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GENERAL BOARDS => Introductions => Topic started by: stuartjc on February 06, 2009, 08:58:57 PM

Title: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 06, 2009, 08:58:57 PM
Hi everyone,

I am Stuart, a complete novice cheesemaker! I moved to Alabama from Edinburgh, Scotland in 2005.

I am a major foodie, including pairing food and good beer... which is why I was dismayed to find out that AL is one of 3 states that restricts the ABV in beer to 6% or less  >:(, which is why I am heavily involved in www.freethehops.org

I am married (coming up to 9th anniversary), owned by cats, and mainly read science fiction and fantasy. And McGee on Cooking!

Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: chilipepper on February 06, 2009, 09:57:15 PM
Hi Stuart and welcome to the forum.  Many of us here also are homebrewers as well.  I would find it hard to exist in AL with the ABV restriction.  That is really a pretty odd law.  I have a high gravity barleywine brewing right now at a little over 12% ABV.  That will be next years winter warmer! :)

Once again welcome and if you have any questions this is the place.  Keep us posted on your progress!

Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 06, 2009, 09:58:20 PM
thanks, chili!

Just for added laughs: homebrewing is illegal in AL, too....!
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Cartierusm on February 06, 2009, 10:16:23 PM
REALLY Homebrewing...that sucks. But I'm sure you partake as it would be impossible for anyone to find out.

I've never been but would love to get some property in the Highlands and retire to Scotland.

Anyway, welcome.

P.S. What took you from Scotland to AL?
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 06, 2009, 10:18:04 PM
Carter, you may change your tune after one Scottish winter... it's milder than Canada, shall we say ;)
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: chilipepper on February 06, 2009, 10:21:57 PM
What, Homebrewing... Illegal!  Well maybe you could bribe the revenuers with cheese! :)
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 06, 2009, 10:24:16 PM
I can see I will enjoy hanging out on this forum  ;D

As part of Free the Hops, I am working to change the ABV cap - this year is our 3rd attempt. We nearly got it done last year but we got bogged down in the senate.

There's a group of home brewers trying to reform their side of things, but this kind of change takes *time* in Alabama. *sigh*  :(
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Cartierusm on February 06, 2009, 10:41:43 PM
Not sure what  Canadian winter is I'm in San Francisco, but I love the cold. It could be below zero and I'll be in shorts and a t-shirt, I wear it all year long no matter how cold it gets. I was in the shop with the door open a few weeks ago with no shirt at it was 40 degrees Fahrenheit inside...and I was sweating. I have a very high metabolism...or is that botchulism?
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 06, 2009, 10:45:37 PM
"Botulism is bad, mmkay?"

 ;D
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Cheese Head on February 06, 2009, 10:49:41 PM
"Fit Like" (means Howdy in Aberdeenese) Stuart and welcome to the forum!

Good luck with making cheese, there's a Cheesemaking for Newbie's Sticky Post (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,582.0.html) that a few of us contributed to.

I believe you are the first member here in Alabama USA albeit with a Scotish accent ;D, so I just added an Geographic> USA > Alabama Board (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/board,129.0.html) in case you or anyone wants to use it :).

Coincidentally my next door neighbors here in Houston are from Alabama, nice people.
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Erin on February 06, 2009, 10:56:25 PM
Hi Stuart and welcome.  I'm in New Orleans, but many of my relatives live in LA (Lower Alabama) and I may retire there. Property tax is really low there. Are you in lower, middle or north Alabama?

And on the topic of cheese, have you made any yet?
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 07, 2009, 01:36:07 AM
to: cheese head John: my very own sub forum?!!? Coo, I feel honoured! Aberdonians are nice people, albeit sometimes hard to understand  ???

to: Erin: I am in Birmingham, so central AL. This weekend I will be making my first ever batch of cheese, with a kit purchased from leeners.com - a farmhouse Cheddar  :)
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Tea on February 07, 2009, 08:43:37 PM
Hi Stuart and welcome to the forum.  Keep us informed how the cheese turns out.  Some pics would be great too.  Hope everything goes well for you.
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Captain Caprine on February 07, 2009, 10:31:49 PM
Hi Stuart,
Welcome to the board.  Please keep us informed as to the progress of your righteous crusade against  the draconian repression of the Alabama legislature. 
Power to the homebrewer!!!
CC
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 08, 2009, 12:17:45 AM
got my first 2 gallon batch of combined milk and whipping cream slowly heating up on the stove.  :o

