cool stuff. i worked in a (stilton) cheese factory for a few months.
One of my chem professors was also a cheese maker, and the two are entirely related. Ricotta is the easiest of all the cheeses to make, as it is not a mold, just soured milk. The dry cheeses and blue cheeses get really complicated to make.
Simple ricotta twist: Use (roasted) garlic infused milk instead of plain. Soak a smashed garlic clove in the milk, remove the clove before adding the acid. It really is super easy to make ricotta, and I have sold mine in restaurants (not exactly legal). I've only used raw citrus juice, which is mostly citric acid.
Is 'New School California' out of the cuisine disaster known as 'California Nouvelle' in the 1980's?That recipe...was from a bistro that I was the sous chef at. Not from college. We did very new school California food like Nasturtium Ice Cream and Garlic Ricotta and lots of molecular gastronomy tricks.
Is 'New School California' out of the cuisine disaster known as 'California Nouvelle' in the 1980's?
You know - pretentious use of ingredients under the banner of 'creativity' by adding 4 or 5 products that had no business being partnered up? Like boeuf en daube with chanterelle mushrooms, braised ramps over Forbidden Rice?
Ah yes - the other 'scene' in Cali!
CC
Just because you asked... we were a seasonal vegetarian and sustainable-seafood bistro, with all the produce, dairy, seafood coming from within 100 miles. We were certified green and all that good stuff. The ricotta was just a brunch thing. I made rosewater. We used pectin and other vegetarian alternatives. No ramps, but lots of green garlic. Lots of herbal sorbet and ice creams like Nasturtium, lemon verbena and basil ect. I made "fries", or "chips" for you limeys, with well seasoned polenta or panisse batters...BOMB. Lots of really good local cheese, bread, and flowers (literally we picked edible flowers everyday). I digress.
Nice thread: BACK TO CITRIC ACID. 6.2 pH is ideal... for all stages of growth and varieties?