C is for Chheeeeeese, Chicken and Cola

Hmmmm so many things i could make with the letter 'C'. The decisions were endless but it all came down to my favourites: cheese, chicken and cola. After being back at work for half a week it was worth getting stuck into the kitchen to cook up a 'C. feast. What better way to start off, a cheese platter.

For my cheese platter i had the usuals: Cheese and Crackers (Camembert, Classic Cheddar, jatz Crackers, Captains Table Crackers, Cabanossi and Coriander and pesto dip) ((all bought from Coles). I'm sure you all know how to put a Cheese platter together so i won't go into the finer points. ENJOY!




Chicken Meatball Caesar Salad
For my main course I went with my favourite 'C' of all: chicken. Chicken Meatball Caesar Salad.   This little recipe i found in the Delicious 'Love to Eat' cookbook. What you need;

500g chicken mince
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 tbs finely chopped chives
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
a few drops of tobasco
1 tbs worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese
4 rashes of bacon or flat pancetta
3 thick slices of sourdough bread, torn into 
bite sized pieces
2 tbs olive oil
2 cos lettuce hearts, quartered lengthways
Finely chopped chives to serve
Dressing 
1 egg
1 garlic clove chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 tsp American mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
150ml virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 200C. Place chicken mince in a bowl with the onion, chives, garlic and tobasco, worcestershire sauce and 2 tbs of the parmesan. Mix and form into 20 or so meatballs. Place on lined baking trays, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes to firm up.
Place bacon or pancetta on another baking tray in the oven for 10 minutes to crisp up. Reuse tray for the croutons, spread out bread and drizzle with oil. 
Drizzle meatballs with the remaining oil then bake for 20 minutes or until cooked.
Meanwhile for the dressing, whizz up the egg, garlic, lime, mustard and worcestershire sauce in a small food processor. With the motor running, slowly add the oil in a steady stream until emulsified. Transfer to bowl, season and stir in parmesan. 
To serve, tear lettuce onto a platter. Top with meatballs, shaved parmesan, bacon(pancetta) and croutons, drizzle with dressing and scatter with extra parmesan and chives.

Cola Cakes
I found this little dessert cake in the same book, 'Love to Eat'. You can bake these little cakes in ramekins as I did, or make this as one large cake.
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp of bicarbonate soda
1 cup caster sugar
65g unsalted butter
1/3 cup sunflower oil
100g mini marshmallows
1/4 cup cocoa powder
100ml buttermilk
2 eggs lightly beaten
vanilla ice-cream to serve

Preheat oven 180deg C, grease 6 ramekins or line a 25cm spring form tin.
Sift flour and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl and add the sugar to combine. Combine the butter, oil, marshmallows, cocoa and cola in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil, whisking gently to melt the marshmallows  and dissolve the cocoa. Add to the flour mixture and stir to combine. Add the buttermilk and eggs, and stir to combine. Divide the mixture into the ramekins. Bake for 25 minutes. If in a cake tin bake for 45 minutes or until cooked.
Serve cakes warm topped with vanilla ice-cream.

Don't be scared

Cheesecake is one of the number one dishes in Poland and for very good reason - it's delicious.  If you go searching for a Polish Cheesecake recipe, as I have done countless times over the years, you will find it's main ingredient is always listed farmer's cheese or Tvarog (or a variation of that spelling).  You cannot buy this cheese in Australia, and apparently the closest substitute is Quark, and some people have even suggested cottage cheese or a combination of cottage and philly cheese.  Given that I didn't actually know the texture Tvarog, but I did know the texture of this cheesecake (there's a Polish bakery near my family's home in Brisbane!) it's been one of those things that I've never quite gone to the lengths of making.  Enter a local Multicultural Day, that given our Polish heritage, my sister said she'd make Polish Cheesecake for and the challenge was set.

Between us we compared and read through countless recipes.  Some had a pastry base and others didn't.  We wanted the pastry base so ended up combining two separate recipes.  The main thing that was clear to us though was, if this cheesecake was going to happen we had to make our own cheese.

