotta. All you need is a litre of milk. You can use any sort of milk: longlife, jersey, chocolate and even goats' milk (although the amount of ricotta does fall). Heat to 93 degrees. Remove from heat. This next step is important - you are only going to stir once! Stir in 5 tablespoons of either white vinegar or lemon juice using a slotted spoon to maximise its coverage. As tempting as it is to store more than once, don't. Stirring more than once will give you gritty cheese.  Then let it sit for 20 mins, undisturbed.  Finally, strain the curd into a muslin lined (or chux) sieve. If you're going to flavour it, do it here.  Add herbs,   Suspend from a wooden spoon over a bowl in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.  The longer you leave it, the firmer it becomes.  

Ricotta is remarkably simple to make and a definite show stopper. Go on - what are you waiting for? My cheese journey started with www.thecheesemakingworkshop.com.au and i have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Day 1 involved soft cheeses including ricotta, camembert and brie. The advanced class takes in mozzarella, burrata, blue vein, haloumi amongst others.