Author Topic: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan  (Read 8159 times)

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #15 on: January 08, 2010, 10:23:06 PM »
Congrats Ryan I can't wait to see the cheese!

Likesspace

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #16 on: January 09, 2010, 01:43:11 AM »
Ryan!
Where have you been?
Looking forward to seeing the parm. If I remember correctly we started our parmesans at about the same time but mine was ruined due to infection by p. shermanii. Oh well, I have two more in the cave that I'm hoping will turn out okay.
Glad to see you back here.

Dave

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #17 on: January 09, 2010, 09:18:26 PM »
Ok consider the thread no longer useless... here are the pictures.  ^-^

I think it really turned out well...even without the lipase. There is a very slight earthiness to the rind due to the mold issues that I had before I waxed (but very subtle).  It also could have been just a bit dryer but I'm sure that is again due to the waxing.  I'm not sure I can overcome that in the near future as I've got a pretty busy cave/cellar with canned good, veggies, cheeses, beer, wine, etc.  Lots of things to carry extra molds and such into my production.

   



Dave, it is good as well to hear from you.  It has just been really crazy around here... my cheese production has slacked off from last year but I have a quite a few cheeses in the works now just have not had the time to document it all here like I used to.   :(

Take care,
Ryan

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #18 on: January 09, 2010, 10:37:36 PM »
Ryan,
That cheese looks FANTASTIC! Great job!
Now I'm having a very hard time knowing that I have two of these in the cave that won't be ready for a long long time.
Life does have a way of being a nuisance, but hopefully you are enjoying what is keeping you so busy.
The last couple of months have been extremely busy for me, but this weekend I've been able to relax and do what I love doing.
Hope to see you on here more often. I always look forward to your posts.

Dave

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #19 on: January 10, 2010, 12:57:17 AM »
Hello Ryan

good to see you and you parm looks wonderful! Nicely grated flakes I think you will enjoy this for some time! Fine job!

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #20 on: January 10, 2010, 01:14:40 AM »
That's alright Dave, you don't have to say hi to me too ;D. Does look good Ryan. Dave you might not know this but the older the Parm is the less strong flavor it has, it tends to mellow out a lot, I've had some 15 year old and 8 year old parms at a store in LA about a year ago and they weren't that flavorful, although the price was outrageous. I think about 1 year for home made should suffice. I think this is the prefect cheese, if unwaxed, because it's unwax to use a very small home made trier to take a sample, test the tip and if not ready push the plug back in.

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #21 on: January 10, 2010, 01:35:20 AM »
CARTER!!!!!
HOLY CRAP!!!!!
I THOUGHT YOU HAD DIED!!!!!
Now we have a party!!
It's great to see you back on here, old friend. It's about time!
Okay, that's too many exclamation points for anyone. But still, it's great to see you post again.
Actually I didn't know that about parmesan. This is pretty much a new cheese to me since I made my first one last year.
I do love parm and plan on making quite a bit more. Especially after the sample that Wayne sent a couple of months back.
I do have one question for you....
I've read a few different recipes for parmesan and the aging time ranges anywhere from 5 months to 2 years.
My wife keeps asking me how long it will be until we can crack one of the wheels I made in October and I keep telling her "It will still be several months".
Do you think a parmesan would be decent at the 5 month mark, or do you feel it has to age at least a year?
I've pretty much moved these to the back of the cave so that I can forget about them.
I'd appreciate any insight/opinion you have, concerning this.
Again, great to see you post again.

Dave

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #22 on: January 10, 2010, 02:33:13 AM »
Thanks guys.  It is like a little reunion from the good ol' days! ;)  At least I'm not the only one that has been overloaded with life and it's little curve balls!

Dave it is good to hear from you too!!  I see you have been a little more active here than I've been lately which is good.  Also good to see you are back at it as well after the summer break. I'll have to check up on your swiss progress... any good things to report?

DeeJay, thanks for the comments on this cheese.. I'm actually not sure it will actually stick around too long!  We've been going at it pretty good around here.  The wheel was about 2.5 lbs if I recall.  We had some tonight just cut and drizzled with some balsamic vinegar. That was a treat!

