gouda

[reg]

well the gouda that we made turned out great, much better than anticipated. it was only aged 6 weeks but i was impressed to say the least. hope to make a few more small wheels next week

will be cutting the Alpine cheese in another week (if i can wait that long) that cheese will be 8 weeks old. will report back on that outcome. will post some photos once this new computer is all set up

reg

[Cheese Head]

Only 6 weeks! You are way more patient than me, we started eating my first Gouda just before 2 weeks and all gone before 3 weeks! I need to build a proper press and larger mould than for 1 US gallon milk cheeses .

[reg]

oh i hear you, it is hard to wait no question about it.

as soon as my wife gets this machine up and running then shows me how to post the proper size pictures i will post some photos of the press i made here. my guess is that we should be able to press at least four small wheels (4") at a time. maybe even more that that we will see.

also looking at making up some larger molds. going to pick up some 6" and 8" PVC pipe in the near future. my largest pots here will hold two gallons each so that should help, for now ;-)

reg

[Cheese Head]

Thatsa gooda looking gouda! OK, my Dutch friends keep reminding me that it's from the Dutch town of Gouda and it's pronounced Howda not Gooda but I grew up in Canada. You have same slightly yellowing skin that I get.

Quick questions:

• I like your mats better than my sushi bamboo mat, easier to clean-more hygenic and I think won't leave marks on bottom of cheeses like the thread line I get from my sushi mat posted here. What and where did you buy them?
• What are you using for a ripening/aging Cheese Cave, looks way better than my $10 cooler box?
• My pressed cheese have many lines along side from cheese cloth sheet used to press the cheese in. Yours don't appear to in photo, why?

[reg]

morning CH and thanks for posting the photos for us. as far as the cheese cloth goes we use old pillow cases because they have a much tighter weave. just boil them after washing.

the aging container is a food grade plastic that we use for brining small cuts of meat. it is black and does not allow any light in. light is not good when curing meat or sausages because it breaks down fats and turns them rancid. not sure how light would react with cheese. will be working on a much larger container that will fit into a fridge comfortably. it will have racks in it and adjustable vent holes, both intake and exaust.

as far as the mats go they are the plastic ones used in most restaurants/bars to drain wet glasses. again boil before using.

[Cheese Head]

Reg, thanks for info, nice to hear your well worn friendly pillow cases are put to good use!

So sounds like you use black food grade plastic box stored in fridge and for now adjust the humidity by opening and closing lid a crack. Your new larger box will be better at regulating humidity with adjustable vent holes. What about the temperature, most cheese wants to ripen-mature-age at ~50 F/10 C, our household fridge is at 40 F/4 C! I'm thinking about buying a small wine chiller with flat racks, I can control the temp and the humidity isn't pumped out down low with compressor like on big household fridges.

[reg]

morning CH. actually that cheese was aged in my curing room. its a small room built onto a north wall in the basement. it aprox 3'x3'x8' tall. outside wall is block and the other walls are insulated. concrete floor. you can adjust the temp by the amount the sliding window is open.

that will more than likely be my last use of that room for this year as i see the temps are going up this weekend into the 70's

going to have to buy a small fridge or clean out the one i have down stairs. not sure the direction i will take yet

reg