# About cultures



## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Our family of 11 can eat a lot of cheese. Ideally, I would like to make all of it. I know I won't get around to good hard cheeses for awhile but for now I'm wanting to make all of our yogurt and chevre (as a cream cheese substitute). Are there ways of doing this without buying all those little packets? I know with yogurt I can hold some back to use as culture for the next batch. But at some point that's not good enough....or am I misunderstanding? I'm willing to use what will give me the best product but if there's a more economical way of doing it while achieving the same results I'd rather learn it now before I go ordering a gross of culture packets. LOL


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

I used either buttermilk or liquid rennet for years then started adding FD to the rennet one and now just this season will be trying some of the cultures.


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## Guest (Mar 21, 2008)

You should be able to keep a mother culture going all season. Just keep everything clean and fresh by sterilizing jars and utensils and not leaving too much time between batches.

This is my first year for culture packets except the Formage Blanc I got last year.

Christy


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

I use the same mother culture all year long and only start a new one if I have a long break between the end of my milking season and the first freshening of the following season.
They work just wonderfully and to get around worrying about it deteriorating it works so well to make a quart sized batch of mother culture from your original packet and then when it is ready -pour it into ice cube trays and freeze- then toss in a ziploc in the freezer and when you are making up a batch of cheese use one cube per oz of culture the recipe calls for. Super easy and the culture stays more viable at low temps like in the freezer.
And if you have too much they make wonderful puppy treats on a hot summer day!
Lee


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Hmmm, okay. Where do I go to learn how to make a 'mother culture'?


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## Guest (Mar 22, 2008)

You can make a mother culture from a freeze dried starter purchased from a cheese making supply store. it is easy to make your own mothers from buttermilk and yogurt purchased from the grocery store.

Mesophilic (buttermilk) starter,
1/4 c Fresh Cultured Buttermilk
3 1/2c Fresh goat milk 80F-86F
Combine buttermilk and goat milk in a sterile quart jar
Incubate at room temp for 10-24hrs until thickend
Store in the refrigerator
Keeps one week for cheese, longer for cooking

Thermophilic (yogurt) starter,
1Tbs Fresh Cultured Yogurt
3 1/2c Fresh goat milk 100F-115F
Combine yogurt and goat milk in a sterile quart jar
Incubate at 100F-115F (use a heating pad on low and a towel to cover the jar, oven with pilot light, or water bath) for 4-12hrs
Store in the refrigerator
Keeps one week for cheese, longer for cooking
This yogurt will not be as thick as store bought

When you need to refresh your mother you can use your homemade yogurt or buttermilk culture instead of store bought as long as it is still fresh (one week or less) and clean (use a clean sterile spoon for removing culture from the jar)

Christy


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## homeacremom (Nov 6, 2007)

I too did mother cultures, buttermilk, etc. This is my first year for using all single use packs (thanks to Christy DGI coop) . Last year I bought bulk packages of Flora Danica and MA11 mesophilic from www.dairyconnection.com/cultures.htm. Used the Flora Danica if I made feta or a sour cream type product and the MA11 meso for buttermilk, cottage cheese, and cream cheese substitute. Most of my Flora Danica pack got dump on the first use (by my toddler :nooo) and you have to kinda figure out how much culture to use and measure EXACTLY the same each time.


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## susie (Oct 28, 2007)

I like the convenience of the eady to use cultures- I buy from dairyconnection-- a big pack will last a long time and it is much mor economical than the teeny tiny one batch packets.

I think I buy ma or mm mesophilic-- it lasts way past the posted exp date too ( well at least it has for me)

Yogurt I like to buy Mt high and use that as a starter-- that is some yummy yogurt. Just bought some yogurt culture from Dairyconnection, but haven't used it yet.

FYI they can ship using a less expensive method than they post on their website as long as the weather is cool in your area-- you can e-mail them to see what they will ship the cultures to you at.

Susie


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

You know, I had forgotten all about Dairy Connection. I'm going to order from them when I use up the stuff I have now. I don't mind buying the cultures but those little packets add to much to the cost.


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## Guest (Mar 31, 2008)

The dairy Connection has a larger selection of cultures too. But for people who don't make much cheese it is expensive to order more culture than they can use.

Christy


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