BRIGID'S FRESH HERBED CHEESE - A recipe for Imbolc
By: K.D. Spitzer


4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup any fresh herbs, minced (blend any: rosemary, chives, dill, parsley, sage, thyme, chervil, basil)
8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
8 oz. small-curd cottage cheese

Make a paste with garlic, salt, and herbs. Beat the cream cheese until fluffy and, while beating, add first the creams and then the cottage cheese. Beat in the herbs until well blended.

Line a colander with 2 layers of cheesecloth and spoon in cheese. Knot opposite corners and suspend over a bowl to drain for 24 hours (or hang over the faucet to drip in the sink). Retie as needed to compact the cheese. Remove to a plate, seam side down, and chill until serving. Can be rolled in fresh chopped parsley and served with water crackers.

I adore this cheese and have been making it every Imbolc for the last four years.

This sounds REALLY good!
I wish I had a refrigerator so I can make it! (well... a fridge for keeping the cheese, but still)

Its in the sink now .... except I had a very difficult time getting the cheese cloth to contain this... no way I could get it to hang from the sink.. My kitty Ella would have it apart and eaten herself sick.... tried to tie the ends to keep it contained and put the strainer in a pot and covered it.. LOL.. try to keep the kitty away from it.

The preliminary tasting as I poured the mixture into the cheese cloth was yummy!!!!

Can't wait to try it!!!

update on cheese making. (my first time.. so excited)

I didn't pour the mixture in... I did spoon it.. just a clarification. After different times tying it up after my last post... I got it to where it will hang from the faucet. I like that better.. dont ask me why... but I have camoflaged the cheese ball...( yes.. mine will end up being a ball..LOL... ) I have it covered with a towel... I caught Ella in the sink this morning pawing at the towel. What is that intoxicating aroma she was asking..LOL

It goes in the fridge tonight and we will have it tomorrow.... can't wait! thought it would expell more liquid than it has... my RA hands dont have the strength to make the cloth tighter... any suggestions Ahonui? I know the end result will be creamy... but how solidified does it become... ????

I couldn't find any heavy cream here... usually Walmart carries that... and I so dread going to walmart... but I did have some very very heavy mexican sweet cream and used that instead, I also used Neufchatel cheese instead of cream cheese.... mine then might be a bit more creamy...

yeah.. my son was like.. mommmmmmmaaaaaaa... pleaaaaaaaaaaase.. can I have some now! When I was putting it in the fridge.... It was hard... but we are waiting for tomorrow....