Author Topic: Hello from Korea  (Read 6295 times)

huffdaddy

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Hello from Korea
« on: January 04, 2009, 11:10:16 AM »
I'm teaching English in South Korea.  I recently started making cheese at home.  In the spring I'm moving to a house in the country and plan on buying a couple of dairy goats.  Hopefully after a year or two of practice I can start selling my homemade cheese.  Due to tariffs and tastes, cheese here is rare and very expensive. 

Cheese Head

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Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #1 on: January 04, 2009, 11:47:17 AM »
Hello huffdaddy and welcome to this forum. Well that's different, I think you are the first in Korea!

Lot's of info on cheese maknig and if you are just starting, we've made a sticky here.

Any issues with milk, ie UHT etc where you are?

Tea

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Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2009, 07:40:36 PM »
Good morning huffdaddy, and welcome to the forum.  Good for you, I hope your plans work out for you.

huffdaddy

  • Guest
Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2009, 11:27:56 AM »
Lot's of info on cheese maknig and if you are just starting, we've made a sticky here.


Thanks.

Quote
Any issues with milk, ie UHT etc where you are?


I've found one brand of milk that is sold as "low heat 63C" milk.  It's a bit more expensive (about US$8/gallon versus $7 for the regular stuff).  I'm still having trouble getting good curds though. 

Finding cultures and some other materials is a bit difficult.  They either don't sell them here, or I can't find them. 

Cheese Head

  • Guest
Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2009, 11:51:06 AM »
huffdaddy, sorry I can't be of any help with finding cultures in Korea, probably easiest to get a friend to carry them over on a plane trip. Some suppliers listed here, someone should be able to ship to you.

On getting a good curd set, there is a recent thread on it here. If you could supply details, some of us here may be able to help.

huffdaddy

  • Guest
Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2009, 12:09:32 PM »
huffdaddy, sorry I can't be of any help with finding cultures in Korea, probably easiest to get a friend to carry them over on a plane trip. Some suppliers listed here, someone should be able to ship to you.


For now I'm having a friend in the States forward stuff to me. 

Quote
On getting a good curd set, there is a recent thread on it here. If you could supply details, some of us here may be able to help.


The curds are coagulating in a big mess at the bottom, with whey floating on top of the curds.  I'm thinking it's a temperature problem.  My double boiler system is kind of crude, and the trouble comes when I let my top pot set on my bottom pot while it ripens or sets.  Even with the gas completely off the temperature keeps going up.  I need to keep a better eye on the milk temperature while it sets.  At least that's my current theory.   

Tea

  • Guest
Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2009, 08:26:34 PM »
Good morning huffdaddy.  If you ever find that you are out of cultures, the maltese and halloumi cheeses can be made with rennet only.

As for your setting problem, there could be a few reasons.  One could be that you are adding too much rennet or that the rennet that you've added hasn't been stirred in well enough.  Rennets come in different concentrations, so you need to check the instructions on the container and see what they advise to use, and not just add what the recipe might say.

If you have added the correct amount of rennet it then need to be diluted in cooled boiled water.  A couple of tblsps is sufficient, then slowly poured over the milk, (which has been bought to the correct setting temp) while stirring continually for at least 1-3 mins.  This ensures that the rennet is well mixed through for an even setting of the milk, otherwise only the areas where the rennet sits will set, causing an uneven set.

If you are finding that the milk temp keeps rising, immerse the milk pot into a bath of water while it is setting keeping an one on the temps though in case it goes too low.  If the milk sets too long, or the temp is a little too hot, it can tend to separate the curd and whey early, leaving the curd to clump on the bottom with the whey separating out.  Ideally, you want to cut the curd before that happens, so you may need to shorten your setting time if this is a regular occurance.

Hope this is of some help.

huffdaddy

  • Guest
Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2009, 01:25:44 PM »
Rennets come in different concentrations, so you need to check the instructions on the container and see what they advise to use, and not just add what the recipe might say.

No instructions on the container.  I think some came with it, but they were all in Korean.  I'll have to see if I can find them and have a friend translate. 

Quote
If you have added the correct amount of rennet it then need to be diluted in cooled boiled water.  A couple of tblsps is sufficient, then slowly poured over the milk, (which has been bought to the correct setting temp) while stirring continually for at least 1-3 mins.  This ensures that the rennet is well mixed through for an even setting of the milk, otherwise only the areas where the rennet sits will set, causing an uneven set.

If you are finding that the milk temp keeps rising, immerse the milk pot into a bath of water while it is setting keeping an one on the temps though in case it goes too low.  If the milk sets too long, or the temp is a little too hot, it can tend to separate the curd and whey early, leaving the curd to clump on the bottom with the whey separating out.  Ideally, you want to cut the curd before that happens, so you may need to shorten your setting time if this is a regular occurance.

Hope this is of some help.

Thanks, sounds like a couple of good suggestions.  I'll keep it in mind on my next attempt. 

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2009, 10:55:05 PM »
Welcome. All you really need to know if it's animal or vegetable rennet and the strength, single strength or double. Then we can go from there.

Sing_cheese

  • Guest
Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #9 on: January 07, 2009, 07:58:27 AM »
Hello Huffdaddy,

I am based in Singapore and it is good to see another Asia based expat working to make cheese.  I had to order all of my cultures and supplies from the US or Australia. They are happy to ship them (and charge a lot for the postage) but once you the basics in the freezer they last a long time.

huffdaddy

  • Guest
Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #10 on: January 07, 2009, 12:28:03 PM »
Welcome. All you really need to know if it's animal or vegetable rennet and the strength, single strength or double. Then we can go from there.

Aha!  The website I bought it from has instructions.  I think it says 2 teaspoons per 1.8 liters.  I'll have the gf translate the rest for me. 

huffdaddy

  • Guest
Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #11 on: January 07, 2009, 12:34:56 PM »
Hello Huffdaddy,

I am based in Singapore and it is good to see another Asia based expat working to make cheese.  I had to order all of my cultures and supplies from the US or Australia. They are happy to ship them (and charge a lot for the postage) but once you the basics in the freezer they last a long time.

It's definitely not a cheese loving culture.  Things are beginning to get better here.  There are now several microbreweries around the country.  So I figure good cheese can't be far behind.  There are a few places that sell good imported cheese, and it runs at least US$6-12 per 100 grams. 

As for supplies, I have friends and family back in the States who will reship stuff to me.  It's just a matter of waiting. 

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2009, 08:03:54 PM »
Huff, 2 teaspoons per half gallon sounds quite high. I would double check. I use 5/8 tsp. of animal for 5 gallons of milk.

Cheese Head

  • Guest
Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #13 on: January 07, 2009, 09:40:53 PM »
huffdaddy, where did you find your rennet (name, website or description if local store) so I can add it to our Cheese Making Suppliers List for others?

And, do they sell other Cheese Making Supplies? Thx.

huffdaddy

  • Guest
Re: Hello from Korea
« Reply #14 on: January 08, 2009, 04:30:40 AM »
Huff, 2 teaspoons per half gallon sounds quite high. I would double check. I use 5/8 tsp. of animal for 5 gallons of milk.

Hmm, I'll have to have the gf look at it.  It says 5 g, which would be about 1 tsp.  But then it says 2 teaspoons (I think).  I've been using a 1/4 tsp. with 1.8 liters, and that seemed to work okay.