French Moulds Reviews/Comments

[KosherBaker]

I would like to know a little bit more about the French moulds that are sold by several cheese making supply stores on the web. I'm only interested in the ones with straight sides.
Does anyone have any idea how much pressure can the Tome Mould and its lid withstand? On the Glengarry site they are types W34 model PF3889 and PF3888.

I have the same question for any other French mould with straight sides.

My understanding is that all Italian moulds taper.

[linuxboy]

I will ask the manufacturer and let you know. In my experience, they work for tommes and goudas, something up to 10 PSI, and that's it. No good for milled curd unless openings are acceptable.

[wharris]

I believe that Diary Connection Sells these under the part number DC-PF3889001


I was able to get to about 15psi, before I bent the follower back.

[KosherBaker]

I will ask the manufacturer and let you know. In my experience, they work for tommes and goudas, something up to 10 PSI, and that's it. No good for milled curd unless openings are acceptable.

Thanks LB, you're amazing. So it looks like Kadova is the only mould that can be used in all situations and all types of cheeses.

I believe that Diary Connection Sells these under the part number DC-PF3889001
I was able to get to about 15psi, before I bent the follower back.

Yup that's the one. OK so it looks like 10 - 15PSI is the max. Is this the strongest French mold available?

[linuxboy]

You can use plenty of other commercial molds to press at high PSI. Most microperf molds will press, the Busqui will, servi doryl molds will, etc. It's just that cheddar is the only really high PSI requirement, and most cheddars use stainless hoops and molds, or the newer microperfs. For goudas and other cheeses, opening elimination is typically done through pressing under whey, not extreme PSI. You get a good knit at less than 10 PSI for most cheese.

You can actually press the smaller French molds to more PSI. That 200mm lid is the biggest, yes. But there are other lids: 113, 132, 175, 180, and 188 mm. There are other French mold companies out there, but the products are not sold in the US.

[KosherBaker]

Thanks LB, I think the picture is getting a little clearer. It also looks like I'll have to give Ullmers a call if I want to make a cheddar some day. Since sending them an email doesn't seem to work.
So then folks go with Kadova for the final cheese appearance and the convenience of built in "cheese cloth"?
This seems like a perfect time to ask what all of you professionals, and seasoned veterans, use and or recommend for moulds, in corresponding sizes and maybe cheese types.

[RenaissanceM]

I posed the same question to Glengarry cheese company after purchasing the same mould and follower and this is the answer I got through e-mail: 
 
"The moulds you are referring to are not able to take a high degree of pressure, to provide you the psi, we will need to revert back to you.  As our own experience has provided for us the psi is 0.5 bar (aprx 7.3 psi), beyond this amount the moulds will deform or crack.
 
The Kadova style moulds are much more durable and able to sustain very significant pressure upto 5 bar (72 psi).
 
Sincerely,
 
Margaret Morris"

I did try to press some cheese in it, however I made the mistake of doing it with too much pressure and too soon, causing the cheese to ooze out of the nylon netting/cheese cloth.

As an alternative, I ended up buying a rectangular stainless steel colander (from a restaurant supply store) and cutting a thick high density Polyethylene cutting board in the shape of a follower. I also used  two layers of dish cloth to contain the cheese. This worked out quite nicely to press cheese at around 20 psi (which I later discovered was a bit much for Haloumi  )

[Sailor Con Queso]

Kosher - You seem to be overly concerned about high pressure. As LB said, the Cheddars (and Cantal) are really the only cheeses that require very firm pressing. I make lots of different milled/salted curd cheeses - Cheddars, Cheshire, Wensleydale, etc in 8" Tome molds and rarely go over 8-10 psi. As Wayne pointed out, I too have gone up to 15 psi (with Cantal) with no visible distortion. Part of that depends on the size & shape of the piston that is doing the pressing. There are lots of other tricks to getting a good meld without resorting to high pressure.

[KosherBaker]

Kosher - You seem to be overly concerned about high pressure.

Here's my reasoning. I'm looking for a mold that is versatile (i.e. multitasker) and can be used for many different kinds of cheeses. If I get a mold that can be used for Cheddars I can reuse it for Goudas and Edams and other pressed type cheeses. The fact that my Gouda isn't in a traditional shape is not that important to me, unless of course it will affect its final flavor. So I was looking for advice from the seasoned cheese makers on what they actually own and use and recommend. For example Francois hates Kadova especially for the home cheese maker, although I only partially understand why.
My best interpretation of your and LBs replies is that any mold can be used in virtually any cheese (save the Cheddar and Cantal). This brings up the question of convenience and other quirks of each mould/houp. So I'm looking for advice/experience on that. Basically I'm planning out my shopping list and want to know what must be on it and why.

As LB said, the Cheddars (and Cantal) are really the only cheeses that require very firm pressing. I make lots of different milled/salted curd cheeses - Cheddars, Cheshire, Wensleydale, etc in 8" Tome molds and rarely go over 8-10 psi. As Wayne pointed out, I too have gone up to 15 psi (with Cantal) with no visible distortion.

Great info. Thank you.

Part of that depends on the size & shape of the piston that is doing the pressing. There are lots of other tricks to getting a good meld without resorting to high pressure.

I'd love to read more on that. I'm guessing this is in the archives somewhere? Do you have a link? Because I did not see it in the archives of this forum which I have finished reading.

[DeejayDebi]

Rudy -

My techniques may be a bit different than most but I have used the tome to make cheddar and not used more than about 25 ponuds of weight. I press most of my cheese in a plastic container to chach the whey and still the drafts and as Sailor also discovered by using a pot it gives you a better press with less weight.

The tome molds from Dairy Connections come from Glengarry they are one of the same. In fact last October I visited Dairy Connections while on vacation and they suggested I buy the Tome mold from Glengarry - their supplier because I could save a few dollars on the price. How nice is that? I was already there so I didn't but rest assured they are the same mold. Also Margarett brings the US orders to NY for shipping every week so save us on shipping and to get the orders here quicker - another wonderful person to deal with. She has the best price on most molds in the US.

As for the kadova molds I like them because they press so cleanly and look so nice. I also like not having to play with cheese cloth or plyban when pressing - it quick and easy.

Hope that helps!