Yea for you and ricotta cheese!!! Isn't it the most wonderful feeling to make something rather than buying an inferior product at the store?  As a society we have given in way too easily to commercialism.  I made lard yesterday and used it tonight.  I felt empowered (a little dramatic here, but you get the idea).  I hope you have many cheese success.

Sandra

Quick question, and sorry if it has already been addressed…I am planning to make cream cheese and  just got my butter muslin and direct set starter…then I went to buy some half and half…all five different brands that I found had "ultra pasteruized" on it.  Did I read that you shouldn't use the u.p.? Another question, does it matter if you use mix one qt. fat free with one qt. regular?  I guess that is two questions. Looking forward to making my first batch.

Thanks–Sandra

I don't have a book yet, I was going to try the simple, basic, cream cheese recipe you posted.  Do you have brand names of half and half that is not u.p.?  Fat-free is not a big deal to me, I burn calories in a big way.  I was just curious about the f.f.  I could not find any half and half that wasn't u.p. Perhaps I will find it at a health food store.

I went to several grocery stores but didn't think of Wal-Mart since I rarely shop there.  I will give that a try.  Thanks so much.

Okay, I went to WalMart and found another half dozen brands of half and half, including their store brand, Great Value…all were u.p.  So, I went ahead and got it…then I came home and checked the pictures on Suzanne's recipe.  When I print a recipe I don't include the pictures.  So, I found the right page and looked closely and saw that the Great Value brand in the picture says ultra-pasteurized in small print.  I am going to assume for cream cheese that it does not make a difference.  Help me out if I am wrong about this.  I am easily confused.