3rd Stilton (and testing some new stuff)

[H-K-J]

I was thinking about cutting this in half (crosswise) and continue aging one half.  Any thoughts as if this is an ok thing to do? ?

I do it all the time, we just vacuum bag and cut and rebag.
I have half of one we bagged back in 12/13 the cheese was started in 10/13 and also have one that was started in March and bagged whole in June.
we are getting curious about both, I am about out of blue in the fridge so we will be cutting a piece of the half soon

[John@PC]

Thanks H-K-J.  Going to see the kids this coming weekend and will cut a round to take and bag the rest.  I actually bought an commercial English Stilton that I"m going to compare in a blind taste test with my family (they say they will do it as long as I pre-taste it and don't go blind ).

[John@PC]

Sliced a round off about a week ago and took it up to family to sample along with a "store bought" English Stilton.  Mine was a good cheese and got good ratings from the stinky-cheese lovers, but compared to the "control" wasn't quite Stilton-esque.  My p.R was a bit long in the tooth and while there was blue there it didn't dominate.  It had a more creamy (than crumbly) paste and a great aroma and flavor (and was very "spreadable" which made it nice for a toasted baguette).  All in all a satisfactory result .  Reserving the remaining 4 lb. for more ripening.

[John@PC]

Here she / he is (I've decided to let it identify it's own gender when it "matures" ) at at almost 4 months.  I cut a thin slice a month ago and one a week or so ago.  In that month it's gone from "stinky" to "robust".  Bottom line is that's it's the most compelling (to eat) cheese I've made.  Don't know if it's the best but it may be in a couple of months.  I can report it contains a lot of probiotics (won't go into detail there).

I've eaten only one Stilton so I can't compare that well , but the taste is a combination of limburger and blue with a very soft, almost spreadable paste and VERY, VERY aromatic as well as a very colorful rind.  When I was sampling this a couple of days ago while enjoying a Coors Light I noticed that if I ate the cheese the beer would taste like sugar water.  I decided to wait and have it for a desert cheese so I could enjoy my beer before dinner.

I'm very happy with the outcome but I would have done a few things different next time: (1) would not have spun the skewer with a drill: It may have done too good a job and left holes to large (as you can see in pictures), (2) I would used a smaller diameter skewer (maybe 3mm instead of 4); (3) use Caldwell's recommended method of piercing which is go "mostly" through from top and bottom, and not from side, and (4) do a better job of spacing the piercing holes.  That said it's my pride and joy and I may keep it around for awhile (kind of like "my pet Stilton" ).

[Andrew Marshallsay]

Good stuff. Got to be worth a cheese if only for the great array of colours.

[H-K-J]

WOW! John that has to be the most colorful cheese I have seen yet,
Red white and blue, a cheese 4 you

[John@PC]

Thanks guys.   I need to work on the piercing though.

[Spoons]

Wonderful looking cheese, John. Great to hear its a huge success too!

A cheese for you!

[qdog1955]

John---great looking cheese!
  A question on the kerosene pump-----tried one a couple months ago and ran into the same problem I ran into with all the pumps I bought and or made---issues with cleaning----how do you get all the residue out of the crevices and flap valve? I'd use these devices for 30 seconds and then spend an hour and half cleaning---went back to my simple strainer jar.
  Definitely interested in 8"mold---what height will they be--will they handle 5-8 gallon makes?

Qdog

[John@PC]

A question on the kerosene pump-----how do you get all the residue out of the crevices and flap valve?

This was the second time I've used it and am giving up for the reasons you state.  I went back to 3/8" ID silicone tubing for 4+ gallon makes and am very happy.

Definitely interested in 8"mold---what height will they be--will they handle 5-8 gallon makes?

I've decided to offer these in both standard (6" or 8" high; not sure yet) and custom heights.  The 8" polycarb tubes we use are not cheap but are (like the 4" and 6") indestructible and clear so you can see the level of the curds and how the consolidation is progressing. Note that it will be a week or so before we have everything up to date on the website.

[John@PC]

Thanks Eric.  By the way I did find a red wine that stands up to this: a sweet red called Rex Goliath; pretty expensive at $6 but a good story.  My preference is beer, but when you eat the cheese and can't taste the beer you have to improvise .  By the way I've acquired the habit of cutting thin slices and breaking it into small "chunks" so I can grab a bite here and there (to hell with the crackers - in fact my favorite way of eating strong and even other milder cheeses is "cheese only" in small portions so you can sample more varieties; like the toothpick things they do at weddings  ).

[scasnerkay]

qdog - I also use the same siphon, and have never had any trouble getting it clean. After the curd settles, I put a ricotta basket in the whey. Then the straight part of the pump goes in the basket. No curds seem to get sucked up in the pump. At clean up time, I siphon cold water through, then hot soapy water. Before use I sterilize by running star san through, letting it rest for 30 mins, then siphon clear water again.
This has been much easier for me then trying to start a siphon with tubing and a turkey baster!