Hi, another newbie from UK

[DanUK]

Hi, my name is Dan and I am from near Bakewell in the heart of the peak district in the UK. I work on a dairy farm milking 230 crossbred cows on a New Zealand based pasture system. So recently decided that since I have access to so much high quality milk I should try cheese making. So I ordered a starter kit from http://www.ascott-dairy.co.uk/acatalog/Cheeseamking_Kits.html I decided to get the kit for soft and hard cheese.

So far I have made 3 batches of soft cheese, 2 with great success and 1 I managed to overheat the milk I think.

So now I am on the hunt for a double boiler around 10-20 litres in size and suitable for an induction hob. So far I am struggling to find anything suitable, so if anyone can direct me to a site that will ship to the UK, I will be very grateful.

I will no doubt have LOTS of questions over the coming months and I look forwards to my steep learning curve.

Are there many other members from the UK?

Thanks,
Dan

[cottagecheese]

Hi Dan

I'm in NE Scotland and I've been making cheese for about 8 months now.  I have a couple of goats that I hand milk and although we have cows (Dexters) they are stroppy and we have never managed to milk them.

I usually make a soft cheese a couple of times a week and hard cheese when I've got more time.  Don't have any special equipment, just a big pot on an ancient Rayburn.

At the moment I'm working a soft goat's cheese wrapped in vine leaves.  Couldn't find any recipes so I'm making it up as I go along.

Look forward to hearing more about your adventures in cheesemaking.

Sharon

[ArnaudForestier]

Hi Dan, welcome to the forum.  A wonderful resource, enjoy your journey.

I'm afraid the only knowledge I have of your area is through a couple of novels (P&P, Jane Eyre) and their film adaptations.  Seems like a wonderfully beautiful place to live.

Best wishes on your making.

Paul

[Gürkan Yeniçeri]

Hi Dan, Welcome to the forum.

For the boiler, if you have any commercial hospitality suppliers around you, asked them a bain-marie food warmer like this one.

[DanUK]

Hi Dan

I'm in NE Scotland and I've been making cheese for about 8 months now.  I have a couple of goats that I hand milk and although we have cows (Dexters) they are stroppy and we have never managed to milk them.

I usually make a soft cheese a couple of times a week and hard cheese when I've got more time.  Don't have any special equipment, just a big pot on an ancient Rayburn.

At the moment I'm working a soft goat's cheese wrapped in vine leaves.  Couldn't find any recipes so I'm making it up as I go along.

Look forward to hearing more about your adventures in cheesemaking.

Sharon

That sounds great Sharon. I currently only have a small pan on a little induction hob. Although I hope to change this soon!  Where do you get your cultures from? I think I will try making my first hard cheese this weekend.

Thanks for the welcome ArnaudForestier. It is definitely a beautiful place to live and work.

Thanks for the welcome Gürkan Yeniçeri I will start searching for a Bain-Marie.

[cottagecheese]

I get most of my stuff from here http://www.gnltd.co.uk/products/cheese-products/1/

He also sells on ebay.  Quick delivery and very helpful.

Sharon

[Cheese Head]

Dan, welcome, need more Brits here!

Me I use a 40 liter heavy bottom stainless steel stockpot directly on a gas grill, but that may not work very well on an induction type stove.

Many here use two nested stock pots with water in between, if you look through the EQUIPMENT - Making Cheese Board you find lots of ideas.

[DanUK]

Dan, welcome, need more Brits here!

Me I use a 40 liter heavy bottom stainless steel stockpot directly on a gas grill, but that may not work very well on an induction type stove.

Many here use two nested stock pots with water in between, if you look through the EQUIPMENT - Making Cheese Board you find lots of ideas.

Thanks for the welcome John. I don't know why its not more popular over here. I dont think I would know how to cope using 40 litres of milk! How do you drain the curds and whey when you have that much? So far I have only made a 2.5litre (my biggest pan!) Hopefully I will sort a bigger pan this week, maybe 10 litres.

Thanks,
Dan

[Louise]

Hi Dan,

You have found a great forum here   

As to New & Used equipment, info & things in the UK, I have found Jongia UK to be very informative, helpful & cost effective.  They generally supply the professional makers though now supply the hobbyists    I'm very pleased with there service.

Cheers,

Louise

[DanUK]

Thanks for that Louise. I will look into them.

I have been busy spending this week  Decided to get myself a wine cooler for my cheese cave. I want to try and get some hard cheese made this week so they can start maturing. And I have ordered a 16 litre stock pot so that I can make a reasonable amount in one batch 

Thanks,
Dan

[Louise]

Exciting times for you Dan. 
The wine cooler I bought was faulty - are you getting a Thermoelectric one? - see: http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,7203.0/topicseen.html
And to be honest knowing a lot more about the thermoelectric being quiet expensive to run the model I had the Energy consumption was 292kWh/year, compared to the one I now have being the Husky bottle refrigerator which uses about a third less energy, which I bought from Argos (£79.99) and it has a far better temperature range.  Hope your cooler works/performs better than the one I had.

[DanUK]

I bought a Logik wine cooler from curry's. I don't think it is a thermo electric one, I will have to check.

I have been busy trying to make my first Caerphilly this weekend, I have been following the recipe in the book by Katie Thear. I'm not very happy with it so far though. It took 12 hours before I had curds and whey. So I am starting to think I have a problem with my starter culture. How do people defrost frozen cultures? Just leave at room temperature or a more rapid defrost?

I currently have my cheese in the press but I am not sure it is very good, it seems to smell a bit like sour milk, how should it smell?

I will take it out and turn it round later today.

Any help/advice is much appreciated

Dan

[heather s]

Hi Dan,
I'm down in the Cotswolds near Cirencester and just joined the forum - it would be great to hear how your cheesemaking is going, I'm early days in this adventure. If you're still looking for equipment I'd suggest googling catering equipment auctions, there's one near me and they have bain maries, massive stock pots, small fridges etc. There are also some great commercial cheese operations up your way (wensleydales for e.g.), I'm hoping to get up for a visit.