What is Farmers Cheese?
Farmers cheese is a type of simple fresh cheese which is used in a variety of ways in many cultures. You may also hear this cheese referred to as farmer's cheese, pot cheese, or farmer cheese, improperly as “farmers cheese,” or properly as "farmers' cheese." It can sometimes be difficult to find true farmers cheese in the store, because it has classically been made on dairy farms for personal use. Some farms sell the cheese to customers, and you can also make farmers cheese at home. In fact, it's a great starter home cheesemaking project.
When farmers cheese is made, milk is curdled to make cottage cheese, and the curds are ladled into cheesecloth and strained for several hours in a cool place. Some cooks leave the cheese relatively loose and crumbly, while others prefer to compress the cheese by squeezing the cheesecloth. The resulting cheese has a very mild, slightly creamy flavor, and it can be used as a filling in various dishes, a spread, and a component in a variety of other foods.
Cream cheese is similar to basic farmers cheese, as is ricotta, although ricotta is made differently from traditional farmers cheese. If you have a recipe which calls for farmers cheese and you cannot obtain it, either of these cheeses can make a great substitute, but be sure to stick with minimally processed cream cheese, rather than the heavily stabilized and extremely smooth types which are designed for use as spreads. Some people make farmers cheese at home by simply straining cottage cheese to remove the whey, although more ambitious cooks can make their own farmers cheese from scratch.
If you make farmers cheese in your kitchen, make sure to keep your working environment clean. Farmers cheese is very low in acidity, and it can pick up a variety of bacteria which can cause people to get sick. Make sure to wash all of your utensils, and use fresh cheesecloth. When you hang the cheese to drain, consider hanging it in the refrigerator. Although refrigerated cheese will take longer to drain than cheese drained at room temperature, it is less likely to pick up harmful bacteria, making it safer to eat.
Farmers cheese generally keeps less than a week under refrigeration. It is not designed to be aged, and it will pick up a colorful assortment of molds and bacteria if it is kept around too long. This light, soft, simple cheese is designed for rapid consumption. If you're having trouble using up farmers cheese, consider crumbling it onto salads or mixing it with herbs to make it into a spread which can be used for snacks and sandwiches. Fresh farmers cheese can also be eaten plain, and many people who have access to dairy-fresh farmers cheese enjoy eating this cheese as a snack.
Written by S.E. Smith
