Author Topic: My 9th Caerphilly  (Read 5432 times)

JeffHamm

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My 9th Caerphilly
« on: February 17, 2013, 12:24:27 AM »
Hi,

I can't believe this is only my 9th caerphilly, but more, that I haven't had one in the house for some time.  So, in order to rectify that I've just made one.  And, finally, I had a chance to follow the make procedure I found in a newspaper archive from 1907 (internet search).  I've put my transcription of the article at the end, for those who want to compare.  One thing I've done is adapted the pressing and salting routine as from the article they describe a procedure that I think would not be practical for the home cheese maker.  Anyway, at the time I'm posting this I'm at step 16 and the cheese is forming up really nicely.  It's a pretty straightforward make procedure.  The "twisting in the cloth" could be replaced with slicing and cheddaring (as in some other makes) but it wasn't hard to do and the curd at the salting stage seemed moist, but not "wet".  Anyway, looking forward to seeing how this turns out.  Will post pictures once it's finished with pressing.

- Jeff

Traditional Caerphilly (Modified for Home Cheese maker) Feb 17, 2013.

11 Litres Homebrand Standard
7 ice cubes meso (Flora Danica)
¼ tsp CalCl (50%)
5.54 ml Renco Rennet (65 IMCU)
2.5 tbls salt + extra for rind rubbing during flipping.
1)   Add starter and warm milk to 30 C and remove from heat (30.1 C)
2)   Ripen 30 minutes (time 7:55 – 8:25 ; temp 30.1 - 29.7)
3)   Add CaCl
4)   Add rennet (time 8:26:00 – Floc Time : 8:42:00 = 16m 00sec 4x mult = 64m 00sec Cut time = 9:30:00)
5)   Cut into 2.5 cm cubes (9:30-9:43)
6)   Stir and slowly raise temp back to 30 C (start temp 29.1 C - 30.3 C; time 9:43 - 9:50)
7)   Maintain temp and stir 1 hour (9:50 – 10:50; until curd is slightly firm; note, longer stirring at this stage can reduce the time to drain later; temp at end : 30.1)
8)   Let settle for 10 minutes (10:50 - 11:00)
9)   Remove whey (11:00-11:25)
10)   Put curd in cloth in pot and drain.  Twist 5 times (count the 1st one at the start) over an hour to tighten it (ever 12 minutes), but not too tight – whatever that means.  Prop up one side of the pot and put curds on the high side (so the whey drains away from the curds).  Remove whey when you tighten the cloth. (11:25 – 11:37 – 11:49 – 12:01 – 12:13)
11)   Mill to small bits (squeezed between the fingers like a potato masher; 12:25-12:??)
12)   Add salt (2.5 tbls)
13)   Place in cloth bound moulds, press in with hands
14)    place under light pressure (~1 PSI; 15 kg on 6.25” mould) 10 minutes (12:35 - 12:45) (steps 14-16 are "in the pot")
115)   Flip, rub with salt, redress and press ~1.5 PSI (20 kg on 6.25” mould) 20 minutes (12:48-1:08)
16)   Flip, rub with salt, redress and press ~1.8 psi (25 kg on 6.25” mould) 20 minutes (1:13-1:33)
17)   Flip, rub with salt, redress and press ~2.5 psi (35 kg on 6.25” mould) overnight (1:45-6:10) (I flipped at 2:30 as it was looking a bit tilted)
18)   Out of the press it was 1472g, and had a bit of a slant 15.6 x (6.3+6.9)/2 = 15.6 x 6.6 = 1261 cm for 1.17g/cm3.  Knit was excellent.
Air dry 3-5 days and move to cave and age 3 weeks (80-85% humidity, 10-12 C).


Here's the article I adapted to get this make procedure:

Caerphilly Cheese:
Marlborough Express, Volume XL, Issue 15, 18 January, 1907, page 4

