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Goat Cheese

The Nubian goats are raised in the Middle East for goat cheese, which is a staple of diet for Egyptians and those living in the Sinai. With little grazing area, and a frequently harsh environment, the Nubian is well suited for the area. They require less space than other hoofed livestock, which is a positive for the nomadic lifestyle of the rural Egyptian and Sinai area of the Middle East. The Nubian is also nomadic and prefers browsing on a variety of plants and woody shrubs like blackberry and salal rather than grazing.

A Recipe Using Raw Goat Milk

Simple Soft Cheese: This is an easy recipe that only requires 1/2 gallon raw goat milk, the strained juice of 2 medium lemons, a thermometer capable of the 180-200°F range, some "cheesecloth" (many cotton cloths will work for straining), and some coarse salt (kosher or sea salt).

• Heat milk on medium heat (in a stainless steel pot) to 185°F
• Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice
• Stir for several minutes until milk has curdled
• Add 1/2 tablespoon of coarse salt (optional)
• Pour milk through cheesecloth
• Wrap curds in cheesecloth and hang (using a rubber band works well) in the refrigerator to drain
• Drain for 4-8 hours, depending on how dry you want the curds
• Scrape curds off cloth into bowl and stir

That's all there is to it! Use on toast, in salads, with pancakes - whatever you wish. Experiment using herbs (added at the end when you stir the cheese). For larger curds, heat the milk well into the 190's before curdling. Experiment with curdling temperature and drying time to get the cheese that meets your needs. For more information, go to: http://www.utterlydivine.com/Recipes.htm.

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