cottage cheese recipe

**Ingredients:** - 1 gallon whole milk - 1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet or 1 rennet tablet, dissolved in 1/4 cup cool, non-chlorinated water - 1/4 teaspoon calcium chloride (optional, for firmer curds) - 1/4 teaspoon mesophilic starter culture or 1/4 cup cultured buttermilk - 1 teaspoon salt - Heavy cream (optional, for creamier cottage cheese)