Trying a totally new class of cheese for me and feeling a bit apprehensive! I used 2 gallons of lovely high fat raw Jersey milk, and FD as a starter, with the Caldwell recipe for Pholia Farms washed rind. Make was at target with the exception of a long coagulation time due to using paste rennet. I am not yet consistent on measuring out the right amount on that. The other part that was not on target was due to my not having the correct form cleaned and ready to go. I had to switch up to a larger size form after finding the mass being too large for the prepared form. The final cheese weighed 3 pounds rather than 2 pounds which is what I would have expected!
I did not have the proper bacteria for the rind, so I am doing an experiment... I bought a "Red Hawk" washed rind cheese from Cowgirl Creamery, and scraped off some of the rind into a light brine, and stirred it around. I am using that to wash the rind. I also cut off another bit of the "Red Hawk" rind and put it in a small container in the box with my baby. I wonder how long it should take to see some rind development on my cheese?
