- Cheese:
- 1/2 cup water, divided
- calcium chloride
- liquid rennet
- 1 gallon milk
- feta MT1 cheese culture
- Brine:
- 8 1/2 cups water
- 5 tablespoons coarse sea salt
- calcium chloride
- 1/4 teaspoon white vinegar
- Combine 1/4 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon calcium chloride in another small bowl; mix well.
- Combine 1/4 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon rennet in a small bowl; mix well.
- Pour milk into a double boiler set over medium-low heat. Heat milk until it registers 86 degrees F (30 degrees C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Sprinkle 1/4 cheese culture on top of the milk; let dissolve, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir well. Cover and let stand, maintaining the temperature at 86 degrees F (30 degrees C), about 1 hour.
- Pour calcium chloride mixture into the milk; stir for 1 minute. Add rennet mixture; stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand at room temperature until milk sets into curd, about 1 hour. Press edge of the curd gently with a palette knife or the back of a spoon to check for firmness.
- Cut curd all the way to the bottom of the pot into 1/3×3/4-inch squares. Stir gently with a rubber spatula. Let rest, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Stir curds, maintaining temperature at 86 degrees F (30 degrees C), until they sink to the bottom of the pot, about 20 minutes. Scoop out liquid (whey) with a ladle and discard or reserve for another use.
- Line 2 basket-style molds with damp muslin or cheesecloth. Ladle curds into the molds with a slotted spoon and cover with ends of muslin. Place one mold on top of the other, pressing lightly. Let drain, switching the molds and stirring curds a few times, until cheese is firm, at least 4 hours.
- Mix 8 1/2 cups water, sea salt, 1 teaspoon calcium chloride, and white vinegar together in a large container to make brine. Submerge cheese in brine and let soak, at least 8 hours and up to 3 weeks.