A New Year, and lots more cheeses to make!.... We started this year with a Fontina....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Fontina_030121_Email.jpg) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/369428e5-a8c5-4c02-96b8-0449df9168d3)
The make used 8 litres of 2% P/H Milk plus 950 ml of 18% Coffee Cream, for a total of 9 litres of 3.7% BF.... We used 1/4 tsp. of MM 100 culture and 1/8 tsp. of Lipase, plus 9 drops of Annatto, and based our make on the recipe from Debra's 200 Cheese book, using a 3.5X Floc. multiple.... The yield was 2 lbs, so right at 10%.... All of our washed curd cheeses using this culture have lots of small eyes, and that is the result we are aiming for, with a pale yellow colour....
PS.... We tasted the Fontina today at 2 months.... The aroma was distinctly Cheddary?.... There were a few small eyes, and one large crack across the middle.... It had a fairly strong Lipase taste, even though we only used 1/8 tsp. in the make.... :-\
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Fontina_at_2_mon_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/3a85c8c3-17a1-4d5a-8d13-8ea3529980f1)
PPS.... At 4 months the Fontina is maturing nicely, although the Lipase is still the dominant flavour.... We ate most of the quarter fresh, and some of it went into our first Fondue, along with some Emmental and smoked Edam.... It was an awesome combination.... 8)
PPPS.... We ate the last of our Fontina, aged a total of 8 months.... It melts very nicely, and makes a good grilled cheese sandwich, but the Lipase flavour definitely comes through.... As a table cheese, it is very strong tasting, a bit more than either the wife or I find enticing.... We plan to do another, but omit the Lipase....
Next up was a Wensleydale....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Wensleydale_100121_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/0b13aaaf-9a66-4145-86d6-50cb9fe783f8)
We used the same milk/cream combo, but only 1/8 tsp. of MM 100 and 90 min. of ripening as the recipe in Debra's book calls for less than usual, for slower acidification (as per Jim Wallace's online recipe).... We used a Floc. multiplier of 3.5X, the scalding temp. is rather low at only 95*F, and just 1 hour of cheddaring time, so we hope for a nice moist result.... The yield was 2 lbs. 2 oz., so just under 11%.... If this works out, we plan to do another in a couple of months with dried Cranberries.... ;)
PS.... We sampled the Wensleydale today at 1 month.... It was quite mild, but developed a nice cheddar taste when allowed to melt on the tongue.... Only the center was crumbly....
At 2 months, it was smoother, more creamy, and the center was less crumbly.... It is maturing nicely.... 8)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Wensleydale_at_1_month_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/57a14f96-cf33-4531-8d5a-4cd77f99d712)
PPS.... At 3 months, this cheese was wonderful, most of the crumbly texture was gone, and it sliced quite well, except for one area which was cracked.... The Cheddar taste is still developing.... We will definitely be making a Cranberry Wensleydale soon....
PPPS....At 5 months, the Cheddar taste is dominant, in fact you would be hard pressed to recognize it as a Wensleydale any more.... It's lovely, just very different.... 8)
Bob
Here are our next two cheeses for this year.... First up is a Derby, based on the recipe in Ricki's Book.... We used 8 litres of P/H milk (3.25% BF) plus 500 ml of 18% coffee cream, for a total of 8.5 litres with 4.0% BF.... plus 9 drops of Annatto.... We used the NEC Meso culture and 1/2 tab. of her Rennet, with a Floc. multiple of 4.0.... aiming for a moist, full fat cheese.... It came out at 2 lbs. 2 oz.... Here is a photo after waxing....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Derby_170121_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/15fde21a-06b4-4213-8111-28f3117eefb5)
PS.... We sampled the Derby today, at 1 month of age.... It sliced well, was moist and had a lovely flavour, with just a hint of cheddar.... Our technique is greatly improved....
