I used home made buttermilk, but this seems to happen to my feta as well as my other hard cheeses Even when I use the frozen, mesophilic DVI. This one was just a "farmers cheese". So, I started at 86, added buttermilk , then rennet, then it sat, then I cut the curd, slowly stirred for half an hour while it came up to 100. It all looked sooo beautiful when I put the curds in the press and then even when I took them out 2 hours later (slowly increasing the pressure...) Then after sitting on the counter in my kitchen for 24 hours to dry off and allow me to wax it... it bulged out a bit at the bottom overnight and then when I cut into it (because I suspected something ) I found the same old holes... ugh!
I boil everything before I start.
Pasteurize your milk even if its a shop bought milk and sterilize everything that gets in touch with your milk. It is a carbon dioxide producing bacteria that is lurking in there somewhere. Homemade buttermilk would certainly have it. Do you know what starters are in your frozen DVI?
What shape mold is that? ???
The mold is a cylinder about five inches in diameter, stainless, that my brother in law drilled out the sides for me. I made the press from plans on fiasco farms website and use barbell weights to press.
I want to make unpasteurized cheese. hmmm carbon dioxide producing bacteria... I have many cultures fermenting on my counter... water kefir being the most active.... very bubbly mix. I also have sourdough starter and milk kefir, butter milk now and then and fil and piima cream.... I guess all their bacterias and yeasts are mixing in my kitchen's air and I don't actually have any of those things in its pure form anymore :(
Thanks I think that answers my question...
Maryann
Jazz I'm getting this book, when it comes out this summer: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603585788/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1O8T6E3GXF3ZH&coliid=I28D339XHKEO5M (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603585788/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1O8T6E3GXF3ZH&coliid=I28D339XHKEO5M)
It might have a few answers on how to keep your yeasts and bacteria in their own media.
Quote from: Sweet Leaves Farm on January 09, 2015, 11:35:47 PM
Jazz I'm getting this book, when it comes out this summer: http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603585788/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1O8T6E3GXF3ZH&coliid=I28D339XHKEO5M (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1603585788/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1O8T6E3GXF3ZH&coliid=I28D339XHKEO5M)
It might have a few answers on how to keep your yeasts and bacteria in their own media.
That book looks pretty sweet.
Quote from: Gürkan Yeniçeri on January 08, 2015, 10:35:57 PM
Pasteurize your milk even if its a shop bought milk and sterilize everything that gets in touch with your milk. It is a carbon dioxide producing bacteria that is lurking in there somewhere. Homemade buttermilk would certainly have it. Do you know what starters are in your frozen DVI?
^^ this. Or airborne yeast from your kitchen. I ferment beer/bread/kimchi/salami/cheese/sauerkraut/hot sauce/mead/pickles, I'm pretty careful with the microbes. Don't cross the streams!
Thanks Andrew /past pawn :)
I have the book. .. I think my problem was I was using older milk...must use the fresh stuff... once past five days it's hard to get other cultures established.