Stinky Cheese Man! (and woman)

So the birthday festivities went well and having a birthday on a three day weekend makes time for a lot fun. We started off slow with a quick dinner out and a relaxing Friday evening. Then Saturday we went to the movies, and Ryan had coke and popcorn just like he requested for his b-day (such a big boy! haha). Sunday was his actual birthday so we went into the District and had brunch at this place called Founding Farmers which is a owned by a coop of farmers from the midwest and they use only fresh and as local as possible ingredients. We are both suckers for great brunch food but this was WONDERFUL! Ryan's was the best: leek hash browns with roasted red beets and goat cheese, topped with two poached eggs and hollandaise sauce. We didn't have reservations (they were booked) but it was pouring rain so we were rewarded for being a few of the only people to venture out in the rain and got a table immediately. The rest of his b-day was spent digesting/being in a food-coma and then eating homemade (by me!) carrot cake to start the food-coma all over again.

Monday we went for a hike on the C&O canal starting in Georgetown. We overestimated the warmth of 50 something degrees along the water and were a little chilly, but I think we made it about 5-6miles and managed to take some photos along the way. We then went into the city to pick up one of Ryan's b-day gifts (I wasn't lying about his b-day being the whole weekend) which was a new tripod.

Tuesday we went back to work/school but some of his other presents came in the mail. The one from me was a Cheese Making Kit! He had been talking about making cheese for a while, and I was hesitant because I was afraid the apartment (and us for that matter) would stink but decided to give in for his birthday. We spent this past weekend making feta as our first cheese, and it is now sitting in brine in our fridge. We are really excited to try it in about a month once it has aged some, but I am proud to say it actually looks and smells like feta! We can't wait to make more and get better at it.

The curds, made by adding acid to warm milk will turn to cheese when dried and aged.

Hanging the curds to dry

The cheese will age in this salt brine for at least a month and up to a year.