Eventually we settled on the tvarog/farmer's cheese recipe below, as it was the simplest and you didn't have to start the day before.  The time consuming part is slowly warming the milk, because you really have to do it slowly.  Given that the milk will curdle when you add the buttermilk and vinegar, my best suggestion is put your bottle of milk out on the bench a few hours before you're going to start this process, so it's not so cold.  We made the cheese first so we knew the yield, and have then adapted the amount in the cheesecake filling recipe to suit (it was about 2/3 of the original filling recipe).  So depending on how much cheese you make, then scale the filling amounts up or down.  With the cheese, most recipes will say to 'grind' it in your food processor so it is a little smoother.  We pulsed it for about 20 - 30 seconds and it broke it up a little.

In terms of a tin, we made it in a baking tray 20cm x 30cm, and about 4-5cm high, because it was for a shared lunch.  You could make it in a round loose-bottom tin as well.  The cook time was accurate and after an hour we turned the oven off and left it to cool in the oven over night.  The top didn't crack, which we were pleased about.  And the taste... well pretty good.  I would have added some sultanas, as that's how I prefer this cheesecake, but my sister doesn't like sultanas so it was just plain.  We also discussed that a bit of lemon/orange zest or orange peel in the mix would have been a nice touch too.  I've seen other versions with nutmeg sprinkled on the top or strips of dough laid across the top and then glazed with an egg wash, and the original filling recipe had a raspberry glaze.  Don't be scared to make your own cheese, it'll take you about 90 minutes, but is so worth it to get the taste and texture of this cheesecake correct. 

This recipe and cheesecake has been a very long time coming and now that we've made it I think it will become a favourite for many family occasions.  

Sernik (Polish Cheesecake)

Dough:
225g plain flour
125g butter, softened
125g icing sugar
2 egg yolks

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse a few times until it comes together.
2. Roll it into a disc and wrap in glad wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Remove from fridge and place dough between two sheets of baking paper and roll out to desired shape and thickness (less than 0.5cm thick).
4. Pick up dough in the baking paper and place straight into tin (approx 20cm x 30cm, and 5 - 6 cm high). Remove top sheet.  Prick dough with a fork.
5. Bake at 180C for about 20 - 25 minutes until light golden.

Filling:
6 eggs, separated
200g caster sugar
650g Tvarog (farmer's cheese - see recipe below) 
140g butter, softened
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp plain flour

1. Beat egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy.
2. Add cheese and butter and continue mixing until well combined and creamy.
3. Add baking powder and flour and mix until combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk/beat the egg whites to stiff peaks.
5. Gently fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the cheese mixture.  Continue gently folding in remaining egg whites until combined.  Don't overwork the mixture.
6. Pour the mixture over the base (see above) and smooth out the top.
7. Bake at 180C for about 60 minutes.  The top should be a little golden.
8. Turn off oven.  Allow cheesecake to completely cool in oven with door slightly open.

Variations: add 1/4 - 1/2 cup sultanas; add some orange peel or zest.

Tvarog (Famer's cheese)
3L full cream milk
1L buttermilk
2 tbsp white vinegar

Tvarog, as the whey was draining.

1. Allow the milk to come to room temperature, then pour into a large saucepan and place on stove on very low heat.
2. Slowly warm the milk to a light simmer, do not let it boil.  It's a good idea to stir it often, especially once it starts to get close to a simmer - you don't want it to burn or stick to the bottom, or to boil over.  Warming the milk can take 30 - 60 minutes depending on the ambient temperature.
3. Once the milk is simmering, remove from heat.  Add in buttermilk and stir.  And in vinegar and stir.
4. The mixture will immediately separate into curds and whey.  Give it a bit of a stir then set aside for 10 - 15 minutes for the curds to finish forming up.
5. Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth and pour in the cheese (catching the curd).  Allow to drain to desired consistency.
6. Keeps in the fridge for 5 or so days. 

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @oitcfood

It's not that difficult - really!

I came across a recipe recently for a deconstructed beef wellington.  To my mind a beef wellington is a juicy piece of beef, smothered in pate or mustard then rolled up in pastry and baked in the oven.  This recipe is not that, it's much easier.  The problem with cooking a traditional beef wellington is knowing how to sear and then bake/roast the beef fillet, so that your pastry doesn't go soggy and interesting shade of pink when you cut it to serve?  I'm sure we've all had the experience of searing a beautiful piece of rib fillet, pork fillet or lamb rack before putting it in the oven to finish off, and it not being quite as cooked as we think it is.  Knowing when to stop searing is the key! 

