Milk for Romano

[Andrew Marshallsay]

I'm planning my first Romano but comparing at different recipes has posed a question: What milk to use?
Gianaclis Caldwell recommends high fat (6.8%) milk. Jim Wallace and Peter Dixon recommend low fat (2.2 and 2.8-3.0% respectively) milk.
Can anyone please throw some light on this discrepancy?

[H-K-J]

I know, I'm no help at all

[Spoons]

LOL H-K-J 

Typically, a romano has a higher protein content than fat content. Meaning Caldwell's looks like a type-o (not her only one either...). There used to be a table from the University of Guelph on milk composition per cheese type, but they took it offline 

I've had 100% success following Dixon's recipes, can't say the same with Caroll's and Jim's (ex.: Their jack cheese recipe. I don't know what that cheese is, but it's not jack! Jim don't know Jack! also lack of PH targets and P:F ratios).

So, definitely not an answer, but Dixon and Caldwell are very good, but in this case it looks like Caldwell made a type-o. Instead of 6.8%, maybe she meant 2.8% which is what Dixon recommends.

[Andrew Marshallsay]

Thanks Eric.
That sounds reasonable. I thought that 6.8 sounded pretty outrageous.
The other possibility that occured to me was that it might refer to sheep's milk but, if I tried to do that with cow's milk, it would throw the P:F ratio way out.
I think I will go for 28% or thereabouts.

[Spoons]

After a little Google Kung-Fu, I managed to find the milk composition per cheese type table. I saved the table in Excel form. Very useful IMO.

[Andrew Marshallsay]

Thanks again.
This does look useful. Please accept a cheese for your online martial arts.

[Andrew Marshallsay]

Looks like about 20-21% fat given the typical protein content of 32-34%.

[Spoons]

Thanks for the cheese, Prawn 

I'm getting more like 2.5% for a 1.5:1 ratio

I guess it depends on protein content in your milk. I may differ from brand to brand.

[OzzieCheese]

It's a pity about the Typo's but still... isn't what this forum is for ? to hold the light of comparson against 'facts'.  So the next question is will the real 'Jack' be revealed I've made R.Carrols Monterey Jack nice but bland and didn't know it was a washed curd cheese - or is it ?

Confused..

[Andrew Marshallsay]

The "real" Jack? Careful Ozzie, you could be skating perilously close to the bottomless mire of The Naming of Cheeses.
Which reminds me that I probably should update the progress of the Romano. (Can I call it that if it's never been to Rome?)
I ended up using 4L of low fat milk, P=3.6%, F=0.2%, 4L of full cream at P=3.3%, F=3.8% and 2L of Jersey at P=3.3%, F=4.8%.
By my reckoning, that gives me P=3.4%, F=2.6% and a P:F ratio of about 1.3:1.
The make went well and the cheese is just over 3 weeks old. I have started oiling it and expect to open it sometime next year.

[Andrew Marshallsay]

About 8 months on and I've just opened the Romano. I'm happy with the way it's developed. The iled rind seems to have worked well. The cheese is hard, piquant and tasty, just as you would expect from the type. I will probably use it as a table cheese but it should grate well too.

[Danbo]

My mouthwater is going crazy... Looks gooood! :-) AC4U.

[Stinky]

Beautiful! +C

[LoftyNotions]

Definitely cheese-worthy, Prawn. Do you think it would benefit from further aging?

Larry

[Andrew Marshallsay]

I know that these cheeses are often aged longer but I'm pretty happy with this one as it is. I would be concerned that it might dry out if left too much longer because my humidity control is not all that good. I've got a cheddar which I'm aiming to open at about 12 months but that is waxed so it shouldn't be a problem.