At 2 months, it is aging nicely, a bit more cheddary, balanced moisture and fairly pliable.... 8)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Derby_at_1_month_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/f9cc259b-4d2e-4b54-b8ac-104b39ad9e71)
Yesterday we made Romano, again based on Ricki's recipe, except we lengthened the ripening time from 10 min. to 30 because the NEC online recipe used 60 min, so we split the difference (both recipes called for 1/2 pkt. of their Thermo culture).... We used 8 litres of 1% P/H milk plus 600 ml of 18% cream, for a total of 8.6 litres with 2.2% BF.... and 1/8 tsp. of Lipase.... We used a Floc, multiplier of 2.5, and whisked the curds down to rice sized after scalding.... The cheese pressed up with a tight rind at only 15 lbs.... It was 1 lb. 12 oz before brining.... Here is a photo right after brining for 8 hrs....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Romano_240121_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/3763e450-52c5-41ca-9866-084148683ca9)
PS.... We opened the Romano at 6 months, and discovered it had developed some pretty serious eyes.... :-\
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Romano_at_6_months_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/f1c6912a-ceb0-4c8c-b9c3-249d399304c4)
It tasted great, definitely Italian, but quite pliable rather than a hard grating cheese like we expected.... Regardless, we grated some to sprinkle on Pasta, and it was wonderful....
PPS.... At a year, the Romano has developed a nice bite and is aging nicely.... It is a bit firmer, but still rather soft as a grating cheese.... However, it is a standout, flavour-wise, on pasta.... 8)
Our technique continues to improve the more experience we get.... We are really enjoying making Cheese....
Bob
The last weekend of January we made a Caerphilly.... We basically used the recipe from Debra's "200 Cheeses" book, using the MA 4002 culture.... The milk was 8 litres of 2% P/H and a litre of 18% coffee cream, for a total of 9 litres of 3.8% BF.... We used a Floc. multiple of 3.5X, and it weighed 2 lbs. 11 oz. out of the mold (and was VERY soft), but after brining and drying for a week, that dropped to 2 lbs. 4 oz. and it was reasonably firm.... Here is a photo after waxing....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Caerphilly_310121_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/1210273d-8003-4306-8156-555f902315a8)
We will be aging it 1, 2 and 4 months....
PS.... We tasted the Caerphilly today at 1 month.... It was a very mild cheese, slightly crumbly.... Good but not spectacular....
PPS.... As it ages, it becomes a bit less crumbly and a bit easier to slice.... It peaks at about 3 months.... :-\
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Caerphilly_at_1_mon_Email.jpg) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/50f99ed1-00c7-43f0-a51b-f7e141d907f7)
Last Sunday we made a Montasio, based on the recipe in Ricki's book.... We used 8 litres of 2% P/H milk and 1/2 litre of 18% coffee cream, for 8.5 litres of 2.8% BF.... We used 1/2 pkt. of Meso and 1 pkt. of Thermo cultures from NEC, 9 drops of Annatto, and a Floc. multiple of 2.5X.... After cooking the curds to 102*F, we drained off the whey (5 litres to the curds!) and added 125*F water back to the original volume, raising the temperature to 111*F.... It only took 20 lbs. to knit the rind, and the cheese weighed 1 lb. 11 oz. out of the mold and 1 lb. 9 oz. after brining and drying for 2 days, a yield of 8.7%.... It is very firm, and we vacuum bagged it to age it for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months.... Our cheese cave is now full, so we are dropping back to only making a cheese every other week, as that is about all we can reasonably consume, averaged out over a year.... Here is a photo of the Montasio after brining....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Montasio_070221_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/a19578ca-1def-4751-bd72-98362c6ea69d)
PS.... We tried the Montasio after 3 months of aging.... It is quite a soft cheese, very pliable and slices beautifully.... It is quite mild, with a slight nutty taste which I think will develop more as it ages further.... Surprisingly, it has significant eye development.... 8)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Montasio_at_3_mon_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/26ba719b-980a-4810-a579-4e7530a911a6)
PPS.... At 6 months, the Montasio is a lot stronger flavour, with a bit of a bitter aftertaste.... a big change in flavour since we first tried it.... :-\
PPPS.... At 12 months, we threw it out!.... It had dried up a lot, sliced well, but the bitterness was more than we could take.... :( .... However, we are pretty sure that was the incorrect rennet, and lack of Holdbac, so we will eventually give it one more chance, maybe in 2023.... ::)
So, our initial push is over, we made 26 different cheeses in that many weeks.... Now it's time to repeat a few favourites and do some experimenting with added flavours.... 8)
Bob
We have reduced our cheesemaking to once every 2 weeks.... The cheese cave is nearly full, and we are limiting our consumption to about a 1 oz. serving each per night, plus a bit for cooking, so that works out to 2 lbs. every 2 weeks, so no point in producing more than that.... We have made most of the different cheeses that we want to try, and for the next little while we will be making our favourites over again, some with added herbs.... Last Sunday we made a Dill Harvari, based on Ricki Carroll's recipe from her "Home Cheesemaking" book.... We used 8 litres of 2% P/H milk, plus 1/2 litres of 18% coffee cream, for a total of 8.5 litres of 2.9% BF.... We used the MM 100 culture, and 2 tsp. of finely ground Dill which we sterilized for 1 min. on high in our microwave....
