I would really appreciate some direction for the recipes I should be looking at for the type of cheese I would like to make.
I would like a couple of recipes that won't be a disaster if it is not followed precisely - so a bit of flexibilty in the make is important. I am not concerned if I do not reproduce the cheese exactly and understand that a 'relaxed' approach to cheese making will create variations in each cheese:)
Ultimately I guess I am looking to settle on one or two different types that are suitable as a general purpose cheese for sandwiches, toasted sandwiches, crackers, shredding, melting eg pasta dishes. (Ideally one recipe would be a quicker, less demanding recipe for busy days!) I understand from reading this forum that Caerphilly and Tomme are often recommended, so would like to know if these fit into my prefered 'parameters' specifically final taste (or if they can be altered to suit?).
I live in a rural area and do not have access to purchasing a variety of cheese to see what my family and I like now (its been a few years since we've had anything other than generic 'mild'/semi-matured cheese from the supermarket, but in the past have enjoyed the likes of edam, jarlseburg, gouda, havarti, colby etc - and a lot of others I can't remember the names and specific tastes of).
So these are the parameters that I hope will help lead to suggestions for which recipes I should start looking at.
Will be using raw jersey milk, fresh from my cow that morning (usually 4, 6 or 8 litres - 1, 1.5 or 2 gallons).
Will start with commercial cultures made into mother cultures, then would like to try cultures made from my own cultured buttermilk and yogurt.
Will not be using a ph meter.
Pressed with weights up to 10-15kg (max 20kg)
Young: aged for 1, 2 or 3 months
Smooth, moist creamy texture. Not brittle, dry, crumbly or overly rubbery.
Mild flavoured but still tasty and not bland.
Mid level salty or sweet (would be keen to try a recipe for each)
Not mould, stinky, very sharp flavoured, fruits, herbs etc.
Will use wax, oil or brine but not vacuum sealing.
Ageing will be low tech, esky/insulated box with iced containers or a dedicated refrigerator (no thermostat at present).
Thanks
Michelle