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GENERAL BOARDS => Introductions => Topic started by: Tiss on September 07, 2013, 01:31:44 PM
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Just want to introduce myself. My nickname is Tiss. I have a small herd of Lamancha and Alpine dairy goats and have been making cheese for about three years. I expanded the herd last summer and finally have all the milk I could want for experimentation. I also have a BFF with a Jersey and am able to trade goat milk for cow regularly.
I've really been pushing myself to become a better cheesemaker this summer. Dear Husband bought me a wine cooler on Craigslist and that has opened up worlds of possibilities. It's already full and I need another. Here are some pictures of my creations. I look forward to learning even more here!
~Tiss
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x102/klhammock/C9D03167-BEF3-4E7A-84B5-4972A7806AD5-261-000000CC7C2DA334_zpsc970aa22.jpg)
The Bearded Ladies and New Herd Sire
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x102/klhammock/17A76933-0129-4BAF-80B2-E66D543B737A-592-00000124500C564A_zpsf6dd17e1.jpg)
A Care Package for a Friend
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x102/klhammock/7556C20F-6402-4200-8ED4-8E8AD90F46F5-592-000001244314CC75_zpsf6019d29.jpg)
Valencay- I gave the pyramid shaped one away
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x102/klhammock/21CA5338-ED7A-4FF7-A4F3-2C9360F8FCC4-592-00000129CC83F787_zpsf8f40461.jpg)
My 2nd Goat Gouda
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x102/klhammock/C41CEF4D-E185-44D2-B7A3-0AE4529F26B7-11340-0000177F4FF6D887_zps2f03eb84.jpg)
Crottin- I cut this one very young. The rest of the batch had a nice ooziness under the rind. I guess it was too delicious to snap pictures.
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Welcome to the forum , great resources here , and being an experienced cheese maker yourself , your input will be much appreciated .
Nice little farm you have there , I am envious , I have to buy my milk from others.
I still have fun at it though.
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Beautiful goats. Beautiful cheeses. We're looking forward to hearing more about your adventures.
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Welcome to the forum from The Netherlands, neighborhood of Gouda.
I love your Valencay! Just have been to an open day at an artisan dairy last Sunday with a Valencay, a Manchego and a Gouda. All three were highly appriciated. On the photo I see a little bit of slipping skin, just as I use to have. What's the recipe you use?
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Thanks for the warm welcome! I have been loving my Gouda's ;) This last one I didn't wax in time and decided to just wash the rind with a brandy brine. Should be interesting! :o
I am using the Valencay recipe from Artisan Cheesemaking at Home by Mary Karlin. It has a pinch of GC in it that's supposed to help with slippage. Some slip a little, some don't.
What have you done to help with the slipping? I'm always up for tips.
Here's the latest. It's my first attempt at pepper jack. I used 2 gallons raw Jersey for it and aged 60 days. I used the "Just Jack" recipe from the book I mentioned above. It's wonderful except for the rind. The recipe calls for a bandaged rind and I am not happy with the flavors that the wild molds imparted. In the future I will try waxing or an oil rubbed rind.
(http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x102/klhammock/82DA142B-FA46-4BBA-A1BD-9E82DE6BC018-1134-0000021378D80918_zps21ceff59.jpg) (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/klhammock/media/82DA142B-FA46-4BBA-A1BD-9E82DE6BC018-1134-0000021378D80918_zps21ceff59.jpg.html)
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As far as I experienced now, it's a delicate balance between a high RH and a low temperature in the cave (90%, 11-12C), and going easy on the amount of PC en Geo. Besides that I like them most at the age of 4-6 weeks. Just Jack seems a bit crumbly to me, was that intentionally?
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No, it wasn't intentional. It was my first attempt at a Jack and my first experience with this particular milk. I usually use my goat milk which sets up very fast and requires about 25% less culture than recipes call for. I was shocked after 30 min that I still didn't have a firm curd on this. It took about 50 minutes to set. I need to take all that into account when I try this one again. It may be a while since my friend drying up her cow in preparation for calving.
Even with the crumbliness, it still has a very nice creamy texture. Not dry at all.
What are your suggestions?
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When it's still creamy it seems to me that it didn't knit very well. How did you press?
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I have a spring press. I am looking at getting a lever style/Dutch press though. I'm not entirely happy that I have to keep adjusting the tension as the curd compresses. It's quite possible that this one compressed down until there was very light pressure if I pressed it overnight. That sometimes happens if I put it in for final pressing right before bed. Girl needs her beauty rest!
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LOL, I think you need something like this:
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Drool!!!