Curds & Whey - for Canadian Poutine

I have been wanting to make poutine since discovering a recipe for this very Canadian of dishes on 'Zaar. Alas, there are no cheese factories near me and so really fresh curds, as called for, are not available. This set me to hunting down a recipe for curds and I came across this one on the internet. It has also solved a life-long mystery for me... at last I know what Miss Muffet was eating!

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 3-4 cups

Ingredients

• 12  cups fresh water (3 quarts)
• 6  cups instant dry milk powder
• 1 -1 1⁄2 cup white vinegar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat the water in a very large pot over low heat.
2. Stir in the dry milk powder as the water heats.
3. Heat it gently until it is very hot but not boiling.
4. Stir in about a cup of vinegar.
5. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes - don't skip this part because the mixture has to sit for the milk to have a chance to curdle.
6. After 10 minutes there should be a big clump of white cheese curd in the middle of a pool of clear amber liquid.
7. If the liquid is still milky, then you need to add more vinegar to finish curdling the milk.
8. Add a couple of spoonfuls of vinegar at a time and stir gently so that more of the milk will curdle and clump up.
9. Continue until all of the milk is curdled into curds, and the liquid (the whey) is clear.
10. Line a strainer or collander with a lightly damp thin cotton cloth.
11. Carefully pour the big pot of curds and whey into the strainer and let all of the whey strain off.
12. Run a little cold water over the curds to cool them down, and to rinse out all of the whey.
13. Squeeze the curds with your fingers to break them up, and rinse them thoroughly.
14. Gather up the cloth around the curds and squeeze to remove as much of the moisture as you can - the curds should be quite dry.
15. Transfer the cheese curds to a bowl or container and stir in the salt.