Hello Mike and wellcome to the forum,
I use a store bought buttermilk, the freshest possible, 4-5 weeks exp date. It contains: streptococcus lactis, lactococcus cremoris, lactococcus diacetylactis and leuconostoc.
This is the basic recipe I used (mine wheel is a 10 liters batch):
Monterey Jack Cheese
Ingredients - American
3.8 liters whole Cow's Milk.
Optional: 1/2 cup/150 ml Heavy Cream (I didn't use, I use raw milk).
Mesophilic Starter Culture of your choice.
Optional: Calcium Chloride if using pasteurized milk, amount depending on type.
Rennet diluted in 1/4 cup/50 ml water, amount depending on package directions and your experience with that brand.
2 grams & 18 grams non-iodized Salt.
Optional: Finely diced Garden Herbs or Horseradish or Habanero Chili or Jalapeno Chili.
Directions
1. Combine milk, optional cream and diluted calcium chloride in a stockpot or double boiler and heat to 31°C.
2. Add Mesophilic-A starter culture, whisk in thoroughly, allow the milk to ripen for ~45 minutes.
3. Stir 2 gram salt into the diluted rennet.
4. Increase the temperature of the milk to 32°C. Stir the salt-rennet solution gently into the milk.
5. Allow the milk to set, covered, at 32° C for ~60 minutes or until the milk has set into a firm curd with a clean break.
6. Using a long bladed stainless steel knife cut the curd into ~1 cm cubes. Let the curds set for ~10 minutes.
7. Place the stockpot into a second pot of 38° C water or in a sink filled with 38° C water and indirectly heat the curds to 38° C by increasing the temperature no faster than 1° C every 5 minutes. This should take ~30 minutes, stir the curds gently but frequently during this cooking period to keep the curd pieces from matting together.
8. Maintain the curds at /38° C for an additional ~30 minutes stirring every several minutes to keep the curds from matting.
9. Do not stir for ~5 minutes to allow curds to settle, then pour off the whey down to the level of the curd.
10. Allow the curds to set for 30 minutes stirring every ~5 minutes to prevent matting.
11. Pour the curds and whey into a cheesecloth lined colander and allow remaining whey to drain.
12. Sprinkle 18 gram of salt and optional garden herbs, jalapenos etc over the curd and gently mix by hands.
13. Press curds in cheesecloth lined mold with 2 kg for ~15 minutes.
14. Remove the cheese from the press and cheesecloth, flip cheese, replace, and press with 4-5 kg for ~12 hours.
15. Remove the cheese from the press and cheesecloth, lightly apply brine (15 gram salt in 0.5 cup/100 ml of water) wash to outside of cheese.
16. Place the cheese on a drying mat and air dry for 1-3 days at room temperature turning over twice each day.
17. Wax cheese when starts to form a yellowish rind and is dry to the touch.
18. Age waxed cheese ~13° C for 1-4 months; turn the cheese over daily for the first month and 2-3 times a week thereafter to ensure even ripening.
