Author Topic: Starters/Cultures  (Read 6028 times)

CdnMorganGal

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Starters/Cultures
« on: August 29, 2010, 07:42:47 PM »
Anyone found some for sale in Costa Rica?

Offline woodsman

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  • Location: Belize
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Re: Starters/Cultures
« Reply #1 on: August 29, 2010, 11:00:04 PM »
Did you check with local dairy? Here in Belize I'm able to get rennet and Danisco mezo and thermo cultures this way, though they do come in expensive bulk packets (125 or 250 DCU).

CdnMorganGal

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Re: Starters/Cultures
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2010, 01:42:21 PM »
Getting rennet here isn't a problem - every agricultural store and vet clinic carries it. Local dairies only make queso blanco, which doesn't require a starter. I'll need to travel a bit to find places that make other cheeses, that MIGHT require a starter. Poco a poco.

Unapartera

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Re: Starters/Cultures
« Reply #3 on: September 13, 2010, 05:36:15 PM »
I live North of San Jose in an area known as "Tirol" in San Rafael de Heredia. Today I bought my first 2 liter bottle of raw milk and am about to pasteurize it. Have you found citric acid anywhere (Farmasia)? Have you tried making the cultures from buttermilk (mesophilic) or yogurt (thermophilic)? I though that I would give it a try. I bought some rennet but each tablet coagulates 100L of milk which is a much larger scale of cheese making than I am ready for. Any suggestions about ingredients and where to find things would be really appreciated.

Vicky

coffee joe

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Re: Starters/Cultures
« Reply #4 on: September 13, 2010, 07:34:36 PM »
A friend in San José was having the same problem and had it mailed from
http://www.cheesemaking.com/

I did the same here in Brazil and though I got both DVI and Mother Culture, I'm sticking to Mother culture for now. I'm pleased with the results but you need to make cheese regularly.

http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/p/133-Mesophilic-Starter-1-packet.html
http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/p/137-Thermophilic-Italian-1-packet.html



CdnMorganGal

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Re: Starters/Cultures
« Reply #5 on: September 14, 2010, 04:43:55 AM »
I brought the citric acid with me from Canada, so haven't looked for it here in CR, and its still sitting in my kitchen, unused. I also brought the cultures with me from Canada (but bought from cheesemaking.com), so haven't needed to use buttermilk or yogurt.  Where I am there is only one source of unflavored yoghurt and I wasn't sure how 'alive' the cultures would be, (I think the yoghurt was imported).  You can buy liquid rennet (cuajo) readily in my area at any agricultural supplies store, vet clinic and pet shop - but I live in a rural area. Still, I don't think it would be difficult to find in your area.  Be careful though - the brand available to me is geared for commercial use - read the label - I only need to use 8-9 drops per 4l of raw milk to get a nice clean break.