Fellow Patriots,
Do you ever consider getting a herd of goats and raising them as part of your preparedness plans? By now, you have probably heard it can be challenging and costly as well. Those who are interested in goats are more interested in the milk than the potential for meat. Rather than raising a herd yourself, you could locate a source for goat milk. Much easier and less costly in time and cost. In most pre-disaster circumstances, you can find goat milk in most dairy markets. Better yet, make friends with a goat owner so you can get milk straight from the source. Here's an easy recipe for making cheese, one of the best uses for goat milk. Unlike other recipes that require a cheese base and special cultures, this approach will work anytime, as long as you have milk.
Step 1 - Heat a medium saucepan with goat's milk to 180 degrees F(82 C). It should only take about 15 minutes.
Step 2 - Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice. Let sit until it begins to curdle (about 20 seconds). The curds won't be overly large.
Step 3 - Line a colander with several sheets of cheesecloth. Don't scrimp on the cloth, otherwise you will lose the curds. Place the colander in a large bowl. Ladle the milk in to the cheesecloth.
Step 4 - Tie the four corners of the cheesecloth around a wooden spoon, and set it over a very deep bowl.
Step 5 - Let it drain for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until what remains in the cheesecloth is a smooth, ricotta-like mixture.
Step 6 - Transfer this mixture into a fresh bowl and add coarse salt, a grated clove of garlic, and herbs of your choosing.
This cheese is best eaten immediately, because the herbs and curds can deteriorate. If stored in an airtight container, however, you can keep it a few days in the refrigerator.
I don't know if you ever consumed goat milk or goat cheese but it is not so bad. Years ago while deployed for several months in Saudi Arabia, we didn't have milk or cheese. But, we did have goat cheese and goat milk, I first tried it on a grilled cheese and it wasn't so bad. It was actually pretty good. I then tried goat milk on dry cereal and enjoyed it as well. When your choice is A or nothing, you tend to accept if you want the item as you knew it in America, you will try it in a foreign version. The hardest thing to get used to using was the extremely large spoons for everything. There was no small spoons to be found. Not even plastic ones from McDonalds.
Just sayin.....
Bravo Echo Out
