my first cheeses...

[Cartierusm]

That's the way to go.

[wharris]

This is why i make 5 wheels instead of 1 large.  I have no self control.

Kinda like salmon laying thousands of eggs, there is the slight chance that one wheel will survive to maturity.

[Cartierusm]

Wayne's got the right idea, just like buying a couple cases of wine you like instead of a whole bunch of random bottles. Wayne can open one up periodically and check to see the progress and then consume when they are just right. Me I'll either have a butt load of good cheese to pass out or a whole bunch of cheese to feed the squirrels.

[LadyLiberty]

Really edible already? Mine has zero flavor at that stage. LL, 1.5 is really the bare minimum for cheddar, if you can wait 3-6 months it will be way better.

But this is farmhouse?    We were gonna test this with the ale we just brewed (it will be ready in two weeks.

[Cartierusm]

I don't think farmhouse means short aging, it could but I thought it just meant easier so you don't have to do the whole cheddaring step which lasts all day.

[stuartjc]

I point my learned colleagues to the great Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queso_Blanco

[LadyLiberty]

I point my learned colleagues to the great Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queso_Blanco

I don't think that's the same thing, actually stuart.

Queso Blanco is a soft cheese, it's not pressed.  There is Farmhouse, and Farmhouse Cheddar.  I think Farmhouse is similar to the Questo Blanco if I remember from the Amish Community. 

[stuartjc]

I point my learned colleagues to the great Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queso_Blanco

I don't think that's the same thing, actually stuart.

I know :-P

But all I can do is follow the instructions in the booklet I got from leeners, which has two separate sets of instructions for "farmhouse Cheddar" and "regular Cheddar", if I can put it that way...

If I get my act together I will post a scan of the FH Cheddar here.

[LadyLiberty]

Like me and the flour sack towel I promised to post.

[Cartierusm]

Farmhouse cheddar is just like cheddar but a little more flaky.

[Likesspace]

From what I have read, Farmhouse Cheddar is ready to eat after one month of aging.
Stirred Curd is the next earliest to ripen at 3 months and then traditional cheddar is the variety that requires the longest aging period.
I'm not positive but I think I got this information from both the schmidling website and the Cheese Wizard website.
Anyway, I've tried a farmhouse at the 6 week mark and my kids proclaimed it an excellent cheese. Personally I found it to be a little soft but it did have a nice flavor.

Dave

[LadyLiberty]

From what I have read, Farmhouse Cheddar is ready to eat after one month of aging.
Stirred Curd is the next earliest to ripen at 3 months and then traditional cheddar is the variety that requires the longest aging period.
I'm not positive but I think I got this information from both the schmidling website and the Cheese Wizard website.
Anyway, I've tried a farmhouse at the 6 week mark and my kids proclaimed it an excellent cheese. Personally I found it to be a little soft but it did have a nice flavor.

Dave

That's what I've read too.  That the Farmhouse Cheddar is ready in a month.  Mine will be at least two months when we try it. 

[Likesspace]

L.L....
I just noticed that you are at nearly 200 posts in the short time that you've been on this board.
Sheesh, do you realize the pressure you are putting on the rest of us to try and keep up??

Honestly it's people like yourself that make this forum what it is.
Every forum relies on the participation of it's members and you and are certainly doing your part.

Dave