Tea's cheddar experiences

[mokumeguy]

I have stopped taking pH readings for the moment. I have found them to be counter productive.
My raw milk will have a lower pH at fridge temp than the recipe gives for pasteurized milk after an hour of ripening time. So I have stopped taking pH readings and started touching the curd with my fingers (clean, of course), and I feel I am learning more.

At the moment I am making another cheese. Totally my own recipe. And I am going to go to the next step when I feel it is right, not when any recipe says so. I might be totally screwed, but oh well. If it works I will have a recipe that I can make on weekdays, without waiting for a weekend and then using most of that. Will let you know.

[Tea]

Thanks for that Michael.  I have been wondering the same thing in regards to ph readings myself.  I was making some mozz a couple of days ago, and a mild sense of panic set in as I realised that someone has shifted my ph strips and I couldn't find them.  Then I thought, well how did they originally work out how to do this cheese?  I realised then that I have to start understanding the curd more and read it's signs better.
Long and short, I made beautiful mozz without the use of ph strips, so I was feeling quite proud of myself.

The main reason that I was checking ph reading with the cheddar was because the recipe was vague on what was dry and what was wet, so I was hoping that the ph levels would keep the cheese on track a bit better than guessing whey levels.

[Mariza]

I read somewhere in this forum - can't find it now - about using bees wax on cheese. It coats the cheese brilliantly and has a delightful aroma and is easy to use. However, it doesn't cut - it shatters like brittle toffee - so you can't get a clean cut wedge and allow the wax to remain on the rest of the cheese. It's fine on really small cheeses if you don't mind de-waxing the whole thing when you go to eat it. Mariza

[Tea]

Hi Mariza and welcome to the board.
I was the one who posted about bees wax, and yes you are right, it doesn't cut neatly at all.
I discovered this just before we went away, and I have forgotten to post my findings.  Thanks for the prompt.
I was wondering how cutting the wax with a warm/hot knife would work.  I am yet to experiement.

[bundy]

being a beekeeper you must use a hot knife to cut bees wax, the knife should just be hot enough to go through  the wax and not completely melt the wax  i hope this helps
Bundy

[Tea]

Thanks Bundy for confirming that.  I thought after cutting it, that expecting it to cut cold straight out of the fridge, was probably expecting too much.

[Tea]

Hey Bundy is that your pooch, nice looking dog.

Michael just wanted to say that I haven't forgotten about trying your cheddar recipe, have been away for a few weeks, and yet to get back into cheese making.  Will let you know when I do.

Couldn't resist cutting the black waxed cheddar, and at six weeks of age, it is still young, but the flavour is definately developing.  The texture is very much that of a parmesan, dry and crumbly, which I think for a cheddar is too dry.  Sealed it back up, and will wait another month before I try it again.

[bundy]

had her for 8 years bitza from the RSPA name Bundy

[Tea]

Your as bad as us  :D   All our dogs come from either the pound or the RSPCA too.  Have to admit that they have turned out to be excellent dogs.