Cheesemaking

[Lincolnshirelass]

I have been gripped by the strange and insatiable need to make cheese.

Strange, I know.

I've been looking at Ebay and noticed a couple of different "complete cheesemaking kits", but wondered if anyone here had any experience of them? I'm particularly after hard cheese, so will need a press.

I'm also wondering if it might be one of those things that you don't really need a kit for, but can improvise from a normal, well-stocked kitchen (a bit like butter-making, really).

Any and all advice gratefully received!

[Cheezy]

Hi Lincolnshire lass,

Believe me there is nothing strange about getting a desire to make cheese.

Cheezy by name, Cheezy by nature!.

I once tried to make a soft goats cheese in ramakins with muslin and heavy weights. It was OK. But the most I could leave it for was 3 weeks so it was a bit young.

If you want a hard cheese you really need a press. But plenty of other styles don't like cottage,soft,mozzerella etc. Styles like Lancaster or Cheshire/Wenselydale are probably achieveable with heavy weights, as they tend to be a compaction of the curds.

Try this new forum:

http://www.cheesemaking.org.uk/forum/

[Lincolnshirelass]

Oh my. A whole forum devoted to cheesemaking!!!

There goes my Wednesday evening

Thanks for the tip, Cheezy!

[wyrdwoman]

I have always said, there is a forum for everything. *clicks link* Mmmmm cheese! :)