Dave, in regard to your aging and patience issues... I tossed around opening this one damn near every time I turned and finally I just set my mind to the fact that 1 year was going to be the date.. well I cut it short by about 2 weeks... but damn that is close enough!  I wish you luck with your patience... it helps to go and splurge on a piece of grand Parmesan Reggiano and cull your cravings if that helps.

Carter, how are the other projects going?  Making any cool vids lately?

Ryan

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #23 on: January 10, 2010, 09:46:07 PM »
Well Dave, at 5 months it might be all right, it would be very strong. The only concern I have is it might be too flavorful, maybe a little astringent as it hasn't had time to mellow, but if you have a cheese trier then you can try a piece like the pros without disrupting the aging cycle.

Ryan, just been working on film equipment. I built a copy of the $50,000 Steadicam from scratch so I'm gearing up for production this year.

FarmerJd

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #24 on: January 10, 2010, 10:39:19 PM »
Ryan, even if the cheese was awful, you deserve an award for waiting. Great looking cheese.
Carter, great to see you post again. I feel like I know you from reading so many of your posts from the past.

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #25 on: January 11, 2010, 12:34:37 AM »
Thanks. I just opened a couple of stiltons that have been re-aging in my frig, but they were pretty dried out. I also opened my science experiment. If any remember I made a cheddar experiment a year or two ago that I did a bandage wrap with lard and cheese cloth. In the post I show how I sealed it up, after it grew 10 different kinds of mold on it, and put it in the frig, well it's been about a year. I opened it up....I'll post later in the actual thread.

Brie

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #26 on: January 11, 2010, 12:42:31 AM »
Ryan-that cheese looks great--congrats! I have a parm that has been aging since late October and it appears harder than a rock! I noticed that you stated you waxed yours (quite unusual), but perhaps works. In fact, I've had this problem with several of my cheeses--back to the never-ending question of waxing or vacuum-sealing--I'm about ready to cave in on my cave and buy the Foodsaver.

Likesspace

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #27 on: January 11, 2010, 12:54:44 AM »
Carter....
Since I don't own a trier and since even a cheap one costs like $50.00 I think I'll just keep the parms at the back of the cave and try to forget about them
What's interesting is that I haven't had even the slightest problem with mold.
These have been sitting in my cave since mid to late October and I don't have a single spot of mold on either wheel. I guess I'm getting lucky there.
I do remember the "cheddar of many colors" and am looking forward to seeing how it turned out. Hopefully better than the Monterey Jack I attempted today, which was a total disaster.
I'm not going to go into detail, (since it really ticks me off even to think about it), but let's just say that I must have used too much starter.....built too much acid.....had to stop the make nearly 40 minutes early and now have a wheel full of whey that will eventually turn sour, crumbly and nasty.
This one is destined for my dad who will eat any cheese. I on the other hand won't be able to get this particular cheese out of my house soon enough because it will continue to tick me off every time I see it.
Oh well it was an experiment, in trying to build a recipe for this type of cheese, (one that I've ALWAYS failed at). After today I'd say there's a good chance that I will not give this one another try until next year.
Looking forward to seeing the cheddar and thanks for the advice concerning the parm.

Dave

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #28 on: January 11, 2010, 01:07:30 AM »
Hey Dave I made one from a stainless steel apple corer and a hammer.

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Re: Chilipepper's Cheese #010 - Parmesan
« Reply #29 on: January 11, 2010, 02:04:28 AM »
Debi..
Could you please post a pic or two of your homemade trier? Also a description of how to use it?
I'd really like to have one but $50.00 sounds just downright outrageous for what a trier consists of. At the same time, I would be so much nicer to leave my wheels in tact but still know what's happening inside of them.

Oh, and Ryan.....
Nothing new to report on the swiss trials just yet.
I have given Sailor's baby swiss recipe a try and have two wheels sitting on the kitchen counter as I type this.
They have been sweating for 4 days now and have not begun to swell but they are getting very firm to the touch. I have hopes but considering my past success I'm not expecting much more than a very nice flavored cheese that will tick me off in the end. :-)
I still search the internet almost daily for information that will help me to make a proper example of this style of cheese. One of these days..........

Dave