• About who we are
  • Recipes from our kitchen
  • Blog what we're saying
  • Contact talk to us

July 14, 2009
Posted by Ona

A Case o’ the Queso

Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '4197557277' failed.

Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '4198310170' failed.

Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '4198310384' failed.

Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '4197557339' failed.

Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '4198310320' failed.

Flickr Tag Error: Call to display photo '4197557481' failed.

Just one of the important life skills and lasting memories I’ll take away from working on the farm in Costa Rica (lesson #2: don’t put fingers in dark boots) was learning about female anatomy… cow anatomy, that is. Ronald spent a couple mornings gesticulating and explaining enthusiastically about how to milk his precious vacas. It took us a couple of tries, but by the end I felt like I was really starting to know my way around the back of a cow. Quite the feat.

First, it’s important to note that the baby cow is an integral part of the milking process. To get the juices flowing (sorry, but when has that phrase been more appropriate?), the calf needs to drink from each udder for about 10 seconds. Then each time Mama seems to be tapped, the baby cow comes over, takes a drink, and all of a sudden 4 more gallons appear! The whole process is really remarkable, and also encouraging, as the cows seem to really not mind being milked at all– it actually seems to make them more comfortable. That is, as long as you aren’t pulling and prodding like an amateur. Then there’s alot of “queda!” being yelled, and Ronald swoops in to squeeze out 5 gallons like it ain’t no thing.

Once we had the milk, we proudly presented it to Lidiette, who appraised it and said “Hoy, hacemos queso.” Si, por favor!

Cheese is a staple at the farm. More of a treat than the ubiquitous beans and rice, but still a common occurance either wrapped up in empanadas, crumbled in tortillas, or just as a small block to give dinner a little gusto. The cheese is like a fresh farmer’s cheese, the consistency of feta but softer and with a much more mild flavor. I believe queso fresco, which you often can find at the Columbia Heights Giant or any Latin bodega, would be just like this. Except I doubt they milked those cows that morning!

To start, we added a couple drops of culture to a large pot (as in, you could boil me in it) filled with all the milk from the day. That sits covered for a couple of hours, stirring occasionally as the curds and whey start to emerge. We then seperated out the curds by pressing out all the extra moisture. This was salted, and yes, it’s really that easy. Queso! We enjoyed it for lunch and dinner that day, then in tortillas the next morning, but with 7 volunteers and 8 family members in the house, it was gone in less than 24 hours after we had milked the cows. Another morning, another milking…

Tortillas con Queso are this simple: corn meal, salt, water, crumbled queso, all mixed into a think batter. Pat these out into circular pancakes, than pan-fry with vegetable oil. Serve warm with eggs, bean and rice, or vegetables.
The experience definitely inspired me to try making cheese at home in the U.S. Big talk… will there be action? I’ll keep you posted. Anyone out there ever attempted the process before?

1 Comment

Posted Under Uncategorized

1 Comments

  1. Chris
    July 20, 2009

    WILL THERE BE ACTION??

Leave a comment

* = Required

    • Posts
    • Twitter
    • Flickr
     

    Waffles Are Sup...

    Kid Stuff

     

    Freezer Stew fo...

    Recipes

     

    Lazy Apple Cris...

    Baking

    @BaltimoreGal @ecorazzi Very true. @KellyRipa, I'll gladly send pics of my bully-mix snuggling with my 1yo. Nothing gangster about that.

    follow me on
    twitter

    Baked applesApple sauceMaking apple sauceIMG_1988Pinterest
  • Categories

    • Baking
    • CSA
    • Discussion
    • Food Destinations
    • Food News
    • Food Reviews
    • garden
    • General
    • Grilling/Smoking
    • Guest Bloggers
    • Kid Stuff
    • Our Heritage
    • Pinterest Fridays
    • Product Review
    • Recipes
    • restaurants
    • Uncategorized
  • Archives

    • 2013
      • January
    • 2012
      • January
      • March
      • May
      • July
      • September
      • October
      • December
    • 2011
      • January
      • February
      • March
      • May
      • July
      • August
      • September
      • October
      • November
      • December
    • 2010
      • January
      • February
      • March
      • April
      • May
      • June
      • July
      • August
      • September
      • October
      • November
      • December
    • 2009
      • May
      • June
      • July
      • August
      • September
      • October
      • November
      • December
  • Links

    • *Be a fan of Eatniks on Facebook!
    • 1000 Pizza Doughs
    • All We Can Eat
    • Cheeky Kitchen
    • Crafty-Ass Witch
    • DC Foodies
    • Eating Asia
    • Food in Jars
    • Frederick Foodie
    • Hunter Angler Gardener Cook
    • Kitchen Jam
    • Punk Domestics
    • Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide
  • Subscribe

    • Via RSS
    • Via Atom
  • TBD Community Network Member - All Over Washington

Eatniks' theme is based on Handgloves by George Wiscombe.
Modified theme designed by Andrew Keys, Web Ninja.
©2009-2010 Eatniks.com. All rights reserved.

Subscribe via RSS