Pour the gallon of milk into a large stainless steel pot. Add the chives and garlic or green onions. Place the milk on medium-high heat, and keep an eye on it.

As the milk slowly rises in the pot, small bubbles will form on the surface. Once the bubbles form, and the milk is nearly at a boil, add the vinegar. Leave the milk on heat for two to five minutes, or until you see curds forming. (Note: If you add the vinegar too soon, the milk will not curdle right away. You will need to leave it on the heat longer).

Using a spoon, slowly pull the curds away from the edge of the pot. (As you pull the curds towards the center of the pot, you’ll notice that the milk has turned a yellowish clear. This liquid is whey.)

Scoop the curds into a strainer that is lined with a cheesecloth. Once you've scooped most of the curds, you can slowly pour the remaining whey and curds into the strainer.

Moving quickly, sprinkle the curds with some salt, and squeeze the cheesecloth into a ball to remove excess liquid. Using the cheesecloth, wrap the curds tightly into a flat disk shape. Place the wrapped curds into a strainer with a weight on top. (For weight, I fill the pot I just with water).

Let the cheese sit under the weight for about 30 minutes.

Remove the weight. You can eat the cheese immediately, or chill before serving. Sprinkle with more salt as desired. Serve with sliced cucumbers, sliced tomatoes, parsley and bread for a Middle Eastern spread.