Author Topic: My First Cheshire  (Read 8107 times)

Tomer1

  • Guest
Re: My First Cheshire
« Reply #15 on: October 23, 2011, 09:30:00 PM »
Ive found that a smooth skin can accually be created in the first hour or so by frequent flipping before applying any pressure.
The pros often turn it just once in the press and redress and still get a perfect smooth surface,
You can see this is various clips showing the use of hydro\pnuematic presses.

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My First Cheshire
« Reply #16 on: October 23, 2011, 09:39:44 PM »
Hi,

I was thinking that a few more flips early on probably would help, as the curd is still warm, and by flipping you're applying the pressure from different, and changing, directions, which should help fuse things.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My First Cheshire
« Reply #17 on: November 02, 2011, 06:51:01 AM »
Hi,

Well, I decided to wax this one today.  It weighs 1130g and is in good condition.  I have to brush the wax on, but I'm getting better.  Not too much of a mess :)  I hope to age this one out quite some time, so by waxing it helps prevent it from drying out too much, and it allows me to free up space in one of my ripening containers as it can just sit on the shelf outside a box.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My First Cheshire
« Reply #18 on: June 16, 2012, 05:42:05 AM »
Well, it's been awhile since this one has seen the light of day.  Given the disaster with the blue, I decided to cut into this one (friends were over for a house warming lunch).  It's aging quite nicely, as it's about 8 months old now.  I find the ones aged in wax really need to breath for the flavour to be right.  Early, they have a sort of fruity taste to them.  Hard to describe, but sort of like the fruity taste that home brewed beer has if you use corn sugar.  It eventually fades after it's been airing out for awhile.  Anyway, this one was well recieved and I'm pleased with it.

- Jeff
« Last Edit: June 18, 2012, 12:23:05 AM by JeffHamm »

Offline Boofer

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Lakewood, Washington
  • Posts: 5,015
  • Cheeses: 344
  • Contemplating cheese
Re: My First Cheshire
« Reply #19 on: June 16, 2012, 06:30:51 AM »
Dynamite! Gorgeous cheese, Jeff.

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My First Cheshire
« Reply #20 on: June 16, 2012, 07:14:45 AM »
Thanks Boofer.  Just had another nibble, and now that it's been out all day the odd "fruity flavour" is gone.  It is a nice medium aged cheddar, but it does have some interesting sweet notes to it.  I like it.

- Jeff

Dulcelife

  • Guest
Re: My First Cheshire
« Reply #21 on: June 17, 2012, 11:24:46 PM »
You continue to be an inspiration to me.  Your makes are always beautiful, your photography very good. Your descriptions are always mouth watering.

You seem to have a handle on the science and technique despite not using the magic gadget so often sited by others.

Goes to show that practice and common sense does indeed make for a better cheese maker than anything else.

Cheese for you!

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My First Cheshire
« Reply #22 on: June 18, 2012, 12:31:23 AM »
Thanks Dulcelife. 

It is, of course, possible to make decent cheese without thermometres, hygrometers, and pH meters and such, but if you have them it can speed up the learning curve a great deal.  Being able to measure what's going on enables you to compare the feel and other sensory information when it's reached the desired target.  Some cheeses are fairly forgiving, others, not so (my recently binned stiltonesque, for example).  More equipment won't make up for bad technique, by which I mean knowing that you've shot past your temperature and/or pH targets doesn't change the fact that you have, but it does let you know where you need to be more careful in the future.  Other things come with practice, such as figuring out what "gentle" means when stirring. 

- Jeff

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My First Cheshire
« Reply #23 on: July 21, 2012, 01:42:52 AM »
Noticed one of the pieces of this that I rewaxed had a small hole and mould was happily setting up a new home.  So, I cut another wedge off and cleaned it up, and rewaxed a bit more carefully.  It was just a bit of surface blue, so easy to remove.  But this cheese is really comming along nicely.  Still wonderfully creamy, but developing a nice aged bite, yet still with hints of milkiness underneath.  I'm really pleased with this make.

- Jeff

Susie

  • Guest
Re: My First Cheshire
« Reply #24 on: July 21, 2012, 04:27:38 PM »
Wow, good job! I'm inspired!

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My First Cheshire
« Reply #25 on: October 28, 2012, 07:17:19 PM »
Ok, this one is now just over a year old.  Friends were over for a BBQ last night and I put out a cheese plate.  I made sure this aired out all day, and this one has really come into it's own.  Has a nice aged bite about what you would expect from a 1 year old, the paste has excellent mouth feel, there's no off flavours, etc.  Really pleased with this.  Must make a couple of these to age out again.  I've got a few cheddar types that will be a year old early next year, so I should start to prepare more for the cave.

- Jeff