Tags
cheese, choice, life, make, rennet, vegetarian, vegetarianism, workshop
Yes, I’m still speaking of the festival of last week.
We made cheese. Or better, someone explained how to make cheese and we saw it happening. My mother-for-rent (aka mum of my best friend, when we were kids) used to make cheese (normal cheeses, ricotta, and also yoghurt and other products) from their goats’ milk.So I was brought back to my childhood.
However, I was a bit ignorant, I have to admit it. I didn’t know rennet
was made out of calfs’ stomach. And I am a vegetarian. Firstly I though “oh well, they kill calfs for the meat and then use the stomach to make rennet”. Then we came back home and bought rennet, read the package, and there it was, written in the smallest font on earth:
“made of calfs’ stomachs. The calfs have been killed on purpose for the making of this rennet”
Ugh. I carried out a bit of research and found out there are also vegetable rennets. But almost all of the cheeses employ the animal one. So, my question is: what am I supposed to do? I will carry out some more research soon, I want to know.
Anyhow, sorry for the randomness, I loved the workshop and I loved making cheese. We also made yoghurt. That doesn’t need any rennet. Roberto and I tried it at home, twice already, and it’s delicious and very satisfying. Hurray for yoghurt.
when i was a veggie cheese was the only “meat” product i allowed myself. i gave up all animal stock based soups, Worcestershire sauce, and even caesar salad and some peanut sauces because there are anchovies in the dressing. but cheese – i couldn’t not eat cheese! for me, that was something i wasn’t willing to part with.
I have to admit I tried not to eat cheese. I can do it, I could, and I think I will do it for most of the stored cheeses. But when I meet a farmer or go in a little shop where they sell goat cheeses or every sort, well, I could resist, but I think I don’t want to. Still, I think I will think about it for another while. Thank you for reassuring me =)