Author Topic: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location  (Read 3701 times)

mattscheese

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New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« on: December 10, 2012, 08:52:48 PM »
Hello all, I'm very new to cheese making - as in never did it before.  I have a book called 200 easy homemade cheese recipes and I'm going to read through this forum  to learn everything I can.  I want to start very easy and work my way up.  I think I have a good place to age my cheese but I thought I would ask the friendly people here.  My house has a cistern which was used to store water, it's only about 15 years old and it was no longer used right after being put in because the water line came near the house.  A few years ago I drained it and cleaned it and I think it makes a good cellar.  It sits about 3 feet underground (from the top), completely buried, it's about 5 feet tall, 25 feet long and about 12 feet wide.  It has one opening with a little chimney/vent on top, I use a ladder to climb down in it.  It is made out of solid concrete and I'm confident it is safe to be in on occasion.  The temperature seems to be pretty stable at about 49 F and the humidity is about 75-80%.  I think this will be a good place to age cheese, I would love to know your thoughts.

Thanks!

Matt

margaretsmall

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Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2012, 09:16:16 PM »
Welcome Matt. Seems like you have a great cave there, ready and waiting.
Margaret

Tobiasrer

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Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2012, 09:17:48 PM »
Welcome to the forum, and cheese making!
The cistern sounds to me pretty good. My one concern for you is ease of access when you have young cheeses that need frequent turning etc. Other thne that to me sounds great! Could do somthing in the house until they are ready for the 'cave' and then once waxed or vac packed move them there.

As for getting started thats the same book I am starting from! Thus far I have done Feta, Gruyere and a gouda from it! Its been alot of fun thus far, and you are in the right place to get help! everyone here is great! and immensley helpful!

mattscheese

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Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2012, 09:36:38 PM »
It's not too bad to get down in for myself, my wife won't go down there though lol.  I want to knock the top off where the cap is and build stairs with a door as it also makes a good, cellar/wine making room/tornado shelter.  But for now I can go down there myself.  My wife simply LOVES cheese, for her birthday I just got her a basket of various cheeses and she loved them. 

If anyone knows a good place to get supplies in Canada I would be happy to hear about it, I'm still searching.  So far I've only found: http://www.glengarrycheesemaking.on.ca/

Also, I'm wondering about milk, I'm assuming there has to be something better than going to a grocery store?

Thanks,

Matt

bbracken677

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Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2012, 10:00:22 PM »
Danlac is also a good supplier: http://www.danlac.com/ingredients/list/1

Your "cave" sounds almost totally perfect!  I am jealous   >:D

Tobiasrer

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Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2012, 11:21:13 PM »
I have gotten some from Danlac in Airdrie, I prefer Glengarry they have been great and have a bot more home sized format and packaging and the website is a bit easier to find what you want! Danlac though is great and has a fast response with questions etc.
I have also ordered from New England Cheese online, you need to be carfel with your order size though or shipping really increases to a point its not worth it!
But they do have some molds and things Glengarry doesnt.

Tobiasrer

  • Guest
Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2012, 11:23:31 PM »
As for milk, the sale of Raw milk is illegal in Canada so that is almost impossible to find but...
I buy what ever Cosco or another wholesale store has, Walmart is pretty close too.
I use some Calcium Chloride in my makes, but skim and whipping cream and so far am happy with the out come.

bbracken677

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Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2012, 11:26:43 PM »
Cool...I did a little test and compared identical makes, one with pasteurized homogenized whole milk and the other with 0% fat milk with added heavy cream and found the 0% +cream produced much better curds.

I see you are using the same approach...are you seeing the same results?

Tobiasrer

  • Guest
Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2012, 11:35:37 PM »
Well i have only done it this way. I tried Mozza with 2 % and topped up with some whipping cream but the Mozza failed! but had no Calcium Chl to add and well mozza seems to be a tricky one at best!
I am happy with the curd and the yeild as is though!

mattscheese

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Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #9 on: December 11, 2012, 12:12:19 AM »
Thanks for the great info all, I'm going to kick it up one more notch here :)

We have a hobby farm and currently lots of small animals (rabbits, chickens, quails etc.) and we've been thinking lately about maybe one pig and a couple goats.  The pig would go in the freezer in the fall but the rest would stay around maybe for milk.  I'm not 100% sure if I have time to be milking goats but it's an option I may explore in the future!

Tobiasrer

  • Guest
Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #10 on: December 11, 2012, 05:47:43 AM »
If you have the goats its best if you have a milking routine but not your only option. To get milk the goat needs to kid, so ultimatley you can let the kid feed 90% of the time.
Depending on the volume you need you should still be able to get some/enough.
I will find the website and see if I can post it I found a really cool milking device that makes it way easier and means techniques is not an issue for a begginer (if you are) cuz thats the hard part lol, its not just a matter of reach and squeeze lol!
The pig would do EXCELLENT with any extra milk and whey you have as well!
I have always lived on a hobby style farm until the last 19 years with at least one milk cow, some goats a pig and chickens! and hope soon we can get to one!

MrsKK

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Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2012, 03:02:06 PM »
Matt, I'm drooling with envy over your cistern/cheese cave/wine cellar/root cellar!  Ah, the things I could do with it!

Good luck and welcome to the world of cheese making and finding the best forum out there for us cheeseheads!

bodul

  • Guest
Re: New To Cheese Making - Hoping I have A Good Location
« Reply #12 on: December 11, 2012, 05:05:46 PM »
Welcome Matt!

Here you will learn more than in school or somewhere in universe :)