I've learnt, from my Mum, how to cook a roast on the stove top.  Mum's process involves searing your piece of beef at a relatively high heat for 10 minutes on each side (check where your smoke alarm is before you start this!), then turning the heat down, creating a water seal with the lid on the pot and leaving for the required time according to the weight of the meat.  The result is a tender, moist and juicy roast. The burnt bits soften to make an amazing gravy. And you don't have to clean the oven afterwards!  Cooking roasts this way has set me up well to not be afraid to seal a fillet of beef or pork or lamb for say a minute longer than others might.  Yes, sometimes there's burnt bits, but I'm ok with that and you should be too. Make sure you let it rest too and cover it to keep it warm.

This beef wellington recipe is a bit different, in that there's no pate or mustard, instead a creamy mushroom, thyme and blue cheese sauce.  It's a luxurious sauce which matches well with the open tart, beef and green beans.  Despite the number of steps below, it's fairly straightforward - cook the pastry, make the sauce, cook the beef and let rest, assemble and serve.  You don't have to use exact measurements in the sauce, just go with what tastes best!

Deconstructed Beef Wellington with creamy mushroom, thyme and blue cheese sauce


1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 Eye fillet/porterhouse steaks
Salt and pepper
Green beans
200 - 250 g (2 - 3 large handfuls) spinach or baby spinach
Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion or 2 golden shallot, diced
250g - 500g mixed mushrooms, sliced (peeled too if you like)
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, crushed.
fresh thyme leaves
a splash (maybe 1/4 cup) hot water or white wine (you could use vegetable stock, but the sauce will be salty enough from the cheese)
150 - 150mL cream (may be more, depending on how many mushrooms you used)
blue vein cheese (as little or as much as you want/can stand)

1. Thaw puff pastry and cut sheet into four squares.  Lightly score a border 1cm in from the each of each square.  Prick the centre with a fork.  Place on a baking tray and bake for 10 - 15 minutes at 200 - 220C, until golden brown.  Set aside to cool (or cook closer to meat being ready and serve warm).
2. Sauce: Add the butter to a shallow wide pan (ie small fry pan) over a medium heat.  Add diced onion and sliced mushroom.  Allow to cook slowly (10 - 15 mins), until the mushrooms start to soften and caramelise.
3. Whilst you wait for the mushrooms, season the beef with salt and pepper and place in a hot pan.  Cook for 3-4 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of the steak and how you like it cooked.  Then remove the pan from heat and put the lid on the pan (or cover pan with alfoil) to let it finish cooking and then rest. 
4. Back to the sauce: Once the mushrooms start to caramelise, add crushed garlic and thyme leaves (pick the leaves off the stalks) and cook for 1 - 2 minutes.  
5. Deglaze the sauce pan by pouring in the liquid of your choice (vege stock, hot water or white wine) and stir to loosen the crunchy bits on the bottom of the pan.
6. Add the cream and crumble in the cheese, and cook slowly till the cheese is melted and the sauce thickens a little.
7. Whilst the sauce is cooking, blanch your beans for 2-3 minutes in boiling water, drain and set aside.  Blanch spinach in same water until wilted, then drain and squeeze out as much water as possible.
8. Once steak has rested, slice diagonally.
9. Assembly: place spinach on top of pastry, then beef slices, then mushroom sauce on top.  Beans on the side, with more sauce.  Crumble more blue cheese over the top and garnish with extra thyme.

Timing is everything

I follow a number of cooking blogs, the most prolific being Closet Cooking. Earlier last week there was a post about Zucchini Gnocchi, followed up with the related post for the sauce he matched with it, which both very much caught my attention.  Zucchini is one of the most underrated vegetables in my opinion.