The make went well, and for the first time we used my newly made Horizontal Curd Cutter.... https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,19308.0.html (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,19308.0.html)
Here is a photo of it just out of the brine....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Dill_Havarti_210221_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/ee019d04-6746-4057-9f32-a1bfd3a497fc)
The yield after brining and 3 days of drying at 55*F was 1 lb. 12 oz, which is 9.4%.... The plan is to age it for 4 months, with sampling at 1, 2 and 3 months to find out when it is at its prime.... 8) .... The cheese is waxed with a yellow wax, but we will vacuum bag the remaining pieces each time we sample.... This has become our standard practice.... We place the cut edge of the cheese on the grooved side of the bag so that it can drain easily, which also avoids getting wrinkles on the cut edge from the bag drawing in under vacuum.... ;)
PS.... We sampled the Dill Havarti today, at 1 month.... It was delicious, we are REALLY pleased with the result....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Dill_Havarti_at_1_month_Email.jpg) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/55ab37a5-817d-4d58-a289-0189cfa7cfa5)
PPS.... As it ages, it becomes smoother and easier to slice.... The flavour was well developed at 3 months, with no noticable improvement at 4 months.... 8)
Bob
After making and tasting our first Manchego-style cheese, we liked it so much we decided to purchase a Manchego mold and do another.... We used a mixture of 8 litres of P/H whole milk plus 1 litre of 18% coffee cream, for a total of 9 litres of 4.9% BF.... That gives a P/F ratio of 0.64, which is about the same as Sheep's milk.... We cut down on the Lipase to just 1/16th tsp. and used 1/4 tsp. of MA 11 plus 1/8 tsp. of Su Casu....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Manchego_070321_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/28100d69-4971-4b19-af73-89ac8c980dcc)
We followed the recipe in Ricki Carroll's "Home Cheesemaking" book for the most part, using a Floc. multiple of 2.5X.... Before brining it weighed 2 lbs. 11 oz.... After brining in 21% brine for 8 hours at 55*F we dried it a couple of days at 55*F, and then covered it with EVOO and Smoked Paprika.... It is sitting for a day at 55*F, and then we will Vacuum Bag it, to sample at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months.... The weight after brining and drying a couple of days is 2 lbs. 6 oz. for a yield of 12%.... 8)
PS.... We sampled this Manchego at 3 months, and it was delightful.... It was moist, creamy and rich, with a nutty notes, and just a hint of Lipase (far better with only 1/16 tsp.).... The remaining 3 quarters are back in the vacuum bag to be tasted again at 6 months....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Manchego_at_3_months_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/a3ae82f3-f72c-4081-91ea-55952bdaafba)
PPS.... This cheese is maturing beautifully.... 8) .... At 6 months, it is incredibly complex, and the oiled Paprika rind has mellowed and spread throughout the paste, adding to that complexity without in the least overpowering the other flavours.... It could be slightly drier, and we may omit the Lipase completely next time, depending on how it tastes when it ages further.... So far, this is a screaming success, so very different to any other cheese we have made.... YUM !!!!
Bob
All of these look awesome!