This is one of those makes of cheese for which there is at the present time a steadily growing demand. So large, indeed, has the consumption of this cheese become (writes C.W. Walker-Tisdale in the Farmer and Stockbreeder) that we know of one firm of cheese merchants which is having Caerphilly specially manufactured in New Zealand, Holland, and Denmark, and sent to it in order to make the supply anything like equal to the demand. It appears to me that the prospects for this cheese are better than for almost any other variety, and considering the number of Cheddar makers who are turning their attention to Caerphilly makes, the production of Cheddar cheese is likely to suffer in consequence. The advantages of producing Caerphilly cheese as compared with Cheddar are: 1 Greater weight of cheese is obtained, as it is sold fresh when in a moist condition. 2. Being sold at the end of a fortnight after making, very little storage room is required. 3. The sale being effected so soon after making, money is quickly returned for the milk, which is not the case where Cheddar cheese is made, as this does not fully ripen and become ready for market in a less period than three months. To manufacture this cheese new milk is taken, regulated to a temperature of 86 deg. Fahr., and rennetted in the proportion of one drachm of rennet to three gallons of milk (rennet being first diluted with cold water.) In the course of about an hour the curd will be firm enough to manipulate, which can be tested by seeing if it breaks clean over the finger. It may then be cut by using American knives’ (vertical and horizontal), and reduced to small cubes of about 1in in size. When all the curd is reduced to this size the temperature of the whole contents of the vat should be raised to 86deg. Fahr., as by this time it will probably have fallen several degrees, so should be raised to the same temperature as that at which it was rennetted. The curd must now be stirred by hand for about an hour, or until it becomes slightly firm in nature. Some makers stir the curd for thirty minutes, allow it to pitch or settle in the bottom of the van (sic; I assume vat) for ten minutes, when it will be time to draw off the whey. The whey is now drawn off, and the curd is placed in coarse cloths and placed on a table to drain. To help the expulsion of whey the cloths are tightened now and again by taking three corners and using the fourth as a binder. This drainage is allowed to go on for about an hour, during which time the cloths will have been tightened about five times. This tightening to expel the whey must not be excessive, or the curd will get too dry. The curd is now broken by squeezing it in the hand and out between the fingers, almost as a potato-masher works. It is next placed in the tin moulds, which are lined with cloths to receive, and the curd pressed in with the hands. The curd in the moulds is left for two hours before being put to press, during which time only small weights are put on the followers to keep the curd together. The curd in the moulds may now be turned and put to press under just a small amount of pressure – say, 5cwt or 6cwt overnight. In twelve hours’ time (next day) the cheeses are taken out, rubbed with salt, turned, and replaced in the mould with a fresh cloth, and put under a pressure of about 10cwt. Twelve hours later this process is repeated, the total amount of salt used being half an ounce to each pound of cheese. On the third morning from making the cheese may be taken out of the press and removed to the curing-room, which, if the cheese is to be ready for sale in two weeks’ time, should be at a temuerature (sic) of 65deg. to 20deg. (sic : 70?) Fahr. If not required to be ripe so soon it must be kept at a lower temperature. In some cases makers prefer to salt their cheese by brining them instead of rubbing with dry salt. This may be done by having the cheeses partly immersed in brine for a couple of days or so, being careful to turn them frequently. The common size of the Caerphilly cheese is 6lb, but they are made in sizes from 5lb to 10lb each. In the case only of the larger cheeses the pressure may be increased to 15cwt instead of 10cwt for full pressure.

----------- end of article -----------------------------

For noting: cwt is a hundredweight, or “centum weight”. In the UK (and here in New Zealand), 1 cwt = 112 pounds, while in the US it equals 100 lbs.

And a drachm is 1/8th of a fluid ounce according to "thefreedictionary.com"

I've also found reference to the traditional sizes being 10 inches in diameter and 8lbs. Assuming 10 inch diameters then 5cwt would produce roughly 7.13 psi, 6 cwt would give 8.56 psi, 10cwt = 14.27 psi, and 15cwt = 21.40 psi
« Last Edit: February 17, 2013, 05:27:13 PM by JeffHamm »

bbracken677

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #1 on: February 17, 2013, 12:28:36 PM »
I need to make another caerphilly soon. I have one cut and partially eaten at this point.

Thanks Jeff for the recipes as well as the history of your caerphilly progression! Also...thanks for the article!

Thanks to the people on this forum, I have narrowed my cheese making preferences to a few to "specialize" in with occasional dodges to different varieties just because  :)

My favorites to make are: Camembert, cheddar types, and parmesan (so far I have not, due to the long aging period, had a chance to even sample the parmesan).

My most recent make was an asiago, which I think I will follow Al's example and give it a try at 3 months.

Offline Boofer

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #2 on: February 17, 2013, 03:52:23 PM »
Wow, 9 Caerphilly cheeses! <Drumroll...rimshot!!>

I've been a little hesitant to make one because it ripens so quickly and I'm pretty much the only real cheese consumer in the house. The wife...not so much. Since your recipe only makes a ~2lb/1kg wheel, I feel I have got to make my first. I grabbed your recipe, slapped it into Word, and edited it for my non-metric process. :P

With your Ninth News, I feel I need to get on board. Thanks for the recipe breakdown and the step back in time. A cheese for your aggressive cheesemaking and adventuresome spirit. ;)

-Boofer-
« Last Edit: February 17, 2013, 04:10:12 PM by Boofer »
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Offline Tiarella

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2013, 05:07:18 PM »
Jeff, thanks so much for putting those old newspaper make instructions!!!  A cheese to you in thanks.   :)

Boofer, I'm glad you're doing a Caerphilly and I hope sometime you consider doing an adorned one.  With your advanced cheese massage skills the leaf adorned style would be easy!!!   :D. maybe Jeff will do an adorned version sometime.  Th adorning happens a few days after the make.

