Author Topic: My first Swiss!  (Read 3549 times)

Offline awakephd

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Posts: 2,351
  • Cheeses: 240
  • compounding the benefits of a free press
My first Swiss!
« on: August 17, 2014, 12:54:35 AM »
I just opened my first Swiss-style cheese. The picture below shows the result. It was only a 2-gallon make, so not very large. I followed the recipe in the Ricki Carroll book, but used 1/8 tsp of TA061, 1/8 tsp of PS, and 1/16 tsp of LH100. I made it on 4/11/14, so it is just over four months old -- aged a bit over three months since the eye-formation phase. I know that is pretty much the minimum for aging this style, but I am between other cheeses being ripe, and I wanted to try this before making any more.

I am pleased with the result. It came out of the wax rather greasy on the surface, but otherwise the paste was quite firm and smooth. The holes were not large, but I thought they weren't bad considering the small make. Best of all, it definitely tastes like Swiss -- not necessarily the best Swiss I've ever tasted, but much better / more flavor than some I've had. And that is immediately after opening it -- may be even better after it breathes a bit?

Now that I have confirmation of the make, I definitely need to make some more ... maybe several more, so that I can manage to keep some for much longer aging!

-- Andy

Reflector

  • Guest
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2014, 07:58:51 AM »
What a festive looking cheese. Well done!

Offline awakephd

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Posts: 2,351
  • Cheeses: 240
  • compounding the benefits of a free press
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2014, 01:14:49 AM »
Just a follow up -- this has continued to be a really good cheese. It did get even better after breathing a bit. Now I've got to find time to make some more, to start aging again ...
-- Andy

Spoons

  • Guest
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2014, 02:41:34 PM »
Nice Emmentaler!

A cheese for you for a successful cheese!

Offline awakephd

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Posts: 2,351
  • Cheeses: 240
  • compounding the benefits of a free press
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2014, 04:39:37 PM »
Thanks! A local chef tried some and pronounced it very good, so I count that as a huge success. :)
-- Andy

GoudaGirl13

  • Guest
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #5 on: February 19, 2015, 02:26:01 AM »
A cheese for you awakephd!!
That's a beautiful looking cheese! And your description has me excited about my Baby Swiss in-the-making.

I made the "Baby Swiss" recipe off the NE Cheesemaking website - http://www.cheesemaking.com/SwissBaby.html
 My cheese has been resting for 3 weeks now (as in the step before the warmer temps for gas creation)....and new tips on this make? :)

Offline Al Lewis

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Port Orchard Washington
  • Posts: 3,285
  • Cheeses: 179
    • Lou's Food & Drink
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2015, 02:30:23 AM »
You got more holes than I ever did.  As long as the taste is there it's perfect as Alp says the holes are a defect.  AC4U!!!  In one hour. LOL
Making the World a Safer Place, One Cheese at a Time! My Food Blog and Videos

qdog1955

  • Guest
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #7 on: February 19, 2015, 11:58:29 AM »
Whey to go Andy---AC4U----my best cheeses so far have been Alpine style---for sure, not because of skill----but I think the P/H milk and it's problems seem to work better with these style cheeses----I could be wrong about that----love the flavor of these types---but waiting so long is all but impossible---how did you wait that long? :)
Qdog

Offline awakephd

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: North Carolina
  • Posts: 2,351
  • Cheeses: 240
  • compounding the benefits of a free press
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #8 on: February 19, 2015, 04:21:27 PM »
GG, I don't have any tips to offer on the baby swiss, but will be interested to see how it comes out for you. It is quite a different make from what I followed -- the baby swiss uses meso, washed curd, and short aging, versus thermo, short ripening, higher cook temp (120˚F), and longer stirring. But some of the same issues remain -- the need to avoid too much acid or too much salt, either of which will inhibit the PS.

I made two more in November following the same recipe as before, except using 3 gallons instead of 2. March 7 is the target date for opening the first (four months total of aging), while I hope to age the other for at least 6 months if not longer.

Qdog, my only secret for waiting is to alternate making short-aging cheeses with the long-aging cheeses -- that way I have a steady supply of cheeses reaching maturity while I wait on the long-aging cheeses. For example, I am getting ready to open a 6-week old Lancashire to tide me over until March 7. But then in March, I'll have the first of the swiss, plus a Montasio that will be ready to sample. I might have too much of a good thing at that point ... time to invest in a vacuum sealer so that I can save some for later!

By the way, GoudaGirl is really the one to ask about waiting for a long time -- she is reporting on cheeses of more than 1 year in age!
-- Andy

Offline Danbo

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Denmark, Europe, Earth, Universe
  • Posts: 1,277
  • Cheeses: 116
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #9 on: February 19, 2015, 07:49:14 PM »
Nice! :-) AC4U!

Stinky

  • Guest
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #10 on: February 19, 2015, 08:54:02 PM »
Very nice! Take a cheese.

GoudaGirl13

  • Guest
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #11 on: February 20, 2015, 12:32:32 AM »
:) Thank you for the tips, awakephd!
I started my "warm period" for the Baby Swiss today.....we shall see how it goes!

As for waiting....well, time just really seems to fly!! I MUST be having a good and happy time!! ("Time flies when you're having fun!")
So many of the best things I enjoy doing require patience - gardening, fermenting, winemaking, cheesemaking. And the patience is always rewarded! I have ferments that are a few years old, cheeses almost 2 years old. And they are fabulous!!

Usually, when I crack a new cheese open, I cut it in half, then one half in quarters and wax the open half again, as well as one of the quarters (depending on how much I need/want). Then I return them to the cave, rewaxed, and "forget about them" again for as long as I can so the rest will continue aging. I will break into or sample another and do the same (rewaxing sections), occasionally revisiting the older ones.....

Does that make sense?* :)


qdog1955

  • Guest
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #12 on: February 20, 2015, 11:07:14 AM »
GoudaGirl----a real cheese lover, would eat the whole thing upon opening and then have regrets that they didn't save some for later ---and then the Doctor says "your cholesterol is to high"----and you reply---"can't help it Doc, it's just so darn good"---I think I'm addicted. :) :) :) and I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have went to the moon without us cheese lovers. ;)-----and NO, I'm not in therapy, though maybe should be---but have joined ---wait for it----Cheesers Anonymous.
Qdog

Offline Danbo

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Denmark, Europe, Earth, Universe
  • Posts: 1,277
  • Cheeses: 116
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #13 on: February 20, 2015, 11:47:11 AM »
LOL! :-)

Offline scasnerkay

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Sunnyvale, California
  • Posts: 853
  • Cheeses: 197
  • Default personal text
Re: My first Swiss!
« Reply #14 on: February 20, 2015, 11:24:49 PM »
Congratulations on a nice looking baby swiss! The picture I have by my name is a baby swiss also with 2 gallons. The others of mine did not make such nice holes however!
Susan