Last Sunday we made our second Asiago Pressato.... We used a mix of 8 litres of 2% P/H Milk plus 1 litre of 18% Coffee Cream, for a total of 9 litres of 3.8% BF.... We basically followed the recipe in Ricki Carroll's book, "Home Cheese Making", but used 1/8 tsp. of Su Casu culture.... We used a Floc. multiplier of 3.0, and before brining the cheese weighed 2 lbs. 4 oz.... Here is a photo after waxing....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Asiago_210321_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/4fac4679-4e08-4582-8e5a-c372a083a8c5)
We will be aging it for 8 months, sampling at 2, 4 and 6 months along the way.... In a few months time we plan to alter the recipe just slightly, cutting the curds smaller and pressing more, to produce an Asiago capable of being aged up to a year....
PS.... We cut into this Asiago today, and like its predecessor, it has a large crack running through the middle....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Asiago_at_2_mon_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/061d3e66-b1e4-473f-b069-4e09b8391da5)
It tastes wonderful, a bit nutty, and exactly like the first one, but I wish I could avoid that crack.... I am wondering if the unusual step of pressing the cheese (rather lightly) and then putting it back in the mould without weight for 36 hrs. has anything to do with it.... and if there is a solution to try without changing the taste?....
PPS.... This Asiago improved with age until 6 months, but at 8 months had developed a somewhat bitter flavour.... Not sure what could have caused that (NOTE: research indicates it could be from using Vegetable Rennet in a long aging cheese).... ???
Bob
This fortnight's make was a Cantal.... We basically followed Ricki Carrol's recipe, with mods by Jim Wallace on their website, but smaller.... We used 8 litres of 2% P/H milk plus a litre of 18% coffee cream, for a total of 9 litres of 3.8% BF.... The culture was MA 4002, and a Floc. multiple of 3.5X, with the curds cut to 3/8".... The ripening, coagulation and stirring are all done at 89* F, you don't raise the temperature during this make.... It was cheddared with increasing weight on it, ending up at 50 lbs. after 2.5 hrs, and then sat overnight, unpressed.... The next morning it was milled and salted, and then pressed for a total of 57 hrs. starting at 25 lbs. and ending up at 170 lbs.... which is 7 psi in the NEC medium sized hard cheese mould.... It ended up at 2 lbs. 1 oz. for a yield of 10.4%....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Cantal_040421_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/0e48c5bd-115b-4fce-9b44-836d648f850e)
Now to wax it and put it in the cave for a year, with sampling at 3, 6 and 9 months.... It sure is a different way to make a cheese!.... ;)
PS.... We cracked open this Cantal today, at just about 3 months.... It is quite dense, although a bit more open texture than I expected, probably because of the diacetylactis bacteria in the 4002 culture we chose.... It had one crack, but that was not associated with a cavity of any kind.... It slices well, has a nice cheddar aroma, and a mild cheddar taste, but still seems quite young....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Cantal_at_3_months_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/43571e21-91fe-47f4-bf5f-cb05e218b43b)
It has a creamy texture, quite rich, and a lovely flavour.... I can't wait to see how the rest of it ages as we sample a quarter every 3 months until the last piece is a year old.... 8)
PPS.... Once again, the older it gets, the more bitter it becomes.... By the time it was a year, eating it on a salted cracker was required, as the salt eliminates the bitter taste!.... :(
Bob
Last Sunday we made our second Gouda, which is the first one using our new mold from Fromagex.... We basically used Ricki's recipe, using 8 litres of 2% P/H milk and 650 ml of 18% cream, for a total of 8.6 litres of 3.2% BF.... We used MM 100 culture, and a Floc. multiple of 3.5, and then cut the curd into 3/8" cubes.... After washing with warm water, to cook the curds per the recipe, we pressed it in the mold, under the diluted whey, using a 4L jug of warm water (9 lbs.) for 10 min. and then once we took the mold out of the whey, flipped, redressed and pressed at 10 lbs. for 15 min., 20 lbs. for 30 min. and then 40 lbs. for an hour (1.6 psi) by which time the rind was closed.... We then pressed it overnight at 80 lbs. and then soaked it in 21% brine for 8 hours.... then dried it a day before waxing....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Gouda_180421_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/8b1af709-5c40-4932-90a4-4a4802529d86)
We are going to age this one for up to 2 yrs., sampling it each 6 months.... It weighed 1 lb. 13 oz. before brining, for a yield of 9.6%, just about perfect for a Gouda.... I really think paying attention to the recommended Protein/Fat ratios from the uGuelph eBook helps get the cheese you intend to make....
https://www.uoguelph.ca/foodscience/book-page/standardization-milk-cheese-making (https://www.uoguelph.ca/foodscience/book-page/standardization-milk-cheese-making)
We try to "standardize" our milk to the appropriate P/F ratio, by adjusting the BF content by how much cream we add, and it really seems to help.... Once we finish up the bit of Gouda from our first one in a month, we will be making another to age for just 8 months, but we really wanted to try one that we will leave to age longer....
