Bass
1188959030
Posted 1369870220
Reply with quote #1
I have read some old articles on making cheese using fig sap. So I gave it a try this morning. So far the curd is forming nicely. I will update you with the steps when the cheese is fully formed.
Attached Images image.jpg (609.99 KB, 85 views)http://www.treesofjoy.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trees-of-Joy/110193909021138
bullet08
1284496248
Posted 1369871359
Reply with quote #2
i would definitely love to see the progress on this. would love to learn how to make cheese at home. tho, my wife won't like it if it involves smell.
jtp
1271516015
Posted 1369871372
Reply with quote #3
Looking forward to it. That's really cool. Thanks, Bass.
ztfree1128
1354498568
Posted 1369875442
Reply with quote #4
This sounds like a great idea- looking forward to hearing more about how it goes
Dieseler
1215735852
Posted 1369925739
Reply with quote #5
Curious also.
Pattee
1345750012
Posted 1369926147
Reply with quote #6
Very interesting Bass .
Malta Blk+purple/red, Italian + Calabrian UNK's , Catanzaro, Malone, Sucrette(Baud) "We may have our private opinions but why should they be a bar to the meeting of hearts?" - Gandhi
rcantor
1309799312
Posted 1369927812
Reply with quote #7
What kind of cheese? The fig sap supplies the rennet but that's used in most cheeses.
SoniSoni
1362273241
Posted 1369928749
Reply with quote #8
This is great to hear. I'll be very interested to hear about it. Vegetarian renet is expensive to buy it.
seeking Galicia Negra, Bianchi Guido, Violette de Sollies, Emerald Strawberry
Ingevald
1200844977
Posted 1369953824
Reply with quote #9
Bass - a very interesting topic. I look forward to hearing about the results. I have found a few articles and references to using the latex for rennet over the past years but have not made the time to make cheese. I pasted two links that might be of interest. Doing a web search for "ficus carica" "rennet" "cheese" etc., may yield some interesting results. Blessed are the Cheese makers - the Roman Military Research Society http://www.romanarmy.net/cheese.shtml 16th Century Italian Cheese Recipes from the book Compendio de i Secreti Rationali di M. Leonardo Fiorvanti Bolognese, Medico & Cirugico (Compendium of Rational Secrets of M. Leonardo Fiorvanti of Bologna, Medic and Surgeon) From From Stefan’s Florilegium - Society for Creative Anachronism - Making Renet from Fig Leaveshttp://www.florilegium.org/?http%3A//www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-MANUSCRIPTS/Ital-cheese-art.html
Bass
1188959030
Posted 1369967379
Reply with quote #10
The curds didn't have the thick consistency as I'm used to with the regular rennet, but it did form. It just takes a lot longer to thicken up.
http://www.treesofjoy.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trees-of-Joy/110193909021138
Bass
1188959030
Posted 1370004721
Reply with quote #11
Here's the cheese, it was made using fresh cow milk and fig sap. Process lasts 3 days. It has an unusual good taste.
Attached Images image.jpg (510.69 KB, 180 views)http://www.treesofjoy.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trees-of-Joy/110193909021138
Pattee
1345750012
Posted 1370010435
Reply with quote #12
That looks wonderful Bass . Lucky those getting together Sunday to try it !
Malta Blk+purple/red, Italian + Calabrian UNK's , Catanzaro, Malone, Sucrette(Baud) "We may have our private opinions but why should they be a bar to the meeting of hearts?" - Gandhi
indestructible87
1368407095
Posted 1370012875
Reply with quote #13
I wonder if It ages well...
