Best starter culture for gouda?

[linuxboy]

can't tell me what cultures they use in their buttermilk as it is commericially sensitive information.

Oh please. As if someone couldn't take all the commercial options, get a sample of their product, isolate the strains, do PCR, and match them up. What is this, 1975? Wankers.

Obviously, with a screenname like linuxboy, I have no strong opinions about open source vs closed source information.

[Tomer1]

Its reminds me of that time I asked a local meat processing plant to help me out to source a meat fermentation culture to make some salami. (still havent been able to source the culture and im not crazy enough to do wild fermentation on raw meat).
They said its a trade secret and they cant help me.

[linuxboy]

Tomer, which salami? I might be able to help. The makers are the same for cheese as for meats. Cargill, Hansen, etc dominate. Sometimes, salamis are adjuncted in addition to classic lactobacilli and you'll find other proteolytic bacteria, like S xylosum.

[Boofer]

See, even monkeys can learn!

Recently saw "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" which confirms that statement!   

Its reminds me of that time I asked a local meat processing plant to help me out to source a meat fermentation culture to make some salami. (still havent been able to source the culture and im not crazy enough to do wild fermentation on raw meat).
They said its a trade secret and they cant help me.

Tomer, have you touched base with DeejayDebi? She might be able to help you out.

-Boofer-

[george]

Oh please. As if someone couldn't take all the commercial options, get a sample of their product, isolate the strains, do PCR, and match them up. What is this, 1975? Wankers.

This was my first laugh of the morning.   Why do you always pull your punches, LB?  Say what you REALLY think!   

[dthelmers]

I believe that a lot of times when some one say's "That's proprietary information" it should be translated as "I have no idea". In a commercial operation they are following procedures and the starter is "the starter" and they know where they get it and how much to use, but may have little idea of what it really is. Somebody there knows, but he's not the guy with the desk and the telephone that you're going to get a hold of. I see this happen regularly in my business, with customer service reps saying absolutely absurd things about our process and materials. It's probably better to have them say "It's proprietary information" than to have them say something ridiculous.
Dave in CT

[Tomer1]

"Tomer, which salami?"
Accually I didnt have a specific kind ,Just wanted to know whats available and carry from there.

Im sure  DeejayDebi can help but unfortunatlly shipping it overseas is not an option because of storage temp restrictions.

[linuxboy]

That's usually lactobacillus plantarum, lactobacilus acidilacti, lactobacilus sakei, or lactobacillus curvatus, Pediococcus pentosaceus, Staphylococcus xylosus or a blend.

here in the US, the big distributor for chris hansen for meat products is
http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=207

You could contact the local Hansen office and ask them who the local distributor is. It might not be exact, but it will get you pretty close to the authentic flavor.