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Author: Kris

  • Blessed are the cheese-makers…

    Making cheeseBlessed are the cheese-makers…
    A few weeks ago I booked us in for a cheese-making workshop with one of the local community colleges. You know we like our food, and we’ve been toying with the idea of making cheese for a couple years now. (As my friend Ailsa said, “Ah, the last Amish skill you don’t yet possess.” It’s part of our long-term strategy to accumulate skills we can put to use when the revolution comes and society collapses.) So last Saturday the Snook and I headed off to Alexandria with a selection of aprons, tea towels, and sharp knives. There were 11 of us there on the day, and our teacher was Zigi Ozeri. He gave each of us a big handout full of recipes for various cheeses. (Do you know how easy it is to make mascarpone? I’m never paying $6 for a tiny tub of it again!) Zigi talked us through some of the strange equipment and ingredients we’d be using, and then we got stuck in! It was like being back in high school Home Ec (which was fitting, because we were using a school kitchen). We split into three groups, each of whom made a fresh mozzarella and ricotta from 4 liters of milk. Zigi also made a labne from some yogurt. A lot of cheese-making is standing around waiting for stuff to get to temperature or curdle or whatever, so we had plenty of time to socialise. We finished the day with a meal of homemade pizza, salads, and lots of cheese! I took some photos…Here’s the Snook measuring out 4 liters of milk from a giant bucket. No, we didn’t get raw milk. Zigi made it very clear that it’s illegal to sell. (I was sad.)

    Measuring milk

    The milk went on the stove over a low heat along with citric acid and lipase. (This recipe is very close to the one we used.) It took a while to get up to the necessary temperature to start curdling.

    Heating milk

    At the right temperature, we added the rennet. Not long after, we had proper cheese curds and whey!

    Curds and whey

    After cooking, draining, salting, and stretching, we formed it into a big ball of mozzarella and put it in a salt brine. Yay, cheese!

    Mozzarella

    We put the whey back on to boil to try to make some ricotta. We didn’t have much protein left in there though, so we only got about 2 tablespoons. Here’s the Snook draining the world’s tiniest batch of ricotta in a cheesecloth.

    Draining ricotta

    Each group also made a pizza and some salads to accompany our cheese. We sliced up our mozzarella and put it on top of ours. It was great!

    Finished pizza

  • Shared today on Twitter

    @Linda_Moore Ha, @devvyleys sent me that link this morning. 🙂

    Hahaha… that’s THREE people who have now sent me the link to the knitted ukulele cover. My interests are just that obvious. 🙂

    RT @mpesce: They’ve finally figured out why Americans are so fat: http://j.mp/mLdlwR RECOMMENDED

    @toastman This is for you: http://bit.ly/lSD4Fa

    RT @redditflipboard: Why Bing Lost and Google Won: #reddit #flipboard http://bit.ly/lzmWTE

    @knitabulous @AusVintageGrrl GAHHHH. That’s 4 people today. 🙂

    Reading the morning news on an iPad while drinking coffee feels civilized and tomorrow, like reading a newspaper from the future. #douchebag

    I have been out-hipstered. There are TWO dudes sitting together on this bus, both with iPads. (Not @stufromoz either; I checked.)

    Just discovered the “Send to Twitter” option in Google Reader. Annoyingly, it doesn’t work.

  • Shared today on Facebook

    Kristine Howard shared a link.

  • Breaking the glass ceiling

    “Secret to breaking glass ceiling? Go home for dinner.” I thought that title was weird at first, but upon reading the editorial I am in total agreement. I have worked in several places where there is a culture of working late into the night. You know who benefits in that environment? Single guys who are happy getting takeout for dinner and who don’t have a life outside work. We need to support everyone having a balanced life and getting out of the office at a reasonable hour.

  • Shared today on Google Reader

  • Making the Sassy Pillowcase Dress: 20 Years Later

    Making the Sassy Pillowcase Dress: 20 Years Later. Oh wow. I remember seeing that dress when I was in high school (I had a Sassy subscription) and thinking even then that there’s no way I’d ever wear that. But Mena’s updated version looks great!

