Greetings

[gemma.tyson]

The cheesemaking bug has bitten my partner and I.
We're from a small country town in Victoria, Australia.  Started by making home brew, found out we liked playing with bugs, found an advertisement for cheese kits on the brew forum and here I am.
Have played with ricotta, feta like cheeses (supposed to be a farm cheese) and failed miserably with a proper feta cheese.
Last weekend I made a Booter Kaas from this forum and I'm impressed.  Thank you for all the information on this site.  My partner is making me a cheese press for future cheeses.
Hope to play with camembert next.   

[zenith1]

welcome to the forum- good luck with your new hobby and press.

[mtncheesemaker]

Welcome to your new hobby!

[smilingcalico]

Welcome to our 12 step group of cheese addicts. 

[margaretsmall]

Hello, great to see yet another Australian cheesemaker. Feta - my first 2 batches were a failure too, but the breakthrough came when I left it to dry at room temp. for about 4 days (my instructions said 2) until it felt 'clammy but not wet'. Then sprinkled salt all over for another day, and finally put some in brine and some in sunflower oil with little bits of chilli. Yum!
Margaret

[gemma.tyson]

Thank you everyone for the welcome.

Margaretsmall, bought some more goats milk on the way home from a mouse killing spree in the Malley last night.  Hope to make some more Feta this week - will try to dry out some more.

Also am going to start a Gouda cheese today.  Trying a recipe from a book that my partner bought me last week.
Shall keep you all updated

[darius]

Welcome to the Forum... I am relatively new, and just a few so-so 'makes' under my belt. Great folks here, all very helpful!

[Tiddlypom]

Hello from Adelaide too! I was inspired by a course a couple or three years ago, now reviving my equipment and cultures and having another go. My first couple of fettas didn't go down too well with the family either (guess that's why I dropped the idea for a bit ) Just tried my first pressed cheese, a caerphilly - and another a fortnight later. Will taste the first this weekend.

[Bishop]

Thank you everyone for the welcome.

Margaretsmall, bought some more goats milk on the way home from a mouse killing spree in the Malley last night.  Hope to make some more Feta this week - will try to dry out some more.

Hi Gemma.Tyson
              nice to meet another Victorian, talking of the malley i grew up that way, l then moved to Melbourne 10 or so years ago but still make regular trips up there.
Have you found any fresh milk supplier's near by?  If not give these guys ago

[gemma.tyson]

Hi Bishop.
The Mallee is an incredible place, flat as.  Mouse plague seems to be getting worse everyday.  No cheeses going there for a while 
Partners' dad lives there.
Kerang is our closest supply for raw milk - over 3 hours from us, about 90 mins from where we go.  Usually a weekend when we're travelling that way
and the dairies are closed.  One day.
Have been using A2 milk with organic milk.  Getting really good yields with the A2.  Goats milk I buy when I go to the big smoke (Bayswater)  always seems
to be available in the supermarkets there.
Finally had some success with the Fetta.  Followed the advise given and it worked.
Battling with mold on a gouda with a rough base, conquered mold on a buttercheese and had my first go on camemberts this past week.
Very addictive.  My work place enjoys it though as I bring tasting plates of my home made goodies.

[Gustav]

Enjoy!

Juat make sure to get the simple stuff right first before going for complicated cheese. A person learns alot along the way. It helps to get GEO 17 togethet with penicillium candidum for the camembert.

[gemma.tyson]

Hi Gustav.  I never was a patient type 
Baby steps I keep getting told!  What is GEO 17?

[Gustav]

Penicilium Geotrichum. It ia a basis white mold that grows before the penicilium candidum and assists it with growth. I like to compare it  with valcro, the one sticks better with the other.
I personally found that without it, the candidum tends to grow in blotches, but it should still wotk though.