My name is Diane Johnson. I have been making cheese since 2013. I love making cheese.
I am a married mother of four – three of whom are teenagers and the last is going to be 10. I am a COVID-19 triage and vaccine management registered nurse.
I am currently Mrs. Valencia County, NM, 2021, hoping to become Mrs. New Mexico.
I decided to become Mrs. Valencia County, NM, 2021 because I thought it was interesting. I thought it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. I never want to regret not doing something because I was worried I might fail.
My Cheese
I am able to buy raw cow and goat milk, so I use it to make most of my cheeses. I have made lots of different types of cheese – mold ripened, Alpine style, cheddar, Monterey, and fresh.
I became interested in cheese making because I could not find artisan cheeses where I live and, when I found them, they were very expensive. I thought I could make the cheese myself and it might be better.
To learn, I bought a lot of books, read information online and watched YouTube videos.
I then found a raw cow’s milk dairy near me – DeSmet Dairy. They have Jersey cows and their milk is unhomogenized raw milk. I use it to make my cheeses.
I have two different “cheese caves” and I want to build a partially underground cave. My next project is to make a beer or wine soaked cheese and a blue or washed rind cheese – maybe a Stilton style or a castle blue.
My biggest challenge was the expense at the beginning. I told my husband, James I wanted to make cheese but I needed a cheese press and a mold so he made me one of each.
I am starting a blog called Milk to Cheese and I will soon be starting a YouTube channel named the same. I also have an Instagram account (Milk to Cheese).
I make beer, wine, and bread. I cook, crochet, knit, and I am an avid reader and gardener.
Ortrud Steuck says
Hi, Diane, I aso live in Belen( Ri Community) and would be more than interested in your cheeses.Where are you located?
I am currently out of the country and would get in touch with you asap.
Tina Barker says
Hi Diane! I’m from NM and lived in Belen for 15 years, I moved to Michigan 6 years ago. I miss my home state with its beautiful sunsets, the people and different cultures. I must say, you have peaked my interest in cheese making. I may have to look into a new hobby. Best of luck to you.
Kiran says
Impressed with your husbands creative home made cheese making tools. I am handy at DIY so finding it exciting to make my own and save money.
I have never made cheese snd seriously considering it. I know how to make yogurt.
1)What is best way to start?
2)I noticed mention of raw milk. Can i not make cheese from shop bought pasteurized milk? What are pros and cons?
3)I live in Plano Texas so not sure if raw is available. I love Jersey cow milk but do not see it in shops
4) once you make cheese do you have too keep buying cultures or can we reuse something from last cheese batch like we do for yogurt?
5)i love British mature cheese looks like your cotswold is worth trying. Did you buy the culture?
6) can we make culture from shop purchased cheese to make my own cheese?
Diane J says
Kiran,
Thank you for your comments! Yes, cheese making can be expensive but it is worth it. Also you can make your own cheese press. I recommend one like the wooden on my boys made me because the plastic one was not strong enough.
1) Get milk, rennet, culture, cheese cloth and make some cheese. There are plenty of recipes online. It’s just a matter of doing. I went straight into making hard cheeses and mold ripened.
2) You can as long as it is not ultra pasteurized. You just need to add calcium chloride to it. It is sold in cheese making supply stores and online.
3) I am sorry I do not know about availability in TX. I found my source by doing a search online. Sometimes people will sell their milk from home on CL or FB market place. Although, I could not speak on quality when bought privately.
4) Yes and no, you can make a mother culture and use it. You will need to keep remaking it though and it only lasts so long. Look up mother culture cheesemaking. I recommend just buying your cultures freeze dried they last a while stored in the freezer and work perfectly every time.
5) Yes
6) I have seen recipes calling for mold from a piece of store bought blue either wise I am not sure as I always buy my molds and cultures, this way I know what I am getting and the quality of the culture or mold.
Thank you for all the questions hope they help!
Diane
Diane, thank you so much for sharing this part your story with our readers. Each person I meet this ‘whey’ teaches me more and more. May your life continue to be filled with love and energy for your many adventures and may your cheeses continue to be filled with lots of love and delicious flavors.
In Peace, Love and Cheese
Ricki
Ricki,
Thank you for your comments! I am so excited to be in this blog! The first cheese I made I bought the hard cheese kit that comes in a happy meal type box! I have not stopped yet! It was love at first taste! I hope the same for you!
Diane
You seem to be a very talented person. I would love to have your recipe for Montasio. The description is mouth watering. I did find a recipe for it on https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/cheese-recipes/montasio-cheese/. Is that the recipe you use? It seems simple enough. I will try to follow you on your blog & youtube channel when they start. I’m not on Facebook or other social media. I guess I’m just anti-social.
Hello Bob,
Thank you for your comment. I use the Montasio recipe in Artisan Cheesemaking by Mary Karlin. It is a great cheesemaking book. I use most of the recipes in it. Hopefully, you will like it. I used 2 gallons of raw goats milk and 2 gallons of raw cows milk. Good luck!
Diane
Diane, nice photos of you and your cheeses! Mrs Valencia County, and good luck to becoming Mrs New Mexico!
I have been making cheese for a bit over one year. Your history is more diverse, but I generally get two cheeses made from raw cows milk each month. I have made 25 batches of cheese so far, but I travel 360 miles round trip to get my raw milk from a farm dairy in South Carolina that I trust. Raw milk is not legal to sell in Virginia or North Carolina. I live in the mountains in a log home in SW Virginia.
Your Manchego is beautiful! As is your Cotswold. And vanilla been into Camembert? Interesting!
Blessings on your cheese making, your family and your career as an RN. Well done!
Charles, You can join a herd share coop here in SW Virginia. Check out Sweet Land Farm Dairy. I love their products and have been a member for almost 6 years.
Hello Charles,
Thank you for your comments! Making 25 batch’s of cheese is amazing especially with barely starting a year ago. Great work! What types of cheese do you make?
My favorite are mold ripened and alpine.
I am lucky there is a raw milk dairy so close to me. Hopefully, you will find one soon!
Diane
Hi Diane. Congratulations for your lovely delicious cheese making .I have been making cheese for 20 years and could not perfect it the way you make them…if you are going to make wine start with good fresh grapes.and you have the best grapes for wine in Albuquerque Valley. I lived in Albuquerque in the 1990 and l used to make the best wine.. and still have some good recepies.. now I live in Florida and have my Vineyard, but the grapes are different than NM….
Hal,
Thank you for your comments! I have made a couple different wines, the ones I liked most were a strawberry merlot, lemon sparkling, and a mead (cherry). I am now into making beer. It’s a faster processing time than wine. Mostly though I make bread and cheese. I love sourdough and cheese the most!
Diane
Keep it as a hobby or it will become work. As the Administrator/instructor of a Facebook group called Home Cheesemaking, Yogurt, Butter, Tofu and Other Fermented Milk Products with over 12,000 members, I know! (And yes, we know tofu isn’t a milk product but some processes are very similar to cheesemaking and the group wanted tifu included)
Hello Mark,
Thank you for your comment. I do not think of cheese making as a “hobby” per say it is another aspect of my life I really love doing and eating, lol! I hope your group continues to grow!
Diane