Introduction This lab built on our continuing studies of Shepherding as a means to understand human behavior in antiquity through experimental archaeology. In the highlands of Crete in Greece, Shepherd’s economic world revolves on cheese production, which is facilitated by transmigration, between mountains and lower valleys across the warm and cold seasons (Blitzer). These pastoral…
In week 3 lab (conducted on Thursday, April 15, 2026), we made cheese, focusing on the mozzarella making portion of the process. We began lab by splitting into groups, gathering equipment, and getting our stations set up. This part of the process took 14 minutes. Procedure Part I: We then started the cheesemaking by measuring…
During this lab, we learned how cheese was produced from milk supplied directly by shepherds to local cheesemakers. Two types of cheese were produced during this lab: a soft cheese, ricotta, and a harder cheese, mozzarella. The lab began with us creating curds and whey, which would be used in the mozzarella and ricotta production.…
General Steps/Qualitative Data and Reflections: Set Up:Our set up began by collecting all of our necessary ingredients and tools for making cheese. This included collecting our pot, oven mitts, a knife, cheese cloth, colander, jars, measuring cups, a thermometer, a rennet tablet, a gallon of milk, vinegar, salt, water, a ladle, bowls, and a scale.…
In this lab all groups were tasked with making mozzarella and whey cheese. This lab consists of three parts with part three having two sub categories: Setup, Curds, and Mozzarella and Whey Cheese. Part 1 – Setup: We arrived at 1pm and the initial setup of talking about the lab and gathering all the supplies…
This lab was split up into a few stages: set-up, procedure part 1 (split up into 5 smaller steps), and procedure part 2 (with two options, either making mozzarella or making whey cheese). Set-up The setting up stage took almost half an hour; it included everyone arriving, discussing what was going to happen, and setting…
“Your mozzarella is the BEST I’ve EVER seen!” –Professor Jake Morton, 4/17/2026 In the cheesemaking lab this week, our group first focused on making curds with whey, then making both mozzarella from curds and ricotta from whey. Initial Heating We set up our station next to the lakeshore, as shown in the following image, next…