I tried an experiment: four-gallon makes each of Cheddar, Cheshire, and Lancashire, all cloth-bound; then I could compare and contrast and find out which I preferred.
Perhaps I've developed some "cheese intuition" (or maybe it just smelled funny!), but after six months there seemed to be something off with the Lancashire. Indeed, as I discovered after cutting it open:
(https://tiabr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/DSCN4957.jpg)
Completely horrible and a spectacular failure, and it went straight into the bin.
I realize that Cheshire can be eaten young, after just a few weeks, but that wasn't part of the experiment. It was with some trepidation that after two more months, I cut into the Cheshire:
(https://tiabr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/DSCN5271.jpg)
. . . and should have sharpened my cleaver first!
(https://tiabr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/DSCN5274.jpg)
(https://tiabr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/DSCN5278.jpg)
The paste was dryer and crumblier (and oranger, maybe I used a heavy hand with the annatto!) than I expected:
(https://tiabr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/DSCN5279.jpg)
(https://tiabr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/DSCN5284.jpg)
But, you ask, how did it taste?
I gotta say, darn good. Somewhat different from a Cheddar, maybe a bit sweeter?, but with a nice complexity of flavor.
(https://tiabr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/DSCN5287.jpg)
So, very happy with this. I had resorted to buying some rubber supermarket cheddar, but now I have four pounds of much better.
I don't know how well this will melt, but I'm gonna make a toasted cheese sandwich and find out!
-L
Too bad about the Lancashire, but that Cheshire is beautiful! AC4U!!!
How about that Cheddar you mentioned in the beginning as your third cheese? How did that come out?
Thanks!
Since I wasn't able to compare all three, I'm going to leave the cheddar for another four months (for a total of a year), if I have the patience.
"Sir, you try my patience!"
"Don't mind if I do. You must try mine sometime."
:)
-L
Quote from: Lancer99 on August 09, 2020, 11:03:29 AM
(https://tiabr.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/DSCN4957.jpg)
Completely horrible and a spectacular failure, and it went straight into the bin.
Seems like a classic failure (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10888.0.html). ???
-Boofer-
I'm slightly worried that my Cotija style cheese is going to end up like that. Appears to have a nice intact rind (alpine style... kind of), but a while ago it was producing a lot of blue smells. No blue mold in sight... Hmmm...