ChillyNPhilly
1356891528
Posted 1370012986
Reply with quote #14
Goody:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Bass
Ingevald
1200844977
Posted 1370014376
Reply with quote #15
Bass - the photo of your cheese looks great. It is also good to hear that it has a good flavor. Is there any bitterness in the final product?http://deriv.nls.uk/dcn6/7530/75306202.6.pdf (they only have the first page of the article on this link), they state that ficus palmata imparts a bitter taste and ficus carica they state, does not.http://cheesemakinghelp.blogspot.com/2011/04/making-rennet-from-fig-sap.html
Bass
1188959030
Posted 1370017117
Reply with quote #16
I have tried a tiny amount and had a light bitter flavor that makes it more interesting and gives it the unique flavor. Maybe I should market it this cheese, Then I would grow figs only for their sap. :-)
http://www.treesofjoy.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trees-of-Joy/110193909021138
rcantor
1309799312
Posted 1370019313
Reply with quote #17
Great work! Is it a mozzarella style?
Bass
1188959030
greg88
1359498953
Posted 1370026006
Reply with quote #19
you never cease to amaze me Bass...
, Kathleen's Bl, Hunt, a great UNK or anything anyone wants me to have???
Figaro
1360799941
Posted 1370038844
Reply with quote #20
Excellent work! What method did you use to collect the latex?
[B]Figaro Zone 10b - South Florida[/I] Growing: Black Mission, Strawberry Verte, LSU Hollier, LSU Purple, LSU Scotts Black, Cajun Gold, Panachee, Excel, UCR 291-4, UCR 143-36, Violette de Bordeaux, Ronde de Bordeaux, Calvert, Black Madeira, Col De Dame Blanc
Figfinatic
1330272993
Posted 1370042467
Reply with quote #21
You could mix it with dried fig pieces too. They sell such a cheese at Costco. You could even wrap it in fig leaves. Then send some to all of us.
Bass
1188959030
Posted 1370055657
Reply with quote #22
I pinched the tips of a few fig trees and allowed the to drip I to this shot glass. I collected probably 1/3 of a tsp. which was added to the raw milk after pasturizing it.
Attached Images image.jpg (573.09 KB, 170 views)http://www.treesofjoy.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trees-of-Joy/110193909021138
ForeverFigs
1351425467
Posted 1370091581
Reply with quote #23
Bass...I noticed that the cheese is even formed to look like figs sitting on top of that fig leaf...nice job...very creative...and it has a feta taste...I like feta.
Bass
1188959030
Posted 1370093653
Reply with quote #24
Oh I didn't mean for it to be looking like a fig lol.
http://www.treesofjoy.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trees-of-Joy/110193909021138
MGorski
1399823521
Posted 1413371409
Reply with quote #25
I enjoyed this post from Bass, and wondered if anyone else has tried it? Maybe fig sap could be milked by slicing cuts in the stem starting towards the tops, and working down as those cuts heal. I also wonder how well this works with dried sap. It would be good to be able to store it for later use. The cheese Bass made looks to be a loose soft cheese. What would this cheese be like if aged? Fresh unpasturized milk is expensive here, I wonder how this would turn out with high quality, cream on top organic milk? This could be an interesting product for farmers markets.
vito12831
1256950611
Posted 1413374528
· Edited
Reply with quote #26
Back in Sicily, my mother used to make ricotta cheese by taking a branch from the fig tree and snapping it in several places so it would fit in the pot of heated goat's or sheep's milk. That would coagulate the milk, taking the place of renett.
FiggyFrank
1347560723
Posted 1413376893
Reply with quote #27
I'm surprised I missed this thread. Outstanding work, Bass.
MGorski
1399823521
Posted 1413381250
· Edited
Reply with quote #28
That's great information Vito~ do you recall tasting the fig flavor? I'm thinking maybe goat or sheep milk is so strong flavored it would cover up the fig taste.
vito12831
1256950611
Posted 1413397864
Reply with quote #29
Hello Mike.
Luzzu
1410823791
Posted 1413414432
Reply with quote #30
My Mother also has said that she used the fig branch to make ricotta in Italy but there was no significant fig taste.
