Hi Everyone,
I am living in Beijing, China and was trying to make cheese at home. the difficult thing in China is that it is impossible to find good quality milk, enzyme and starters. The store-bought milk is not so fresh…no buttermilk as starter and enzyme - no one even know what I am talking about. To make a long story short a friend sent me from the States some Junket Rennet (which are dry) and they are perfectly fine. The only think is that it takes longer. As for starters there is only one kind of sugar-free yogurt so I am using it as thermophilic starter. I am also using the Yogurt to make Labaneh. Since there is no buttermilk in the stores I also asked my friend to send me some mesophilic bacteria. I am keeping it in the freezer and 12 hours before I want to use them I mix a small portion of bacteria with some room-temperature milk and let it sit for about 10 hours. When it’s ready I have couple of spoons of starter which works fine. After several experiments I had (and gallons of milk going down the drain…) I was able to make some Israeli style semi-hard cheese which was delicious!! Also, I was able to prepare as very good Feta cheese and Labaneh (which is a Mediterranean soft cheese).
I will be very happy to share with you the receipt!

Manor-Z

Welcome to the forum.  Please do pass on your recipe when you have a minute.  It sounds like you’ve overcome some serious obstacles to make your cheese.  Quite ingenious on your part!  Where there’s a will there’s a way!

Welcome aboard Manor_Z !!  Yup first thing can be hard to find a milk that will work, I recommend going no higher then 2% and then add cream. DOnt recomend junket unless your desperate. Def would be careful about cleanliness in that country.
Good Luck !!!!

Thanks! I will post shortly one of the receipts
By the way, which cream should I use? I can buy here whipping cream, sour cream or full cream. Which one?
Thanks a lot!

I would use either the whipping cream or full cream.  If you can find one that’s not ultra-pasturized, that’s the one you want.

Thanks!

I will give it a try. When should I add the cream?

Mix the cream directly with your milk at the very start and stir it well.  Also, if you are using a packet of starter, you don’t need to reconstitute it.  It sounds very much like a direct set starter, and it can be sprinkled onto the milk and stirred in.  It is freezer dried in a milk powder and readily mixes with your milk.

My only real option is to use Junket Rennet because I cannot find any real liquid rennet. BUT!! a friend is coming over from Israel in couple of days and he will bring real Rennet. I only hope that he will keep it cold

I use dried rennet, vegetarian and its from Israel. Easier to store when its freeze dried.

I tried to add cream to the milk and the result was great! the taste is rich than before and my kids just love it this way.

Thanks for the advice!!