Hi from Edmonton, Alberta

[pliezar (Ian)]

Hello,

I have been a long time lurker and now I figured it was time to post something.  I started making cheese last summer and have had a few successes and some spectacular failures.

I have been getting my Son to help me on the last two batches and he seems to be my good luck charm.

I look forward to learning much from all of you.

Pliezar

[mikeradio]

Hello Pliezar

I am in Prince George BC, I have made some fresh cheese so far like Queso Fresco and cream cheese.
I am currently building a cheese cave out of an old 2 door commercial cooler and gathering equipment to
start making pressed cheese.

Mike

[Cheese Head]

Howdy Pliezar

Great to have more Canucks here, my family and I are from Calgary/Vancouver but we live in Houston, our eldest daughter started BSN at UoA in Edmonchuk last fall.

Have fun here!

[Tobiasrer]

Welcome!
I live just a couple hours south of you in the Rocky Mtn House area!
I haven't made the plunge yet and tried making any cheese, I am reading up and getting confident knowing that everyone makes bad cheese, so when it doesnt work out I wont feel too horrible, long as my wife doesnt lose it that I wasted all that milk!

[pliezar (Ian)]

Thanks for the welcomes.

I did things the reverse way.  I dove head first into making cheese, poorly, now I am reading books and trying some of the things I have learned.  It is quite a bit of fun.

[dadzcats]

Hi, Pliezar - welcome.  What cheeses have you tried so far?

[pliezar (Ian)]

Hi Back

I have made a few Goudas, Mozzarella, and I have a Cheddar Air Drying now.

I have been finding that most people have already asked or provided an answer to any questions I have thought of before I could ask them myself.  I love this forum

[mikeradio]

Hello

What mold did you use for the cheddar?

Mike

[pliezar (Ian)]

Hi Mike,

I received a Cheese Press from my family at Christmas.  It had two hoops/molds with it a small and a large one.  The got it from Glengarry Cheesemaking and Dairy Supply in Ontario. 

http://www.glengarrycheesemaking.on.ca/equipment.htm - Hardwood cheese press for home cheesemakers.

I used the larger of the two. I just wanted a smaller cheese.  It is the angle of the picture that makes it look big.  I am still learning how to take the pictures properly  it is only about 1 Kg.

[tananaBrian]

Can't believe your family didn't buy the 1500 L cheese vat for you!  Just kidding!!!   

I'm close to where you are at in learning and doing, but I think you are slightly ahead of me.  Hopefully you will post a lot because beginners have a special knack for asking about the silly little, but crucially important, details about what the more expert think of as routine.  BTW ...my wife grew up in Edmonton (but was born in Germany).  We now live outside of Anchorage, Alaska halfway between Wasilla and Settler's Bay ...sort of out in the country.

Brian

[pliezar (Ian)]

I know, I thought the 1500L vat would look nice in the basement next to my work out area.  I don't know if I have the knack, but I do enjoy it.  It is teaching me patients in a huge way.  I just posted some pictures of my Gouda I just made.

I have learned a lot from lurking here, and I have put some of it into practice.