MariannaMiller
1368495473
Posted 1413419722
Reply with quote #31
MGorski: One of the sites mentioned that in the old days, fig juice would be dripped onto some cloth and permitted to dry and then stored for future use. The bits of cloth would then be soaked in the warmed milk when they were ready to make the cheese. The suggested ratio was 5 drops of sap to a gallon of unpasteurized milk. More than that would make the cheese bitter. If anyone is making cheese from their fig trees, I would be interested in their recipes. Would love to try it myself.
DonCentralTexas
1390420422
Posted 1413465269
Reply with quote #32
Thanks for this information. Here we make yogurt cheese with our goat milk, makes a very desserty go with anything cheese, pairs with figs well.
Bass
1188959030
lisascenic
1299212724
Posted 1434330994
Reply with quote #34
I just took a cheesemaking class this weekend, and am eyeing my fig trees as a source of vegetable rennet.
Exoticplants1
1422803009
Posted 1434332716
Reply with quote #35
I just had bass's fig sap cheese at his place for the fig gathering.The cheese was very good . thank you,Bass!
GeneDaniels
1384021772
Posted 1434335775
Reply with quote #36
Hey Bass, can you post the recipe you used on the cheese? Thanks!
Seven trees in the ground : Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow. Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?
Bass
1188959030
Posted 1434336566
Reply with quote #37
Quote:
can you post the recipe you used on the cheese?
http://www.treesofjoy.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Trees-of-Joy/110193909021138
GeneDaniels
1384021772
Posted 1434337696
Reply with quote #38
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bass
Seven trees in the ground : Hardy Chicago, Celeste(?), LSU gold, Italian Black, Southern Brown Turkey(?), Strawberry Verte, and Unk yellow. Trees in pots: VdB, CdD, and Sicilian?
Cricket
1468334471
Posted 1468673498
Reply with quote #39
Yay! I finally made mozzarella using fig sap as the rennet. I tried several methods and finally used the 30 min microwave method from cheesemaking.com along with some help from other videos and websites. I'm so excited to share this with you. I wrote a blog post with pictures so you can see it. Thanks for all the help from this website too!
http://gardenvariety.life/making-mozarella-with-fig-sap/
vito12831
1256950611
Posted 1468675731
Reply with quote #40
Hi Cricket
Jodi
1443230258
Posted 1468681082
Reply with quote #41
Oh my gosh will the wonders of figs never cease! We are looking into getting goats to make fresh cheese to eat with the figs and here we have fig cheese! Along with a cup of fig leaf tea and the health benefits are over the top. Happy healthy figging everyone. Jodi
In the book the "The Meaning of Trees" it is said the fig regulates the heart and that the true essence of Figs is...food for the soul. Daisy's IBT cuttings will be available in January/February along with a few Lampeira Parda.
SCfigFanatic
1450004954
Posted 1468686330
Reply with quote #42
So cool, gotta try it.
GregMartin
1370378358
Posted 1468698648
Reply with quote #43
Love your blog Cricket, very nice! Thank you for your post.
greenman62
1442342031
Posted 1468774998
Reply with quote #44
several trees in other areas are used for their sap.
GregMartin
1370378358
Posted 1468793898
· Edited
Reply with quote #45
Hi Brad, at the home use scale there won't be any impact on the fig tree other than the impacts that come with snapping off a growing shoot tip, which many of us do all the time to induce earlier formation of figs on new growth or to get young trees to develop branching. The recipe only uses about 1/4 teaspoon of sap per gallon of milk. Once you break the growing tip off, the sap flows nicely until it seals itself up. I'm going to give this a shot next weekend. Really looking forward to tasting this cheese. Thank you Bass and Cricket.
MariannaMiller
1368495473
Posted 1468847554
Reply with quote #46
Back in the old days, people used to let the sap drip on little bits of white cloth. They would then let the clothes air dry and store them in a jar. Each bit of cloth contained enough sap to treat one gal. of milk. This allowed them to make cheese using fig rennet off season. Most of the recipes I have found claim that 5 drops of rennet are required to turn a gallon of milk into a cheese. For those who have actual experience making cheese, does 5 drops sound like the right amount (1/4 tsp)?
