Greetings From A Seattle Neophyte

[gstone]

Hello all, and thank you for this amazing resource!  I've learned more in the last several days than I could have possibly imagined... just enough to let me know how much more there is to learn!

I've lived in Seattle for 23 years after moving from the Midwest to escape the bitter winters and brutal summers.

My first haphazard cheese exploration began shortly before I moved here, and that's where it ended... until last week.  I decided to stop putting it off and get serious about learning how to make my own cheeses.  I bought a copy of Ricki Carroll's "Home Cheese Making," read it all, and this last weekend made my first 30-minute mozzarella, using the whey to make some ricotta.

The mozz went really well until the very end; I think I got it too hot at one point and it just went all Velveeta on me.  I was trying to get it to stretch really smoothly like I've seen in several videos, but I must have overdone it.  It's actually somewhat like brie in consistency.  Tastes good though, and I'm sure it'll cook well.

I tried again yesterday, with slightly better results.  I've just read some very helpful posts on healing, curd size, and time multipliers that I think will get me where I want to be with the mozz. (thank you, linuxboy!)

On a local note, I live at the west end of the Wallingford neighborhood in Seattle, just a stone's throw from the Woodland Park Zoo.  While doing some yard work this summer, I was chatting with a passerby and she mentioned that she was taking her little girl over to "say hello to the goats".  When I asked her about it she said that they were "just a couple blocks down and over one, that-a-way" but I've scoured the neighborhood looking, listening and smelling for goats, to no avail. 

Does anyone know where the goats are in Wallingford??  I'd love to get some raw milk for feta!

Thanks again for this great site!

[linuxboy]

Welcome

Two people in your area: Rachel (Baker is the last name, I think) is by the zoo, and Lacia is over in Ravenna. I think if you're on the west end of wallingford, it's probably Rachel, who has mini-manchas.

Mini manchas usually do not smell with proper care, and are generally very quiet unless in heat. PM me if you need contact info.

[gstone]

Excellent, thanks!

[Cheese Head]

Welcome NW Fromager!

Sounds like you got the bug, have fun here!

[ellenspn]

Welcome and jump right in

[gstone]

Sounds like you got the bug

I did indeed.  Apparently, I'm one of those kind of enthusiasts.  I'm pretty sure cheese will take up about 80% of my consciousness for the next few months.

[gstone]

Two people in your area: Rachel (Baker is the last name, I think) is by the zoo ... I think if you're on the west end of wallingford, it's probably Rachel, who has mini-manchas.

Contact!  We're going over to meet Rachel and the goats on Sunday to talk cheese.  Thanks again.