Caraway We Go!

[Boofer]

I had 3 gallons of rich, yellow summer milk and really didn't know what I wanted to do with it. I decided I'd like to try my Leiden effort with caraway seeds instead of cumin seeds. I boiled a tablespoon of caraway seeds in half cup of distilled water and let it cool.

The initial milk pH was 6.71. I used 7 cubes of Aroma B mother culture, thawed. I also decided to bring out the small Kadova moulds and see how they worked again. It had been a while since I used them.

I had a little sticking of the netting in the moulds, but I added a little vinegar to some whey and dipped the netting in that and it helped to release the cheese when I unmoulded.

This cheese was the second one I made on Friday. That made for a rather tiring session. My wife was very patient with me all day.

-Boofer-

[MrsKK]

That looks really good!  I just picked up some caraway to add to a batch of Gouda.  Yum!

[Boofer]

Yeah, I think Gouda is the style closest to the Leiden. Fingers crossed. My wife doesn't care for caraway, and that's unfortunate, but it's a small batch.

The deep color with this milk is amazing. I have a real desire to maximize cheesemaking for the next several months to soak up all this grassfed goodness. 

-Boofer-

[Boofer]

I put the trio in the cave this morning and I'll continue drying them a little more before I vacuum-seal them. Then they'll stay in the cave for a minimum 2 months' aging.

-Boofer-

[hoeklijn]

You're a busy man Boofer! They are nice looking.
Just a tip: I always cut away the edge that is formed by the follower, not only because I'm coating the cheese, but also because it's a place for molds and bacteria.
My cave is almost empty now. We had a party last Saturday and I've been producing most of the year for the party.
The remaining cheese (about 3 kilo, Cabra al Vino, feta, my delicious Reblonbert and my "Try d'Ambert") is finished today at lunch at the office....

[Boofer]

Good idea to remove that little edge. I let it go on some earlier cheeses, but it wasn't as pronounced as it is with these. I received the tub of coating. Maybe this is the cheese that I'll try it on. What do you think?

Sounds like everyone enjoyed your cheese efforts at the party. Good job.

-Boofer-

[hoeklijn]

Go Boofer Go! These are nice wheels to try it on. Be sure to use a new and dedicated brush, strike it several times over a piece of sandpaper to get rid of the loose hairs and start painting.
Surface of the cheese should be dry before painting of course, paint top and half of the side, when dry turn it around and paint the other half. I put a label between second layer and third (transparent) layer, but I think the yellow coating is transparent enough to keep the label readable....

[Boofer]

Hey, Herman, how long does it take to dry?

This looks to be a long process of coating, waiting to dry, flipping, coating, waiting to dry, flipping, coating, waiting to dry.... 

-Boofer-

[hoeklijn]

Sorry Boofer, didn't see your answer to my last post yesterday, normally I'm coating during the week, so when I come home I flip the cheese, after dinner I paint the upper part, before I go to bed I can flip it and paint the other half. Next two days this will be repeated.
I looked again at your pictures: I suppose you press them this way because you have 3 moulds? I only use two 1kg moulds and I stack them so the pressure is not divided...

[Boofer]

I have four small Kadova moulds but only had curds for 3 this time. I can either do it the way I've pictured it or I could stack them vertically. I prefer the method I chose. Pressing power is not a problem. My spreadsheet was set up for 4 moulds, but slight recalculations accommodate the 3. I've also pressed in the pot and not in the Dutch press applying the same technique. It works fine for me.

The first time I applied the coating, it was a little bit too thick and it took a while to dry. I'm learning how it works.    I am coating two of them and I vacuum-sealed the third.

-Boofer-

[hoeklijn]

I am coating two of them and I vacuum-sealed the third.

-Boofer-

Good idea, gives a good opportunity to see if there's a noticeable difference in development. I planned to make Gouda with mustard seed today, but some urgent household jobs got in my way...

[Boofer]

Trying out the the polymer coating with natamycin. Hopefully, when I go to cut into this cheese, this coating will come off easily. It does take a while to dry. I would probably stick to applying it to cheeses with smooth rinds.

-Boofer-

[george]

They're so CUTE!

[hoeklijn]

Nice job Boofer! On the picture of the coating in progress the coating seems a little thick indeed and then it takes a while to dry. I only use it for hard/semi hard cheeses and when the cheese is at room temperature it should be fairly easy to remove. I once tried it on a white Stilton but then it was quite a job to peel it off...