Tool: Cheesecloth

A very thin cloth woven with wide gaps between the threads. Typically white, cheesecloth is tradtionally used to press milk curds in the process of making cheese. Because it is inexpensive, it has many uses in the average home kitchen, especially for filtering liquids, such as stock or soups. Simply layer cheesecloth into a strainer or colander to filter liquids. Use multiple layers for a finer filter.

Other uses include tying up herbs in a swatch to create a bouquet garni. Lemon halves or quarters can also be tied up in bits of cheesecloth as a nice way of serving with seafood, such as lobster or crab. This prevents the seeds from getting into the food when the lemon is squeezed.