Kadova Brand Molds - Best Practices

[Cheese Head]

Zoey, it was actually member Wayne in another thread linked in OP who said that he could barely get 1kg cheeses out of a 1 kg gouda shaped mold.

I'd guesstimate that your average batch yields 1.2 kg, so it looks like you are right, the 1.0 kg is too small and my 1.5-2 kg is maybe too big. I think Debi is best one to answer as I think she just made a small batch with them.

[DeejayDebi]

Zoey I have put as little as 3.2 lbs in the 1.5-2.0 kg molds. In fact I have done it every time but the first time. The bigger 6.6kg cheese did not fit well in my mini cave with all the other cheeses so I cut it in half.
This was a 7 gallon batch of Montasio which was about 3 kg each.


edited the post I accidently posted 3.2 kg instead of US pounds Sorry! Thanks John!

[Cheese Head]

Hi Debi

I think you meant that you made a 6.6 lb (3 kg) batch from 7 US gallons (26.6 liters) of milk that you subsequently cut in half.

Wow! You managed to stuff curds resulting in 3kg worth of cheese into a 2kg mold, great job. Thanks for the info as I have the same molds, it gives me an idea of how far I can go.

[DeejayDebi]

I put 6.6 pounds of cheese in two molds or 3.3 pounds each.

I just checked my notes again today and the left over munster curd I threw in the kadova mold when I ran out of square ones was only 2.25 pounds or 1 kg. So that was the smallest I've pressed it the 1.5 kg molds so far.


Do you weigh your cheese wet or dry? I weigh them after about a week.

[FRANCOIS]

Hoops, in general, are specified on the final cheese weight.  So a 1 kg mold will yield a 1 kg wheel after dehooping and salting.  For example we run a lot of 20 kg hoops, but actually put in 34-38kg of curd.  The final block is 20 kg (give or take).

[DeejayDebi]

okay I think I've confused everyone here. I thought I was trying to find the smallest cheese I made in the molds for Zoey.

The smallest I have presed was about 3,2 pounds of wet curds.
The biggest I have done is about 6.6 pounds of wet curds.

Wet meaning right out of the vat not yet drained. Is that more clear? I have quit weighing wet cheese I'd rather weigh after a few months then I know what I have to eat! 

[susanne]

most of the time i use 3 to 4 gallon of goats milk. this is a very rich milk with high protein and fat content. i would need at least a 2 kg kadova mold to fit the curds. i only see 1 kg or 3 kg at glengarry, new england or cheese dairy.
where did you get your two kg mold?
i have never weighted the wet curds yet. but from 4 gallon milk i get a cheese after pressing and salting of a bit over 2 kg. i should weight after aging but for some reason somebody cuts into it before i even think about it

[Cheese Head]

susanne, member DeejayDebi special ordered the 1.5-2.0 kg Kadova molds through Glengarry in Canada/USA, where she says is the best price for them. Debi accidentally ordered four rather than two she wanted and thus resold two to me.

On my OP there is a link to a supplier C. van 't Riet with Kadova mold dimensional data, it lists the 1.5-2.0 kg round Gouda shape hoops pictured in that OP.

[DeejayDebi]

Susanne -

Glengarry ordered them for me but I ordered them in May and they arrived in July so don't be in a hurry!

I did just order 1.5 gram edam molds from From Servi Doryl for only $27 I think they had similar ones also. They don't have the built in liners though you'll have to use cheese cloth.

I am curious to see if the plastic cheese cloth I bought from glangarry will work as well in these molds as the kadova with the built in liners for nice smooth cheeses.

[susanne]

i have the plastic cheese cloth from glengarry and have not used it much because of the stiffness.
the only thing with cheese cloth i see is all the fold marks on the cheese rind. i can imagine with the built in netting with the kadova mold it will make a really smooth rind
i went to  the C. van 't Riet  website and wondering if they would send only one mold? 
i also like the wooden mold. has somebody here experience with it? how easy to keep it sanitized after use?
debi if i would have been earlier on this great forum, i would have bought one too from you.

[DeejayDebi]

Sorry hon but you can still order one from Glengarry you just have to wait. Unless she ordered extra when she ordered mine?

The plastic cheese cloth I bough it about as flexible as two thicknesses of saran wrap especially when warm. I used it in my tallegio mold when I made Mahon last week. It's amazinglt strong yet flexible. Cleans reallty easy too. Just rinse in water and the curds fall off. Even that sticky crottin cheese goo rinsed right off. I am hoping with the round molds it will strtch enough to shape cleanly.

OOOooooOOO??? Wooden molds? I didn't see those ... uh oh ....

[Zoey]

I also need wooden molds.
(well, not sure if "need" is the right word there...)

So I emailed C. van 't Riet in Europe (rietdairy.nl) which seems to be connected to the link in USA which John posted. So we'll see soon, whether or not they're interested in my hobby cheesemaker order (I'll let you know).

[susanne]

debi look here
http://www.schuller.us/Moulds.html
aren't they nice

zoey i'm very interested to hear what you will find out

[DeejayDebi]

They are gorgeious! I don't think I have room for any more molds unless I start packing them in my bed. Hmmm I am kind of short and there is alot of space down by my feet ... 

You guys are a BAD influence on me! I got by with 2 little PVC and 2 bigger stainless steel molds for almost 30 years and now all these plastic ones keep showing up on my doorstep!   

[Tea]

I don't know Deb, I wouldn't mind one of those wooden moulds showing up at my door.  They're just beautiful.

Anyone email them for size and prices yet?  Thinking I might find out about them.