My cooking with zucchini stretches back to 1991 and Year 12 Home Ec.  We had what Master Chef would now call an invention test, which was actually a whole term's assignment.  The task was to invent something new that you couldn't already buy at the supermarket, design the packaging and market it.  I was merrily going along with a cupcakes idea, as an extension to the packet cake mix.  At the time (remember we're talking 1991) you could only buy normal cake mix - butter cake, vanilla, chocolate and maybe carrot cake if you were lucky.  My brilliant idea was around cup cakes and marble cakes, and cakes with the icing or sprinkles in the pack, so you had it all in one box.  I had tested a number of flavours and combinations, and was going along fabulously, until I suddenly saw that exact thing in the supermarket.  Imagine my horror!  The Teacher said I could still go ahead with my idea, but you know me, there'd be no copying and I had to have something original.  So a new search began.

We'd always made scones as kids (and still do), and my next thought was, well you can have pumpkin scones so why not zucchini scones.  It was during the testing of these that I learnt, sometimes the hard way, just how much water is in zucchini.  Trust me, it's a lot.  And just when you think there's no more, you're wrong!  Anyway, many versions later I perfected my zucchini scones and their packaging.  I have no idea what I got for the assignment, but it doesn't matter.

And so to the Zucchini Gnocchi. I've made gnocchi twice before, using potato.  Each time they've been more labour intensive and tougher (to bite) than I'd anticipated.  This gnocchi has no potato.  instead it's a combination of zucchini, ricotta and basil.  Yes, there's flour added to bring it together, but a lot less than you would expect. You can keep it gluten free by using rice flour, instead of pasta or plain flour.  The key, as with all things zucchini, is to make sure it is really, really, really well-drained. Otherwise you'll end up adding so much flour that the gnocchi will be very tough. 

So with all of Saturday ahead of me, I planned to start making the gnocchi early in the day, to allow the zucchini long enough to drain and the pasta time to rest.  As usual though, the day passed me by and it got to 6pm before I started and almost changed my mind.  So glad I didn't!  Don't be put off by the gorgonzola in the sauce, if blue cheese is not your thing.  Go to a deli, where they will let you taste or where you trust them, and get a mild one.  Then as you crumble it into the sauce, leave out some of the mouldy bits so it's not as overpowering.  Or go for the meanest, stinkiest one you can find if you love it!

My recipe has a bit more lemon in it and is approximately half of the original recipe and still made over 50 little gnocchi.  I'm testing the freezing capabilities too and will let you know. Happy cooking!

Zucchini Gnocchi with Corn, Creamy Gorgonzola Sauce
2 cups finely grated zucchini
1/2 tablespoon salt
small handful of basil, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lemon zest (and some lemon juice)
200g fresh ricotta
1 egg yolk
small handful grated parmesan (equal amounts with the basil)
pepper
1/2 - 1 cup plain/pasta/rice flour
1 slice Prosciutto per person

Sauce 

The measurements are flexible. It is quite a thin sauce which the gnocchi soaks up.

1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels

1 teaspoon butter

1 - 2 tablespoons milk (no more than 1/4 cup)

1 - 2 tablespoons of whatever cream you have (no more than 1/4 cup)

30 - 50 g gorgonzola dolce (mild blue cheese)

1. Mix salt with grated zucchini, and place in a colander.  Let drain for 20 - 30 mins.  Squeeze out as much remaining liquid, as possible.  The drier the better.
2. Add basil, lemon zest, ricotta, egg yolk, parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice (not too much).  Mix and season with pepper.
3. Add as much flour as you need to make a workable, not too sticky dough - add the flour bit by bit, not all at once!
4. Divide dough and roll into 2 - 3 cm thick rolls.  Slice each roll into 2 - 3 cm pieces.  Dust with flour and roll on a gnocchi board or with a fork (to give the indentations).  Set aside till ready to cook.
5. For the sauce, place corn, butter, milk, cream and crumbled gorgonzola in a small saucepan.  Stir over low-medium heat till cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.
6. Meanwhile, boil a large pot of salted water and cook gnocchi in batches.  Remove and keep warm once they float on the top.
7. Grill the prosciutto.
8. Toss the gnocchi with the sauce, and serve with crumbled prosciutto and basil.

 Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @oitcfood

I got a letter!