I realised that my "huge" stock pot is only big enough for 2 gallons + 1 qt  >:(
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Captain Caprine on February 08, 2009, 12:36:08 AM
Don't worry that will make plenty of cheese (unless you are Carter).  I have 3 gallons of goat milk going on the stove right now myself.
Good luck!
CC
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Cheese Head on February 08, 2009, 12:40:11 AM
CC, you sure are lucky to have goats, the only time I tried it was a simple Chevre with Store Bought Ultra-Pasteurized Goat's Milk (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,833.0.html) and I couldn't get a good curd set.
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 08, 2009, 12:54:12 AM
I am guessing that 2 gal skim milk + 1 qt heavy whipping cream should give me about 1.5 - lbs of farmhouse cheddar....?
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Likesspace on February 08, 2009, 12:56:01 AM
Welcome to the forum!
I did 2 gallon batches of cheese for my first two years and then finally decided to try 3 gallons. That turned out well so I bought a new cheese vat and moved to 4 gallons and then 5 gallons.
Right now I'm sticking with the four to five gallon batches since they fit my current molds very well, but I have dreams of moving up to Carter size batches (or beyond) one day.
Everytime I give my dad one of my cheeses to try, he asks when I'm going to start selling them. I honestly can't think of anything that would give me more satisfaction but at this point I just don't feel that I'm ready to take that "next step".
Okay, I'm rambling.....
My point is that I am getting better at making cheese with each batch and a large portion of that success is directly related to the advice that I've received on this board.
This is without a doubt the best cheese making site on the internet.
Good luck with your cheese making.

Dave
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 08, 2009, 01:33:51 AM
thank you for the encouraging words, Dave: this confirms that I made the best choice in registering for *this* forum  ;D
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Captain Caprine on February 08, 2009, 01:39:51 AM
John,
I am a bit spoiled I guess as I have never had a problem getting a good curd form their milk.  I do wish I had access to some cows milk though.  My wife and I are toying with the idea of a dairy cow but we are a bit space limited at this point and I don't know how the Highlands would put up with a new cow now that they rule the North pasture.
CC
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Captain Caprine on February 08, 2009, 01:47:26 AM
Stuart,
How is it going with the cheese.  I have decided to tempt fate by making cheese on the left burner, wild boar chili on the right and just opened a bottle of my 05 Cabernet.  This is usually a recipe for kitchen disaster but no guts no glory 8)
CC
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 08, 2009, 02:06:29 AM
Hi CC,

just coming to the end of the ripening process. I will post here later with results  :)
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Captain Caprine on February 08, 2009, 02:10:31 AM
Cool
Im draining curd
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 08, 2009, 02:55:33 AM
I have added the rennet substitute, and am waiting on tenterhooks  :o
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: wharris on February 08, 2009, 03:00:44 AM
For those not from Alabama (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenterhook)

(lol-  I will admit to having to look that one up.....)

:)
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 08, 2009, 03:07:31 AM
 ;D

question for the experienced cheese makers: can I use Kosher salt instead of the special (-ly expensive!) stuff from the supply company...?
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: wharris on February 08, 2009, 03:18:05 AM
You can from an Iodine perspective, but its less than ideal from a surface area/salt volume ratio perspective.

You do not want to use iodine salts like mortons because the iodine kills good bacteria.

Most Kosher salts are big grains, and if you are using it to directly salt the curds, you will have better salt distribution with smaller grains or better yet,  flaked salt.
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 08, 2009, 03:24:15 AM
thank you, Wayne - I will pay careful attention to my salt  :)
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Cheese Head on February 08, 2009, 03:57:19 AM
Stuart, just FYI but I built a Salt info webpage (http://cheeseforum.org/Making/Salt.htm), you'll also pages there on Salting Curds & Making Brine.

As Wayne says, no Iodine, Kosher salt has big grains, I find standard Canning/Pickling Salt works great, cheap, local grocery, I've never mail ordered "Cheese Salt".
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 08, 2009, 04:09:30 AM
... you guys are *amazing*. Thank you  :)

Funnily enough, CH/John, as I also make pickles and preserves, I have a large quantity of that very brand of pickling salt  ;D
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 08, 2009, 05:39:10 AM
well, there is a mass of curds sitting in the press with a gallon of water sitting on top of it, the whey is still in the pot so that I can make ricotta out of it tomorrow, and it's very late so I am off to bed.

Speak to y'all tomorrow!
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Cartierusm on February 08, 2009, 05:43:53 AM
What cheese are you making? Stilton?
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 08, 2009, 02:35:36 PM
farmhouse Cheddar
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: Cartierusm on February 08, 2009, 07:21:50 PM
Did you add cream to get a better set or did your recipe call for it? Where did you get your recipe from?
Title: Re: Hi from Alabama
Post by: stuartjc on February 08, 2009, 08:41:42 PM
the recipe came with the booklet with the kit I bought from leeners.com. The milk recipe is an adaptation of the recipe here: http://schmidling.com/milk.htm - I used 2 gal skim milk, 1 qt heavy whipping cream, 1.5tsp CaCL in 2tbsp filtered & boiled-to-buggery tap water.

I know my temp control has been a bit all over the place, so I will not take this first batch as being not representative of what I will be making when my temp control is better!

But this is what I love about cooking. Just for background, I have been cooking for my friends and family since I was about 14 years old, and am now 40 years. Since moving to the USA, I have started making jam, preserves, pickles, relishes, sausages, bread, cakes, cookies, and am now branching out to cheese making.

I love cooking.. because you eat the proceeds  ;D ;D