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GENERAL BOARDS => Introductions => Topic started by: AndreasMergner on November 16, 2012, 12:45:18 AM
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Hi, I'm Andreas. I am the son of immigrant parents (England and Germany) and have a taste for European foods, including cheese. My wife's family is from the Azores (Portuguese) too. I like to cook and have way too many hobbies...most relevant here are perhaps making cheese, homebrewing, baking rustic type breads and I have my first batch of grape wine fermenting currently. I have been making cheese for a little over a year. I have been reading this site for a little longer than that. I still consider myself a beginner.
Cheeses I have made so far:
yogurt type cheese
Quark
Mascarpone
Mozz
Camembert -- came out nice, although I have read that it didn't come out quite right. ;)
Gouda -- tried this with a natural rind and it ended up nothing like Gouda...was still good, but hard. I still have it after a year and it is a nice grating cheese.
Raclette -- I didn't get any B linens on my first one so it ended up tasting entirely different. I have a second one in the cave now, but I had some wild mold get to it before I rediscovered containers. It has a ton of B linens on it now. I have a thread for this one.
Vacherin Fribourgeois -- I've never even tasted this cheese, but I made the recipe from 200 Cheeses and it is not quite correct. It is my cave now. I have a thread for this one too.
My interests in cheese are pretty much any kind. I'd like to make cheese types that aren't readily available or at a better quality than I can buy. I discovered Raclette while in Switzerland staying with family friends. I instantly fell in love with it and my wife (whose favorite cheese used to be "white american"!!!) now loves it too. We have two Raclette grills. :)
I'm here to learn from the best. You guys are amazing. I also like to drool over the amazing cheese porn.
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Hi Andreas.
Welcome to the forum :)
Do you have any cheese pr0n for us? ;)
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Yes welcome to the forum
that said, Show us yer cheese :P
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Ha ha, ok I'll show you my cheese! I am a beginner so keep that in mind. ;)
Mozz ready for Caprese salad with homegrown tomatoes
(http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/283533_2084572546659_1195493_n.jpg)
My first pressed cheese: Queso Fresco --> this was ok and I used it in a lot of omelets and quesadillas.
(http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/271132_2064955216238_437457_n.jpg)
My first aged cheese: Gouda --> this dried out too much with a natural rind and probably too low of humidity in the mini fridge. I still have a bit of it after a year and cleaning some wild mold off it. It makes a tasty grating cheese.
(http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/316039_2336657768632_813359474_n.jpg)
My first bloomy cheese: Camembert --> This came out nice for a first try. It was mild, but with a mushroomy taste and a good texture. NOW I read through the Camembert threads and find out it is not quite ideal, but there is always next time!
(http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/316724_2336657688630_43304211_n.jpg)
My first attempt at a washed rind: 4 lbs of Raclette I tried to make last year. It never grew B linens and the texture wasn't right. I think it was closer to a cheddar texture. It doesn't look well knit either since I didn't have a press.
(http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/314978_2274815902624_1523522805_n.jpg)
Here's my simple homemade press with a homemade mold. The pic doesn't show that the lever is an 8 foot long 2x4. It is just screwed to the post so I can remove it. It only has a 9:1 ratio but I have at least 100lbs of weight I could put on it...not that I would need to. I've put 180 lbs on my raclette and VF cheeses with it. The mold is 8.5" in diameter, I believe. I use a wood follower.
(http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/577011_4172842832111_510203933_n.jpg)
I have some pics of pizza too! That has cheese on it. ;)
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Necessity, the mother of invention, Love the cheese pix ;D
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H-K-J: I enjoy your cheese pics as well. I'm excited to try Stilton as one of my next cheeses...not only because it is one of my favorites, but I love the pics of the blue mold cheeses!! I can't wait to show one to the Mrs. ;)
The press took about 2 hours to build and only because I couldn't find a tool or two. (I have a 22 month old. ;) ) Time is precious these days. The mold is just the right size for a 4lb cheese in the containers I have...at least for 3" thick type cheeses.
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I don't have a 22 month old, I'm a 60 some odd year old who has a tool in his hand puts it down turn's around, can't find the tool and hunts for it for a half hour, then goes in the house ask's the wife have you seen what I have done with such and such tool? she says no, I turn around to go back to the shop and she say's what is that in your back pocket :-[
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Ha ha, that is a good one. I have MULTIPLES of tools, because I can't find the one tool I have. Can't find the wire stripper after an hour....sigh...might as well buy another one for $7. :-/
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I have at least a dozen 9/16" wrenches and sometimes I can't find one :(
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Ok, I don't have a dozen of anything. :) I have a ton of sockets and I can't find the container for them! They will show up eventually (?).
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We opened up our presents early last night. I received a vacuum sealer, a pH meter, some cheese knives and a cheese board. This was the cheesiest Christmas yet! :)
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Very cool! Merry Christmas! :)