Author Topic: British cheeses  (Read 5763 times)

Spellogue

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Re: British cheeses
« Reply #15 on: May 11, 2014, 04:43:45 AM »
Pantysgawn is a Welsh cheese made from goat's milk.  It's sold in logs of 150 g or 1 kg. It has a high moisture content and limited shelf life.

The name alone makes it a desirable cheese. (Full disclosure - I've not had it.)

JeffHamm

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Re: British cheeses
« Reply #16 on: May 11, 2014, 06:26:33 AM »
If you're interested in the historical side, then Dunlop is a good one to look into.  Was created in Scotland by Barbara Gilmore in the 1700s.  Prior to her, all cheeses were made from skimmed milk, and she showed that it was possible to get a good cheese out of whole milk.   Wikipedia, the source of all truth and knowledge, has a decent summary : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunlop_cheese

Anyway, I've made it a few times based upon a recipe someone posted on this site, which they got from a book somewhere.  I've been searching old historical text's, trying to find something closer to the day that describes her protocol, but no luck yet.

- Jeff

P.S. I just found the attached file, which describes the protocol.  It also states that this is as close to the original protocol as modern hygene practices allow.  They mention using an RA range of culture, which I assume is RA21, RA22, RA 24, or RA 26, all of which contain Lactococcus lactics, Lactococcus cremoris, Streptococcus thermophilus.

And here's an outline of the protocol:
culture: Lactococcus lactics, Lactococcus cremoris, Streptococcus thermophilus

1)   Warm to 30 C
2)   Add culture
3)   Ripen 1 hour
4)   Add rennet
5)   3.5 – 3.75 floc multiplier
6)   Cut to ¼” cubes (1/2 cm cubes)
7)   Raise temperature to 38 C while stirring, over 60-90 minutes
8)   Let curds settle
9)   Drain whey
10)   Cheddar until curd acidity 0.55-0.65%
11)   Mill
12)   Add salt (1 kilo per 100 gallons; on the 1 lbs / gallon of cheese, this sounds like around 2.2% of the expected weight ; i.e. 10L means expect 1 kilo cheese, so add 22 g salt.
13)   Press overnight
14)   Dip in scalding water
15)   Press again in cloth that was dipped in scolding water until next day
16)   Aged on wooden shelves for minimum 6 months, 18 months is maximum, with 10-12 months most popular.
« Last Edit: May 11, 2014, 07:42:42 AM by JeffHamm »

TimT

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Re: British cheeses
« Reply #17 on: May 11, 2014, 08:15:29 AM »
I now have a two-day old Lancashire which I'll dry and age for a short period..... just how long depends on how long I'll be able to resist cutting up and eating this tasty, tasty looking cheese.

This will be my first but in future I'm quite interested in making a Lancashire in a traditional way - ie, saving curds over a few days and mixing them together. I'd be interested to know if anyone else has done this to hear about how they have tackled the various problems in this process: how to save curds overnight? (My guess, hang the curds in a bag to let them drain, break them up the morning after). How to ensure they knit well with the fresh curds? (My guess: let them drain in a warm room overnight so bacteria remains active, though the added acidity it brings to the cheese will become muted when mixed in with the 'fresh' Lancashire curds). Just how long can you leave curds before they become unusable? (My guess: probably not for very long, two to three days?)

Thoughts, comments, suggestions?

PS Thanks for the ongoing helpful ideas; the Dunlop cheese history sounds fascinating, Jeff.

Ananke

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Re: British cheeses
« Reply #18 on: May 11, 2014, 06:38:40 PM »
Wow, what a list.

I suppose it's only right that i make a Dunlop next :) 

JeffHamm

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Re: British cheeses
« Reply #19 on: May 11, 2014, 07:02:07 PM »
Hi TimT,

I recall someone tried a multi-day lancashire make a few years ago.  If you search through the archives you may find something.  I could, however, be misremembering a discussion on this as if it were an actual make.  Anyway, I know there's been talk of it so if you track that down you can gleen some tips from there.

Also, I have a Derby make which I put together from some official information.  Derby doesn't involve cheddaring, but it's pressed and broken up (remilled) a few times.  Rather a long make protocol, but the cheese is good.  I've only made it the one time, but will make it again soon. 

There's also a thread on trying to replicate a Roman cheese based upon some ancient writings.  Ok, not really a British Cheese, but the Romans did live there for awhile so close enough! :)

Anyway, don't forget to paste your make notes and the results, good or bad, to the board.  We all learn a lot from these experiments.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: British cheeses
« Reply #20 on: May 12, 2014, 07:30:17 AM »
I've adapted the information to a make protocol.  Here's my "make blank".  I've not tried this, obviously, but it is very similar to the Dunlop make I have followed and found very good.  I've not included the strep.thermo. culture before, other than that, should be a straightorward, though longish, make.

Dunlop – my adaptation of information found here:
https://whitehall-admin.production.alphagov.co.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/289149/traditional-ayrshire-dunlop-pgi-140312.pdf
Ingredients
11 L milk (3.3 – 4.5% fat)
¼ tsp CaCl2
Rennet to suit
Cultures should be : Lactococcus lactics, Lactococcus cremoris, Streptococcus thermophilus
So 3 ice cubes MW3 and 1 cube STB01
Salt (2% expected curds, at 1 kg / 10 L of milk; so 22 g salt)
1)   Add CaCl2 while setting up
2)   Warm to 30 C (??:?? ; ??.? C)
3)   Add culture (??:??)
4)   Ripen 1 hour (??:?? - ??:?? ; ??.? C at end)
5)   Add rennet  (??:??:??)
6)   Floc at (??:??:?? = ?? m ?? sec x3.5 – x3.75 = ?? m ?? sec = cut time ??:??:??)
7)   Cut to ¼” cubes (1/2 cm cubes; ??:?? - ??:??)
8)   Raise temperature to 38 C while stirring, over 60-90 minutes  (??:?? - ??:?? ; ??.? C - ??.?C)
9)   Let curds settle (15 minutes; ??:?? - ??:??)
10)   Drain whey
11)   Cheddar 1 hour (or until curd acidity 0.55-0.65%) (??:?? - ??:??)
12)   Mill to olive size pieces
13)   Add salt (1 kilo per 100 gallons; on the 1 lbs / gallon of cheese, this sounds like around 2.2% of the expected weight ; i.e. 10L means expect 1 kilo cheese, so add 22 g salt.
14)   Press in the pot 10 kg 30 minutes (??:?? - ??:??)
15)   Flip and redress and press in the pot 20 kg 30 minutes (??:?? - ??:??)
16)   Flip and redress and press in the pot overnight (35.2 kg) (??:?? - ??:??)
17)   Dip in scalding water 1 minute (66 C; ??:?? - ??:??)
18)   Press again in cloth that was dipped in scolding water until next day (??:?? - ??:??)
19)   Aged on wooden shelves for minimum 6 months, 18 months is maximum, with 10-12 months most popular.

- Jeff

Ananke

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Re: British cheeses
« Reply #21 on: May 12, 2014, 11:00:42 AM »
This is great Jeff

"So 3 ice cubes MW3 and 1 cube STB01"
Is that 3 Buttermilk and 1 Yogurt?

JeffHamm

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Re: British cheeses
« Reply #22 on: May 12, 2014, 06:39:04 PM »
Hi Ananke,

MW3 just has the first two cultures listed, and STB01 is just Strep. Thermo.  Buttermilk will have the first two, and a couple others, and yogurt will have a few others.  However, 3 buttermilk and 1 yogurt will work just fine.  Go for it.

- Jeff