Goatomme 1&2 - Please ease my nerves!

[Paine88]

"Finally, some good milk!" - Me, 2019.

Last weekend I had the great pleasure of going to a summer mountain pasture for milk goats in Northern Norway.
I was allowed to take some milk for cheese, and hurriedly did. As in planned for a few weeks and made sure I had everything right.
I figured that since this is my first meet with raw milk I would make it as simple as acceptable. Also because I wanted to pick bilberries an fish trout as well. So, I decided on a Tomme-style, seeing as we were in the mountains. I used the recipie from Gianaclis Caldwell and followed it to the best of my ability.

16l Fresh goat milk. (Ended up being closer to 15, I think. We had limited measuring opportunities in the milk room.)
1 ts MA4000
1/2 ts Diluted CaCl2
1/2 ts Diluted rennet

07.30: The milk came out at 28c so in goes the culture. Rehydrated for 5 mins then stirred for 5 mins.
08.00: Increased temp to 32c and held it there with towels.
08.30: Added CaCl2, diluted in boiled cooled water.
08.35: Stirred in the rennet for 1 min, stilled the milk and let it set for 45 min. Clean break.
09.21: Cut into cm cubes and rest.
09.30: While stirring, heated slowly to 38c, kept stirring for 15 mins after that.

Gathered the curd into two molds, got a bit uneven sizes, but hey. Cheese.
Left for 15 mins with no weight.
Turned and 30 mins with 1/3 of the cheese's weight as pressure.(roughly)
Turned and 1 hour with 2/3 weight as pressure.
Turned again and left for 4 hours with equal pressure to cheese.

Then into a heavy brine, salt, vinegar, CaCl2 and water.
Brined for 7 hours, and into the winefridgecave at 13c and 85RH, turned twice daily.
The cheeses feel nice and firm.

Last night I saw this sugarlike substance on the rinds. Any idea what it might be?


It was really special to be able to take the milk, well, not straight from the udder, but at least straight from the milkmachine and into the pot.
I'm going back soon to make more! Raw milk was a pleasure to work with!

[River Bottom Farm]

What does the sugar like substance tase and smell like? Could it be salt that is crystalizing as it dries? It

[Duntov]

You should not need calcium chloride with raw goat's milk at all.  I am sure you got a very firm curd from it.  The cheese looks great and I am sure it will age well.  AC4U

[Paine88]

RBF, I tasted it, but no saltyness. Doesn't seem like an issue anymore. But good idea!

Duntov, I read several places that goatmilk was hard to firm. Next time I will skip it, to see the difference myself. Thanks for the cheese!

I Just came home from a week in Amsterdam, and now there is plenty of growth on my babies! Patted them down with clean gloves and back into the minicave!

[Paine88]

Growing steadily

[Paine88]

5 Weeks old