Author Topic: Introducing Doug  (Read 1739 times)

Digdagdug

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Introducing Doug
« on: October 10, 2013, 03:06:31 AM »
Hi All,
I'm a newly obsessed cheese maker on Vancouver Island. Moving here from Toronto 3 years ago we found that down the road was a wonderful little farm with a weekend market and cow share program. Not all of the milk was spoken for so they were producing some fresh raw milk cheeses and my eyes lit up. Long story short, I'm milking cows, making cheese and doing all of the affinage for the farm. I feel so lucky when I walk into the little dairy room on sunday mornings and there is 7-8 gallons of fresh milk to play with. What was to be my root cellar is now filling up with cheeses. Gruyeres, Caerphillies, tommes de Savoie, French tommes, Cantals, a Sbrinz, and three Cheddars are all in residence along with my first Camembert which is just starting to ooze. I'm fascinated with natural rinds and have SO many questions.

Digitalsmgital

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Re: Introducing Doug
« Reply #1 on: October 10, 2013, 04:03:44 AM »
Wow, you are already a pro by my standards...welcome Doug! I love to have high tea at the Empress, if you are in the area I do recommend it!

Newbie Dave

jwalker

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Re: Introducing Doug
« Reply #2 on: October 10, 2013, 01:45:46 PM »
Hi All,
I'm a newly obsessed cheese maker on Vancouver Island. Moving here from Toronto 3 years ago we found that down the road was a wonderful little farm with a weekend market and cow share program.

First of all , welcome to the forum.

On the cow share thing , some people here in the Kootenays were doing that same thing , but were having problems with the "authorities" saying that it ammounted to selling raw milk , and they got shut down , at least temporarily , I'm glad to see it's still happening and that you get to be a part of it.

7-8 gallons of fresh milk every Sunday sounds great to me , I WISH !

I'm with you on the root cellar thing as well , mine has just been pressed into service as a cheese cave as well.

Again , welcome.

Digdagdug

  • Guest
Re: Introducing Doug
« Reply #3 on: October 10, 2013, 08:35:04 PM »
Wow, you are already a pro by my standards.
I have made so many blunders, most I don't even know about. There a couple of cheeses in my cave that I can't even name because of the number of accidental deviations from the recipes. I have, so far, utterly failed at acid coagulated fresh cheese. I over dried many cheeses before I realized that the RH in the cave was 50%. Duh...

Digdagdug

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Re: Introducing Doug
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2013, 04:41:33 AM »
The cow share and cheese sales are pretty under the table but always full disclosure to the consumer.

Offline Tiarella

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Re: Introducing Doug
« Reply #5 on: October 15, 2013, 11:58:25 AM »
Wow, you are already a pro by my standards.
I have made so many blunders, most I don't even know about. There a couple of cheeses in my cave that I can't even name because of the number of accidental deviations from the recipes. I have, so far, utterly failed at acid coagulated fresh cheese. I over dried many cheeses before I realized that the RH in the cave was 50%. Duh...

Doug,  I hear you about the recipe deviations!  I have said a number of times that I haven't ever made the same cheese twice and that I should make up a new name for every batch of cheese!!  I also sometimes forget to label cheeses when I put them in the freezer that is my aging space.  (with a temp controller keeping it around 55 of course) Then it's hard to know when to open them....or what to expect.  (although I'm never sure what to expect even when I DO know what it's supposed to be).

Your over dried cheeses will often respond to being rubbed with salt because that will draw moisture to it.  Coconut or olive oil or butter can work well too although I like to do the salt first.