Thailand Milk - Not Curdling? Queso Fresco Cheese

[foolforlove]

I am trying to make queso fresco, a fresh cheese often associated with Mexican food. 

 

Basically, all it takes is heating whole milk, followed by adding lemon juice or vinegar to make it curdle, and then pressing the curds into cheese. 

 

I have done this before here in Thailand, but it was a few years ago.

 

Now being at home a lot, I wanted to make this again.  However, after several attempts with different milk brands, I find the milk does not curdle.

I have tried whole milk from Meiji and Chokchai.  I also tried Dutch Mill.  For the acid, I have tried lemon juice, white vinegar, and apple cider vinegar.

 

It is possible when I did this before that, by coincidence, the milk I bought was near its expiration date.  That may have made it more likely to curdle.

 

Making this cheese should very simple and easy.  So, I am a little baffled why it just isn't working.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions?  Perhaps there is a particular brand of milk I should try?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

 

 

 

[BritManToo]

Buy raw milk from a Thai dairy.

Works fine.

[Oxx]

Thai milk is homogenised to stop the cream separating out and rising to the top.  This makes it less suitable for cheese making.  Adding calcium chloride might help.

[foolforlove]

15 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Buy raw milk from a Thai dairy.

Works fine.

I am not sure if it would be possible in central BKK to get raw milk from a Thai dairy.

Is there a place to order from?

[foolforlove]

5 hours ago, Oxx said:

Thai milk is homogenised to stop the cream separating out and rising to the top.  This makes it less suitable for cheese making.  Adding calcium chloride might help.

I will look into the calcium chloride.  Thanks.

[BritManToo]

Just now, foolforlove said:

I am not sure if it would be possible in central BKK to get raw milk from a Thai dairy.

Is there a place to order from?

Nope, but Thai-Danish dairy must have depots near you.

They sell raw milk in 5Kg bags for 120bht.

[foolforlove]

2 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Nope, but Thai-Danish dairy must have depots near you.

They sell raw milk in 5Kg bags for 120bht.

Thanks, I will look around for that.

[BritManToo]

19 minutes ago, foolforlove said:

Thanks, I will look around for that.

Here is their list of addresses.

http://dairyasiathailand.dpo.go.th/