Cheese

[Libby]

It does count as preserved I think

I currently have 4 smallholder/cheddar types maturing under the stairs. The first of those will be ready to eat in June (6 months maturing time)
I did one earlier and opened it after 3 months and it definately needed at least 6 IMO.
I,ve also just put my 3rd caerphilly in to mature, that will only take 3 weeks or so. Of the previous 2, I admit the first was pretty awful, but the second was quite good. I,m getting there I think, but June will be the critical test
Sorry to go on, but after my pepper disaster it will be nice to have something go right.
Anyway, the reason I,ve posted this is because along the way I,ve learnt some useful stuff, like how to get around buying lots of expensive equipment, so if there are any budding cheesemakers here, I may be able to help with equipment advice.
If not, thanks for listening anyway

[Wombat]

Cool!

I tried it once, made some basic errors, wound up with a roof tile

Nev

[Libby]

My first 3 month effort was fairly rooftileish too wombat
Practice makes perfect.
Well it makes edible at least

[Kfish]

Fantastic!

Have you got any suggestions for a makeshift cheese press? I'm just getting into making cheese and would like to make some hard cheese without splashing out $$$ on a press.

Kfish

[Libby]

Hi kfish,
What I used was my sons weights. The only problem with them is you get quite a high stack if you go to 50lb. I used a peice of a broomhandle to keep them steady.
You also need a fairly large/wide mould with that method, so I used a loose bottom cake tin and wrapped it in clingfilm(ssh) before putting the muslin or cheesecloth in. If you have something in food grade plastic or stainless steel there,s no need for the film. The advantage of the cake tin, is the loose bottom makes the right size follower for keeping the top of the cheese flat
I also saw on an American site a method where the curd is wrapped tightly in a cheesecloth,twisted or tied, and the excess cloth folded as neatly as poss over the top. Shape the cheese into the best round you can. They then put a board on top and used half breezeblocks or bricks balanced on top. I,d weigh them so you can gauge how many to use for each increase in weight and pile them on as neccassary.
If you,re doing smaller cheeses, glass jars filled at different levels with water should do the trick.
Hope this helps

[Libby]

This link shows you the cloth and board method, no press required kfish.

http://www.cheesemaking.com/includes/mo ... Index.html
Good luck

[Wombat]

Good site Libby!

Thanks

Nev

[Libby]

I think so too wombat
I know they want you to buy their stuff, but they give out lots of useful info, unlike any of the sites I have found here.
I,ve even emailed Jim Wallace for advice on something, and despite not being a customer he was happy to help me out.
If they were in Britain I would be their best customer

[nick]

I am yet to try cheesemaking but I have been searching through a couple of sites for recipes and methods. New England Cheesemakers have some recipes that sound ok
http://www.cheesemaking.com/

[ina]

Why not try making fresh cheese first? It's easier, I even used to make some in the tiny kitchen in student's halls... And I used old yoghurt pots with holes in them; no need to buy any equipment. If you have the space and conditions (cold room), you can let them ripen a bit, too.

[Steve Hanson]

Hi all

I made cheese for the first time last year and much to my amazement with more success than failure, it was easy low tec and very tasty. Caerphilly, Cheddar and Stilton have been on our menu all winter and we still have enough to see us through until our cows are back in milk.

Our calves are due now we have already had 2 sleepless nights checking them every 2 hours and I am waiting up now until 12 before the first 2 hour sleep before 2 am check, anyway only about a month and I will be back to cheese making. I made a cheese press based on a simple design in our book (Home cheese making, by Ricki Carroll, ISBN 1-58017-464-7.)

I hope to post a new page on my own site with plans and pictures for the press soon; I will post here when it’s up. I notice the site mentioned above is selling the plans for $4.95 not very self-sufficient.

[Libby]

Caerphilly is one of my favourites and takes minimal pressing. I have a few links for cheese press plans and suggestions, but by the time you buy the bits and pieces you might as well purchase a ready made one.
They would be ok if you had all the bits to hand I suppose, so here they are:-
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Ch ... TUP_00.htm (i couldn,t find a tin bath /washtub anywhere, but the pvc pipe mould is a good idea)

http://fiascofarm.com/dairy/cheesepress.html (again the wood is a bit pricey unless you have some to hand, and it needs to be decent wood)

http://schmidling.netfirms.com/press.htm(too complicated for me, but ok if you,re handy)

So after giving them due consideration, and researching the costs, I stuck with my old caketin/weights ensemble.

[Libby]

Why not try making fresh cheese first? It's easier, I even used to make some in the tiny kitchen in student's halls... And I used old yoghurt pots with holes in them; no need to buy any equipment. If you have the space and conditions (cold room), you can let them ripen a bit, too.

I was too impatient to get onto the hard stuff
My favourite soft cheese is strained yoghurt(Labne) with a bit of salt, pepper and some chives. It,s lovely for dipping raw veg or pitta etc in.
The family think it,s too sour, but I love it.

[Kfish]

Thanks for the tip on pressing.

Tried first pressed cheese - BLEEUGH!

I'm not sure what went wrong - I cured the milk with yoghurt and rennet, left it overnight, drained it for a few days and pressed it for about a day. At that stage it smelt slightly "off" and had a slightly acrid taste. Good texture though.

Then I soaked it in brine for about a week. When I went to check on it, the cheese was floating, and the surface that was out of the water was mouldy Yuck!

I wouldn't mind eating it fresh, but that slightly off taste and smell is discouraging. [/code]

[alcina]

I'm not sure what went wrong.....Then I soaked it in brine for about a week.

Ah...the cheesmaking.com site says 24 hours for the brine soak, then you take it out and let it dry. Maybe that was it?

This thread has inspired me! I have a lactose intollerance so I'll be looking at goat's milk cheese, I'm presuming the method is the same? Though will the culture and renet be different?

Edit...
Ah...the Frank Hauser cheese site linked above uses goat's milk!

Alcina