When was the last time you actually got a card or a letter in the mail that wasn't for your birthday or a bill or some sort of sales pitch?  For me, excitingly this happened just the other week!  I received a handwritten card from my Aunty Marg with a little note and her recipe for Mushroom Bacon Soup.  I was so surprised to receive such a gift so unexpectedly.  There's nothing better than something that's been handwritten just for you.  Every time you look at it, you know that that person was thinking of you at that time and wanted to share something with you.  We don't write enough cards and letters to our friends and families 'just because' any more.  We email, we text, we skype, we facebook.  We've never before been so connected and yet we are so disconnected at the same time.

My challenge to you... dig out your dusty old address book and send a card with your favourite recipe to someone you know.  If it's a recipe that's been given to you, acknowledge the source and tell the story of how you came to get it.  When I say send, I mean actually go to the post office, stand in the line and buy a stamp!  And when I say send a card, go and buy a card (or make one?) and actually write it with a pen yourself, no computer allowed!  Don't tell them that you're doing it, just do it and see what happens.  And just so we all feel connected to you, share your results virtually on the OITC Facebook page.

So, in the spirit of handwritten recipes (via my scanner), below is my Aunty Marg's Mushroom  Bacon Soup.  It is delicious any time of the year - we've eaten it this week (winter), and I've also eaten it on Boxing Day (summer).  It takes no time at all and you'll certainly enjoy the creaminess!

Aunty Marg's Mushroom Bacon Soup

As well as making Aunty Marg's Mushroom Bacon Soup this week, I also made a stuffed chicken breast with creamy mashed potato and green beans.  You can stuff chicken breasts with whatever flavour combinations you like.  I used wilted baby spinach, roasted red and yellow capsicum (thinly sliced) and slices of creamy camembert cheese.  This also works just as well with de-boned chicken thighs.  You need to have something moist in the middle of the chicken (I had the spinach this time), so it doesn't dry out.  Other flavour combinations you could use would be basil pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto or a chunky tomato chilli jam or salsa.  You want a cheese that will melt well, so you could also try a goat's cheese or feta.  Experiment with what you put in the middle, till you find something that works for you.

Spinach, capsicum and camembert stuffed chicken breast

 To assemble, all you need to do is slice the chicken breast lengthways, but don't cut all the way through, then open it out.  Lay your fillings on one side, season with pepper, then fold the other side back over the top.  Then roll it up in several slices of overlapping prosciutto, to secure it in place.  To cook, seal each side for 4 - 5 minutes, in an ovenproof fry pan with a splash of olive oil in it.  Then place the pan in the oven at 180C - 200C, for 10 - 12 minutes (depending on the thickness of the chicken breast).  If you don't have an ovenproof fry pan, then once they are sealed place on a baking tray and then into the oven.  Once they are cooked through, slice each in half and serve on top of creamy mashed potato, with some green beans and drizzle some pan juices over the top.  This dish takes 30 minutes from beginning to end so is a good standby meal, when someone pops in unexpectedly for dinner or if you just have no time.

Round 1: Camembert v Farmhouse Cheddar

Round 1 has been run, and I think we can all agree that all those who got to sample the cheeses were winners.

My Camembert, despite the extra spots of green mould, was very tasty. It was unwrapped 1 day shy of 6 weeks since the process began with heating the milk. It had the right creamy texture and I was relatively happy. The colour and ooziness (is that a word???) were pretty close to what I expected. I'll sure be making another batch of camembert when next I have a spare day.

The Farmhouse Cheddar was unwrapped from it's red waxy home and held it's form beautifully. There were some anxious moments in waxing this big sucker, in that some of the equipment suggested and/or provided with the Mad Millie Kit weren't actually big enough to take the whole cheese. Nonetheless Steve persisted and managed to coat his entire cheese and not too much of himself. The unveiling of the Farmhouse Cheddar showed a pale yellow, slightly crumbly cheese. It certainly tasted good, especially on the good ol' Jatz cracker. It was an instant hit with a certain little 1 year old birthday boy, who managed to shove a few quick pieces in his mouth before too many people noticed.

All in all, making your own cheese is quite a gratifying process. And also quite an achievement. I urge anyone with a spare day, to seek out a Mad Millie Kit and give it a go. Next for me, as well as more camembert, is finding the Kit with the haloumi and quark ingredients in it.

