The Perogi Cheese Story

by Barbara McMahon

Title

The Perogi Cheese Story

Artist

Barbara McMahon

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

This ordinary looking plate of homemade farmer's cheese was made by me as part of the filling that goes into cheese and potato perogi. It can also just be eaten plain with a nice dark bread. Living in an urban environment one might ask why on earth would I choose to make the cheese from scratch? The answer is obvious. The taste is like nothing you can buy!
Also, every time I make it, it brings back memories of living with my late parents who grew and made 99% of our food. When I was a child, living on a mixed farm, cheese making was a regular occurrence. We all had a role to play, from the milking of the cow to transforming it's creamy milk into the final product. The milk would be put in a large roasting pan and left in the gas oven overnight with just the pilot light on. Just enough warmth was provided and by morning the milk would have separated into curds and whey. The curds were scooped up, put into a clean white pillow case, squeezed into one of the corners for the remaining whey to ooze out and a knot was tied. Keeping in mind I was only around 8 or 9 years old, I was kept away from the hot oven, but I think I had the most important job of all. The cheese, which had now taken on the shape of a heart was put on a heavy ironstone plate. Another heavy plate was inverted on top of it. Then the cheese was taken outside and set on a granite boulder and a heavy rock was placed on top. At this point, I assumed my duties. I would be summoned by my Polish name Basia and asked to sit beside the cheese while the last of the whey was squeezed out by the sheer weight of the rock. MY JOB was to keep the farm cats away from the temptation of the cheese. The pay was poor but the memories are priceless. "No Animals Were Harmed In The Making Of The Cheese". Thank you for viewing and reading. Barbara McMahon

Uploaded

December 21st, 2012

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Viewed 297 Times  -  Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/02/2024 at 11:50 PM

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