PS.... At about 4 months, this cheese swelled up and split the wax.... We vacuum bagged it immediately, and at 6 months cut it open to sample it.... There was a large crack in the middle, and quite a few medium sized eyes.... It did not smell off, so we rebagged 3/4 of it and ate the other quarter.... It is a typical Gouda, pliable, moist, slices well, and has a creamy, buttery flavour.... It does, however, have a slightly bitter aftertaste.... We will sample it again at a year!.... ;)
PPS.... At a year, this Gouda had also developed a bitter taste.... We now really regret having used Vegatable rennet in cheeses aged longer than 5 months, particularly if they are brined.... The bitterness starts in the center, and spreads outwards as the cheese ages.... We have decided to smoke the remaining half of this Gouda, both to gain more experience in smoking cheese, and to see if we can "save" it....
PPPS.... We smoked it for 3 hrs., which is a bit too long.... Even after sitting for several months, the smoke flavour is still too strong.... The bitterness from using the wrong rennet is still increasing, but it makes a wicked grilled cheese sandwich if you cut the outer, smokey layer off.... :-\
Bob
I just tried a Gouda recently that I aged for six months. it was wonderful! Aging really helps this cheese. I have one quarter of it left which I am letting go for another three months to try at the nine month stage.
I have another wheel made using the same recipe, two months later, which is aging away as well. I think I will quarter it at the six month stage to see how it is coming along and probable start another wheel just about that time.
Gouda is what got me loving cheese in the first place. I still remember the first time a cheesemonger gave me a taste of a five-year old Gouda and I got a taste of caramel and crystal crunch and just went crazy over it!
Ah... memories...
I haven't had a crunchy Gouda, but I am hoping that by 2 years that may be the case.... I tasted some commercial year+ old Manchego a couple of months ago, and it had some crystals in it....
Bob
Last weekend we did our second Colby.... The first one was tasty, but too moist and sticky, but we now know more about cooking the curds to the proper consistency, so we're confident this one would be better.... It certainly is a LOT firmer, and the yield is much closer to what it is supposed to be, at 10%.... We basically used the recipe from Caldwell's Artisan book, with 8 litres of 2% P/H milk plus 700 ml of 18% cream, for a total of 8.7 litres of 3.3% BF.... We used MA 11 for the culture, and 18 drops of Annatto, and a Floc. multiple of 3.0X.... We cooked the curds at 102*F for a full 90 min. after achieving that temperature, before the cold wash to drop the temperature back down to 86*F.... We direct salted instead of brining, and after a day of drying the cheese weighed 1 lb. 15 oz....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Colby_020521_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/fbd2e658-9b91-4427-a936-c50ff397985b)
The plan is to age this cheese 4 months, with sampling each month along the way.... I am confident this will be a much better Colby than our first attempt....
PS.... We sampled this Colby at 1 month, and it was hugely different to our first attempt, last year.... Whereas that one was so moist it stuck to the knife, this one, if anything, is a bit on the dry side.... It has a nice mild Cheddary flavour, and I think will only improve with age....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Colby_at_1_month_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/9693447b-c38e-4c32-8cf2-f565f1c94ed3)
PPS.... This Colby improves with age.... It becomes less crumbly and easier to slice.... It also becomes moister as it ages, although I have no idea how that is possible.... It is also developing a stronger Cheddar taste, and by 4 months it had a creamy, medium-sharp Cheddar flavour.... Definitely a nice cheese, worthy of making again, but concentrating on reducing the acid buildup in the make....
Bob
That's a lot of cheese! I want to try a dill Havarti. Yours looks great!..
