Author Topic: how do you make a tasty feta?  (Read 3893 times)

Julz

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how do you make a tasty feta?
« on: January 03, 2009, 12:49:04 AM »
How do I get my feta to be tasty?  I use whole cows milk.  The feta tastes good in a 1.5% brine but is fairly soft.  When I take it out and leave it is losese flavour but becomes firmer.  A friend said it reminded her of cottage cheese (i.e., bland). 

Cheese Head

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Re: how do you make a tasty feta?
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2009, 01:35:23 AM »
Julz, I had the same problem with my first Feta, (records posted here), boring ???.

The problem I had is I also used cow's milk but no lipase, my understanding is that if using goat's milk then you don't need it.

I just finished my second batch this today (records posted here) using cow's milk an lipase and it tastes great ;D.

There is more info in the Brine Preserved Cheese Type Board, but fellow Member Tea is the Feta Guru.

Tea

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Re: how do you make a tasty feta?
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2009, 08:20:24 PM »
I almost didn't reply to this when I saw that I am the fetta guru.  :o

In truth Julz, my family love fetta, so it is a cheese that I have made many many times.  If you are using cow's or sheeps milk then you really need the addition of lipase.  This gives the cheese it's traditional smell and flavour, as traditionally fetta is made from goats milk.  When making it from goat's milk you don't need the addition of lipase.

With the recipe that I have posted in the recipe exchange section, you can vary the "crumble" feel of the cheese by simply more or less stirring of the curd.  I like a soft cheee, so I stir only a couple of times.

I also note that you said that you use a 1.5% brine solution.  Did you mean to say 15%, as fetta is usually stored in a brine solution of between 12-15%.  This way it can be kept for upto 12 months.

Have a read through the fetta recipes, and I think John is posting his, and if there is still something that is not clear, don't hesitate to ask.
HTH

Julz

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Re: how do you make a tasty feta?
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2009, 08:25:02 AM »
Thanks for both your comments.  I had been wondering about lipase.  I think the recipe I was given must have had a decimal error becuase it said it was to be a 1.5% solution which even I in my blissful ignorance thought to be quite low.  I will definitely try using the lipase next time.

Cheese Head

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Re: how do you make a tasty feta?
« Reply #4 on: January 07, 2009, 11:43:26 AM »
Julz, Dairy Connection in US has a selection and recommendation of Lipase's.

But you are in NZ and your fellow Kiwi contacted Renco NZ who said they will mail him cheap Rennet and I noticed on their website that they also make Lipase, so maybe that would be a cheap local source for you? Thread here.

If you go down that road, please post their answer and what choice/price you had in Ingredients Board for other Kiwi's (or wannabe Kiwi's) ;).

Tea

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Re: how do you make a tasty feta?
« Reply #5 on: January 07, 2009, 08:24:53 PM »
http://www.dairyfoodsconsulting.com/recipes.shtml

Was reading through this site yesterday, and they have an interesting recipe for making fetta, which I think would give a harder and crumblier cheese.  Worth have a look at, and I think I may try it next time I make fetta, and see what I think.

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: how do you make a tasty feta?
« Reply #6 on: January 09, 2009, 09:23:14 AM »
To me Feta, Mozz and Ricotta are the hardest, they are pretty much the same except for some simple changes along the way. So trying to make them taste the way they're supposed to and not alike are hard.

We taste tested some fresh mozz from trader joes and a 30 minutes mozz we made that day, plus some in water and some in brine. Ours tasted better and of course fresher, but ours in the plain water was tasteless and the one in the brine was better. The problem I have is the 30 minute mozz doesn't melt as the all day one does, at least as far as I can make.

Michelle

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Re: how do you make a tasty feta?
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2009, 08:47:10 PM »
Hi Julz
I know that this is an old discussion but I was wondering if you found a source for lipase in NZ?

My cows milk feta was quite bland and 'curdy' tasting too, not the sharp flavour I was expecting.

Cheers,
Michelle

Tea

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Re: how do you make a tasty feta?
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2009, 09:52:50 PM »
Good morning Michelle.  On the home page of this site there are listed cheese shops where you can buy cheese making ingredients.  Have a look there and see if there are any listed for NZ.

In Australia though, you could try cheeselinks.com.au  They stock lipase.

Just had a look and found this for you.

http://www.renconz.com/renco_Lipolysis.cfm

Cheese Head

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Re: how do you make a tasty feta?
« Reply #9 on: October 01, 2009, 12:13:11 AM »
Michelle (& others), our list of cheese making supply stores. Renco NZ's Rennet Product Data Sheets also posted here.