ISO Rennet

[chicgail]

I want to take a crack at making mozzarella cheese. Anyone know where I can get rennet? I'm in the Bucktown Wicker Park area. Thanks in advance.

[BColeKid]

What does ISO stand for? I've had my eye on this project for a while. I know the Whole Foods on Roosevelt sells vegetable rennet. So I am going to guess the one on North does too but the inventory for the myriad of Whole Foods stores gets mixed up in my head. I am pretty sure vegetable works but some people prefer animal-sourced rennet.

[ferret]

In Search Of. As in "desperately seeking...."

[ferret]

Vegetable-based rennet is typically used for mozzarella.

[chicgail]

This has been a real journey (or maybe a "trip!")

I tried three Whole Foods stores (including the big one on North Avenue) and they said they carry it, but were out of it. They told me to try a "specialty store."

I'm not sure what that meant, I called the Chopping Block and Olivia's Market and Paulina Market and Southport Grocery and a couple of True Value Hardware outlets (someone suggested it so I gave it a shot).

Before I gave up and bought this $4 item on Amazon and paid the postage, I tried a couple of beer making suppliers and found it at something called Brew & Grow on Kedzie near Addison. They had both animal rennet and vegetarian rennat.

Homemade mozzarella cheese, here I come.

[BColeKid]

Really good to know that Brew and Grow has it. Sadly, that place is hard to get to ever since the store moved from its former Elston and Cortland location. Please let us know how it goes! Tips appreciated.

[chicgail]

Brew and Grow is not that far from the old location. Just up Elston to Kedzie near Belmont. The place is huge and immaculately clean. I almost wish I wanted to brew beer or wine. The rennet cost me as much as I would have paid at Amazon, including shipping, but at least it's now in my fridge.

[rjka]

Make sure you use the least pasturized milk you can find.

[chicgail]

Ok, that may be my next quest.

I know to not use ultrapasturized milk, but which brands are the least pasteurized? And is there anywhere in the city where I can find unpasturized milk without trekking to a farm?

[ferret]

You can try the old Farmers Creamery (now Kalona) brand at Whole Foods, they use a low-temp pasteurization process.

http://www.kalonasupernatural.com/our...

[ferret]

Amazon's always easiest:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...

[ferret]

Here's a more specialized online source:

http://www.cheesemaking.com/cheeseren...