Let the cheese off begin

A few years back Andy and I went to a cheesemaking class at Belmondo's in Noosa. There we made Camembert, Mozarella and Ricotta cheeses. It was an amazing day and so great to come home with two camembert to keep draining then let develop for the next month. And to have fresh mozarella to consume in the following few days. At the time I really wanted to do it again and didn't know where or how to do it myself. It took a lot of specialised equipment, which I wasn't prepared to invest in and didn't know where to get.

Then last year, when shopping for Christmas presents, my sister showed me the "Mad Millie" range of Cheesemaking Kits . These are available online and in many Home Brew shops. They contain the specialised equipment, including rennet and cultures, you need to create delicious cheeses. That day I bought the Beginner's Italian Kit and came home and made marscapone and ricotta insalata.

I was a little impatient with the marscapone and it didn't quite thicken as it should have. The taste was certainly there though. The ricotta insalata is a firm ricotta which you rub salt into and then use in salads and the like. It becomes a little like the style of feta - it holds together better than regular ricotta. The picture above is the ricotta insalata after draining and having salt rubbed on it. Ready to go in the fridge for a few days to firm up before eating. It was delicious, and I have made it several times since. Ricotta is one of the easiest cheeses to make - basically you curdle milk (or the left over whey from other cheesemaking) at the right temperature and ta-da ricotta!

Not satisfied with the easy cheeses, I then bought the Camembert Ingredient Kit. Again, similar to the first kit, this gave me the starter culture and mould I needed, plus camembert moulds and wraps.

Camembert is a much longer process than the fresh Italian cheeses described above. After warming the milk, adding starter cultures, ensuring it's at a constant temperature, adding mould spores, ensuring it's at a constant temperature, forming and cutting the curd, ensuring it's at a constant temperature, stirring, ensuring it's at a constant temperature, then draining and putting in the mould, it takes the better part of half a day.

I'm sure you can see the importance of the constant temperature. To do this I created my own cheese incubator, I wasn't about to spend another $100 with Mad Millie to get there's (although you could). I used a small esky with a non-reactive plastic container inside as my cheese vat. It worked a treat and only cost me $20 all up. Although it is time consuming and ties you to the kitchen to keep checking the temperature, especially when using a homemade incubator set up, it is very enjoyable watching the process happen.

Once you get the camembert curds into the draining moulds (which by the way are full when you first tip it in, the picture above is after 5 hours of draining), its a matter of turning them every hour for up to 5 hours, then they need to go in a humid, warmish fridge. I did this in summer, so the humidity was not a problem and I turned my fridge up a little bit, put them at the top (the warmest part) of the fridge and always made sure there was a little water in the bottom of the container (for the first week).

In the fridge I stored them in a red decor container that has a draining rack in the bottom and has a little pop-top in the lid. Every day for the first week, I would take them out of the fridge and turn them over. After a week or so the white mould starts forming. Once it covers one side, you turn it over and wait another couple of days. Finally it comes to wrapping time. The Mad Millie Kit gives you the camembert wrapping paper. Then they go back in the fridge to age for 3 - 4 weeks. You are looking at a 6 - 7 week committment, for your camembert!

My camembert have about a week to go. How do you know when they're ready? You have to unwrap one, bring it to room temperature and then press it with your finger, like you do when you squeeze one in the supermarket (come on admit it, I know you do that!). They say you can also cut it across the middle at this point and it will "stitch" itself back together once you rewrap it and leave for a few days. I'm not sure whether I want to try that. I pulled my camembert out of the fridge the other day and they seemed nearly there. So the wait is nearly over.

My brother-in-law, Steve, also made some Farmhouse Cheddar, from the Mad Millie Hard Cheese Kit over the same weekend as I started my camembert. He had to be more ingenious than me and actually created his own cheese press.

The time is getting closer for the "cheese-off" to begin. Who will be the winner, stay tuned to find out what we think. Really though, we'll all win, because (hopefully) we'll be eating tasty, home-made cheese, made from locally sourced milk and with a big sense of accomplishment! Now, who's bringing the crackers?