Hello From New England

[DeejayDebi]

Hello there!

My name is Debi and I am from Connecticut. I run a website and forum called Deejays Smoke Pit primarily about smoking meat but we do a little of everything sausage, lunchmeats, canning, dehydrating, beer brewing, wine making, soda pop, and last but not least -cheese making.

I have been making cheeses off and on since 1976 have have never found anyone else that wasn't a big dairy farmer that also liked to make cheese. I am very excited to accidently find this place. I say accidently because I was following an eBay link for a cheese molds and this place popped up. I had given up years ago trying to find anyone on the internet that liked to make cheese. Looks like a great site. I can't wait to dig in.

[goat lady]

Hi
It is nice to talk cheese with others and get others input. What kind of cheese have you made??

[MrsKK]

Welcome, Debi!  I'm a new member here, too, and find it nice to have a group of people who know what I'm talking about when I start in on cheeses.  Sounds like you make a lot of good things to eat and drink! 

[Cartierusm]

Welcome, we can always use someone who's been making cheese that long. I'll second what Goat Lady said, what kind of cheese do you make?

[Cheese Head]

Hello Debi and welcome to the forum, looking forward to your input!

I think you are the first one here from US State of New England, so I've just added your State to our listing of member locations and added a Geographic Board in case you want to post anything "local".

[Captain Caprine]

Hi Debie,
Welcome to the forum.  I look forward o your posts.
CC

[DeejayDebi]

Thanks for the warm welcome.

Like I said I have been doing this off and on. I have soo many hobbies I  am like a butterfly - I land here and there every now and then.

I have made mozzarella, ricotta, cheddar, provalone, asiago, Parmesan, Romano, Monterrey jack, Colby and I think that's about it. I am Italian and it shows in my cooking and cheese making. I made a bunch of soft cheeses in the beginning but I don't remember what they were mostly cream cheese, Chev re, farmers cheese, Asadero that sort of thing. Except for mozzarella and ricotta I am not a big fan of soft cheeses - but you can't make lasagna on manicotti without them eh?

I have not yet developed the patience to make an old world provalone. You know the kind that used to hung in front of the counter at the meat market that smelled like old gym socks? Loved that stuff! I usually only make 2 pound batches and in the winter so it gets eatten. LOL

I plan to build a cheese cave from a refrigerator this summer. I have most of the parts just missing the refrigerator and the space to put it. I clear a space in the basement soon.

You are probably wondering how I ripen cheeses and salamis without a cave? I have a spare room (used to be my office)now unheated I hang them in and hang Cheese cloth over them which gets misted once a day to control humidity. This works from mid October until early April. Then they get vaccum sealed and go into the refrigerator. I hope to improve on that process. The trick will be doing both in the same cave.

[Tea]

Good morning Debi and welcome to the forum.  Good to have you on board.