New To Cheese Making - Advice Please!

[Motherof9]

Hi everyone~ I am just starting to make cheese. We have a cow that just freshened, we are expecting more milk than anyone family can drink. So what is the answer??? Cheese of course! I need the best advise on what to start with I have been trying to do some research and there is way too much stuff out there that i am sure I do not need. So where is it best to start?

[Tea]

Hi Motherof9 and welcome to the forum.  Are you actually a mum of 9?

Anyway, to answer you question as to what cheese to start with, well what do your family like the most.  We have lots of salads so feta was one of my first choices.  Maltese cheese that I can turn into raviollis and pastizzies (sp), and I tried some of the softer pressed cheeses, before launching into the big guns of cheedar etc.

You are very blessed to have your own source of quality milk. 

[Cheese Head]

Hello Motherof9 and welcome to the forum.

In addition to what Tea advises, a few of us here made this post for people new to Cheese Making. Plus I'd definitely make your own yogurt.

Where in the world are you located, ie how much access do you have to cheese making supply stores?

[DeejayDebi]

I'd try mozzarella and riccotta first. But then I am Italian and use alot of that stuff.

I USED to say you can't mess it up but I had one fellow on my forum that did. He bought expired milk from a store. I didn't know they sold it.

Make sure your milk is fresh! I don't think that will be a problem for you.

[Worlock]

I thought Fetta was particularly appealing because it's a near instant gratification cheese.  That way you know right away if your doing it right.

[DeejayDebi]

Good point Worlock.

[Cartierusm]

Welcome, fresh milk, you are lucky.

[MrsKK]

Welcome, Momof9!  I also have my own cow, but she is just drying up at the end of her first lactation.

I started out with mozzerella and quickly dove into cheddar, although my first were not overly successful.  I've got a parmesan that's still aging and have tried other cheeses, too, though I can't think of what they are off the top of my head.

I make a gallon of yogurt per week, too.  Lots of good stuff you can make there!

[Motherof9]

I just went onto a cheese supply website- there are so many things that i could buy. I bought a kit to make some soft cheese, I know i could have gotten it cheeper if i know what the parts are. I also bought a book on how to make cheese, hopefuly it does not get me lost. I also bought a kit for hard cheese, there is a mold but no press, any suggestions on a press that is not so expensive that I have to go into cheese making full time to pay for it. The cow is giving almost 8 gallons of milk a day! I really need to get busy.

[linuxboy]

Hi,

What type of mold did you get? Does it have a plastic follower that you can put weight on? Like this one? http://www.leeners.com/cheese-making-pressing.html

If you have raw milk, you don't really need a press unless you want to make cheddar. If you rest the curds and press them in the pot under the whey with your hand, they will clump together and come out as one solid mass that you can just transfer to the cheese mold above, and then use 8-20 lbs (like a gallon of milk, or a basic round weight) to knit the curds even more. The above process will yield you other advantages such as well-knit curd, proper hole formation if you want to make swiss, more even acidification, more even moisture distribution because of gradual whey loss, and so on.

If you want to make cheddar, then a press is vital to knit the salted curds together.

Many types of cheese, such as blue and camembert are pressed only under the weight of the curd. Tomme type cheeses are pressed with a weight equal to the weight of the curd mass. Alpine and gouda type cheeses are pressed with 10-20 lbs.

I think with 8 gallons per day, get a few molds so you can do larger batches. Cut out and cleaned beer kegs make for great containers and fit 15 gallons. . Gruyere, tomme, and alpine style cheeses are a great start for cow's milk.
 

[Rich]

I think Worlock's comment about instant gratification has a lot of merit for a beginner.  So, start with soft cheeses - they'll be ready the next day.  Personally, I'd suggest a Manchego as your first hard cheese.  Its ready in 5 - 7 days, easy to make and tastes great.