Gurkan...
It seems as though we are thinking alike on this.
The bottom line is that I love to make cheese and I love to eat cheese. The only problem is that unless I concentrate on just a few cheeses I don't think I will ever turn out something that I'm truly happy with. Hopefully I have plenty of time left on this planet which will give me more time to accomplish all of the things that I want to. This includes perfecting a large variety of cheeses, one at a time.
Debi...
Thanks for the words of encouragement....
I know that I am hard on myself but at the same time it helps me to focus and do my best. I might not ever perfect even one example of cheese but by being hard on myself I know that I have at least given it my best shot. I pretty much apply this strategy to everything that I do and feel that if I do my best, I've done all that I'm capable of doing.
This is usually enough to satisfy me.
Btw......
Don't take my initial post the wrong way. I really am having a blast with my cheese making. I just want to do it better.
As for my press, (and yes, it is one of Carter's), it only weighs 12 lbs. This is of course the press only, not including whatever type of air tank you would use.
The great thing about this press is that you probably would not have to store it in the attic since it has a foot print of less than 12 inches square. It is a very compact press that can easily fit into a corner, on a counter top or even under a cabinet.
A year after getting this press I still can't say enough about it. His presses certainly aren't cheap but if you're into this hobby for the long haul then the per year expense will be negligible.
I still remember the sound of a lot of stacked weights, crashing over in the middle of the night and I still remember dreading having to flip a cheese that had a hundred lbs. worth of stacked weight. Now I just give the air switch a flip and walk away without any worries or concerns. I honestly could not imagine making cheese without it.
Boofer....
I also plan to pick a few new cheeses each year to work on. That's why I'm making my own recipes as I go along (and keeping notes). I figure that once I have a recipe that I can duplicate I can then go on to other cheeses without having to worry about losing what I have learned on a certain example.
I love trying new varieties and I love the challenge of a new cheese.
It also sounds as if you and I are on the same page.
You know, this is why I love this forum...
I really felt as if I was making this post only as a reminder to myself of what I want to accomplish and now I'm feeling really good about what I'm trying to do.
Thanks to you all and have a great weekend.
Dave