  • Felted Ukulele Gig Bag

    Felted Ukulele Gig Bag. AWESOME!

  • Shared today on Twitter

    I am probably the only person in Sydney who loves paying her mortgage. I just love seeing that number go down every time.

    @crumpet @squozen I use a Mac app called MoneyWell that has an iPhone app that syncs. I am in love with it.

    @squozen It costs a bit, but they have a big fancy new version about to drop. Took me a little while to get my head around. I get it now!

    @squozen It’d be nice. But as a fellow crackmonkey, I like logging into my bank every other day anyway. 🙂

    RT @drkknits: international yarn bombing day? oh FFS. // Word.

    @squozen We’re mostly just tracking; don’t stick to concrete budget yet. But the “envelope” idea is powerful once you get your head round it

    @drkknits You’re such an artistic snob. Don’t you realise your shawl would be so much more PUNK RAWK and AUTHENTIC wrapped around a pole?

    @squozen We also have a shared Google spreadsheet where we track overall monthly spending in accordance with Balanced Money Formula. 🙂

    @drkknits I suppose it’s better to be a shit-stirrer than a shit-knitter? 🙂

    @drkknits Obviously, so they can say the “This isn’t your Grandma’s knitting!” stupidity for millionth time. Tatting, say, isn’t as funny.

    @thisismywww Every damn day is Geek Pride Day in my house. 🙂

    @Ezzles The house is good because I can compare to how much it’s worth and feel like I’m not in the hole. Little by little!

    Whole office is placing their bets on State of Origin tournaments on topbetta.com. I have never understood Rugby League.

    @thisismywww Oh, I like football plenty. Rugby Union all the way. I even enjoy gridiron and AFL. Sports-haters bore me.

    @gilmae @thisismywww When I first asked the Snook to explain the difference, he told me simply: “This is a Rugby Union house.” 🙂

    Castlereagh is like a parking lot. Damn it! @mrs_sockvictim is delivering my iPad and I’M GONNA BE LATE! 🙁

    @NL_AFFILIATES Thanks, spammer. Blocked and reported.

    I made it home and I have the iPad in my possession! Thanks @mrs_sockvictim. WOOO! NOW SYNC, YOU BASTARD. SYNC!

    This is me and the iPad2, which I named Marmoset. (We have a monkey naming scheme.) http://twitpic.com/52arh0

    @jasony It wasn’t really planned as a business/study aid – just a shiny toy! 🙂

    Pressure Cooker Moroccan Lamb Tagine = very good. Eating prunes out of the bag while cooking it = very bad. BAD. *moan*

    @jasony Not yet! Took a long rime to sync. Will get more apps tomorrow. 🙂

    @_brigita_ I have different columns for all my groups. And it can post to Facebook. And it syncs across different machines.

    @jayamyler We went there a fortnight ago. Food was good, but service was way too slow. Maybe just Friday night?

    @jasony Sweet! Awesome tip. Grateful for any more you think of! 🙂

    @_brigita_ You can use them for a search term, or mentions, new followers, whatev. Even FB updates. Lists are the best though.

    @rajsingh2505 Hahaha… Our media box is called “Monkey” and our server is “Bonobo,” so I needed something smaller than those. 🙂

    The only negative to the iPad2 so far is that I can tell how good the retina display on iPhone4 is, and I miss it.

    Oh yes. I am that douchebag tweeting from an iPad on the bus. (Tethered via Wi-Fi to iPhone = extra nerd points!)

    @devvyleys That. Is. AWESOME. Mine came with a canvas gig bag, but that one is so much cooler!

  • Shared today on Facebook

    This is me and the iPad2, which I named Marmoset. (We have a monkey naming scheme.)

    Okay, I’m obsessed with Marmoset (the new iPad). App recommendations? I already got Flipboard and it’s UH-MAZING. Also downloading Sword and Sworcery as we speak…

  • Chippendale Creative Precinct

    Chippendale Creative Precinct – “aims to promote the area as a creative, sustainable community and a diverse and unique cultural meeting place.” Nice! According to this story, they’re even planning a festival.