JeffHamm

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2013, 05:49:58 PM »
Here it is out of the press at 1472g. There's a bit of a slant with the height being 6.3 to 6.9 cm, so 6.6 cm on average.  The density works out to 1.17.  The knit is fantastic, and it has a good solid feel to it (not spongy or water logged).  It should dry out fairly quickly, and it will probably go into the cave in a day or two.  Fun stuff.

And glad to hear you're going to have a go at this Boofer.  You can age it out if you want as I've seen reference to 1 year old caerphilly.  In the UK, at least as I understand it, it should be dry and crumbly, which is often not to the North American taste.  If you want to age it out, I would drop the floc multiplier down to 3x.  I usually make caerphilly with a 3x, but this historic make looked like 4x to me.  This is a pretty easy to please cheese, being of the cheddar family it's familiar.  Anyway, I look forward to seeing your make.

Hmmm, we do have a fig tree out back.  I could wrap it in fig leaves? 

- Jeff

Offline H-K-J

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2013, 06:07:22 PM »
Very nice Jeff,
my recent Caerphilly is comin up on 4 weeks old,
the wife tells me I have to cut into it because she is not buying that store bought crapp as long as we have it in the house. LOL
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JeffHamm

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2013, 07:02:42 PM »
Hi H-K-J,

Four weeks is a good time to cut a caerphilly in my view, so go for it! 

Oh, and I forgot to mention, I made ricotta from the whey.  Didn't add any vinegar, just heated to about 92 C and let it stand for 10 minutes or so then scooped it off.  Got about 180g or so, which is a lower yield than when I add vinegar but it was much much smoother and creamier.  Yum!

- Jeff

Offline H-K-J

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #7 on: February 17, 2013, 07:21:22 PM »
My wife just loves the ricotta we get from our cheese makes.
I thunk I heated mine to 95c (203f) also no vinegar, very creamy, I won't eat it if it is gritty.
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JeffHamm

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2013, 05:38:08 AM »
Moved this into the cave today after work.  Only two days air drying, but it's summer here and it's been pretty warm.  Smells great.

- Jeff

nogoer

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2013, 06:54:17 PM »
i love finding ways to make things the old fashioned way. It's really cool that you found that article!

With centum weights being 100lb based it seems like quite a bit of weight. 500lbs as "just a small amount of pressure"? They discuss a few times as it being light weights so the press pounds seems very high, however they also say "cheeses" many times. I wonder if they are documenting a cheese producer who uses a single press for multiple cheeses? In a multi press setup the single weight could be pressing many moulds and be indirect weight so the psi numbers you have could be off. I can't even presume to guess at what type of press it would be, but if it's spread out over even just a dozen cheeses and indirect the weight on each cheese would be considerably less.

Theres also the high probability of it being a print error or the author was giving a combined weight or something. If you ignore the cwt and reference the light or small weight references it then stays in line with the current recipes that call for light pressings. Since they also mention its a moist cheese light pressing helps that aspect as well.

JeffHamm

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2013, 03:09:30 AM »
Hi,

Yes, quite possibly the weight would be distributed over a number of cheeses (in which the case the PSI values I listed would be divided by the number of cheeses - unless they are stacked, in which case they just count as 1 tall cheese).  The weights would be 112 lbs per cwt (the British hundred weight was 8 stone, and a stone is 14 lbs).  My understanding was the the professional outfits press at much higher PSI than the home cheesemaker, in part because they want to ensure there are no mechanical openings.  For some reason I also think their curds tend to get colder, but I don't know where I got that impression from and it may be wrong.

- Jeff

Offline Schnecken Slayer

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2013, 06:29:35 AM »
I was thinking that the mass manufacturer's makes, considering their larger mass, the curds would stay warmer?
-Bill
One day I will add something here...

JeffHamm

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2013, 06:02:50 PM »
Hi Schnecken,

I would think they would stay warmer until they separate them into the 5 lbs chunks for individual wheels, but then, the room is probably quite warm with all that warm milk, etc.  As I was thinking about it, I figured that curd temp may even be easier for commercial makes, but I put out my impression to get some feedback/comments. 

- Jeff

Offline Schnecken Slayer

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #13 on: February 23, 2013, 10:53:42 PM »
I'm only guessing as well Jeff, not having been in a cheese factory myself.
For all I know they may be air-conditioned.

Cheers,
Bill.
-Bill
One day I will add something here...

JeffHamm

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Re: My 9th Caerphilly
« Reply #14 on: March 07, 2013, 07:06:39 PM »
This is coming up on the 3 week mark, when I usually cut into them.  I'm curious to see how this has turned out.  It has quite a bit of black spot mould on it, and it's been damp and tacky, like wild b.linens are wanting to jump on.  This, I think, is due to not leaving it out to air dry long enough.  So, it's been out last night and will be again through today.  I also gave it a wipe down with some saturated brine.  Now, by this evening, or tomorrow morning, I'm hoping the rind will have dried up and it will behave itself for the duration.  Will post a photo this evening.

- Jeff