I have been programming in Java for the past year, using Forge, making my mod featured in my signature, and have learnt never think big. Work on smaller things first, and move your way up gradually. Never jump in at the deep end. Anyway, if you set this up in a GutHub directory, I'd be happy to help out in making this mod/plugin. A second set of eyes may be useful in projects like this.
As far as ideas go, you should have a block/multiblock that curdles milk into cheese over time, and that could be how you make cheese. You could make it an item, but have a 3x3 crafting recipe of it to make a block form. Depending on how you curdle the cheese, and the time you curdle it for, depends on what cheese you get. You could also add drinkable milk, with the new forge fluids API in 1.6, and make a cheese sandwich with bread and the cheese item.
Good luck with the project, would love to see the end product. Let me know if you need any help!
Luis