Last Sunday we made our first Jarlsberg.... We used the basic recipe in Debra's book "200 Easy Cheeses", using 8 litres of 2% P/H milk and 650 ml of 18% cream, for a total of 8.7 litres of 3.2% BF.... During my research I found six recipes, 3 of which used a Meso culture, and the other 3 a Thermo culture.... Since I plan on doing a Baby Swiss (which uses a Meso) at a later date, I chose the Thermo for this make, using Su Casu culture....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Jarlsberg_090521_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/f5a67ee6-2b5b-4265-bdd3-f1703ff285f2)
It weighed 2 lbs. before we waxed it, for a yield of 10.4%, and is currently in the first stage of ripening in our Cheese Cave.... In 2 weeks it will start 4-6 weeks in the "warm phase" to allow the Propionii Shermanii to create eyes.... We will sample it after that, and then again at 4, 6 and 8 months....
PS.... We cracked this Jarlsberg today at 8 weeks.... It swelled nicely in 3 weeks during the warm phase, and then collapsed back to its original shape, just like our Emmental did.... When we sliced into this cheese, we found a huge crack, running about 1/2" from the top, virtually all the way across the cheese....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Jarlsberg_2_months_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/71c4e926-de63-47af-9df8-370bb500e5fa)
The intersting thing about this crack is that when you open it up, the inside surfaces are shiny, just like eyes are supposed to be.... rather than dull the way mechanical holes are.... ??? .... The cheese tastes awesome, definitely a "Swiss" flavour, as it should be when using P. Shermanii.... The paste is moist and pliable, and slices perfectly, and is full of small eyes.... Other than the crack, it is a 100% success....
PPS.... We sampled another quarter at 4 months, and it is lovely.... and it makes GREAT grilled cheese sandwiches, melts beautifully.... 8) 8)
Bob
Nice! I just ordered some P Sherman in hopes of making a baby Swiss. So, this is considered an "easy cheese"? What pray tell. are hard cheeses? (Don't tell me parmesan)
The Colby actually had the longest make time (a lot of stirring).... We only make semi-soft to extra-hard pressed cheeses, and having done about 30 different makes, we don't really find much difference in the difficulty.... some just have more (or longer) steps.... The most difficult was probably the Cantal.... which we had to press at up to 7 psi (170 lbs.), for a total of 57 hours.... :o
Bob
Yikes! Did you add cheese mites? ;-) ;)
Heaven's NO.... It's waxed.... We'll sample it at 3 months.... ::)
Bob
Next on our list was a repeat of the Edam we made last fall.... It was a delight, made with 8 litres of 1% P/H milk and 650 ml of 18% cream for a total of 8.7 litres of 2.3% BF.... We used MM 100 culture, and before waxing it weighed 1 lb. 10 oz. for a yield of 8.6%.... about perfect for an Edam.... 8)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Edam_160521_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/2c53319d-bd0a-4fc7-9003-67b3e42b1106)
We found the last one was good by 2 months, and peaked at about 4 months, so this one we will eat a quarter at 2, 3, 4 and 5 months....
PS.... This one developed quite a large crack in the wax at about 6 weeks.... We rewaxed it, and at 2 months found it had a large crack in the center.... However, it was a classic Edam in taste, both then and at 3 months, when we included it in a family cheese plate.... It was one of the stars of the show, a mild cheese that everyone enjoyed....
PPS.... At 4 months, we used some of this Edam for grilled cheese sandwiches.... It is the best melting cheese we have ever made.... 8)
PPPS.... At 5 months, just like the last Edam we made, it has a very slight bitter aftertaste.... From now on, we will not age it past 4 months, or use Chy-Max rennet.... ;)
Bob
Look beautiful.. I am reluctant to wax... Do you think oiling a rind would be a reasonable substitute? I know it's not the same but oiling seems much easier and I can see what's going on with the cheese. :-)
I tried oiling, and besides messy, I still got mold growing.... My favourite method is waxing, at least until the first sampling.... After that I usually vacuum bag, and of course some cheeses I used vacuum right after pressing and drying.... although I may change that to waxing first, even though it is not traditional for some cheeses.... Any cheese that is brined dries within a day or two, so can be waxed very soon....
Bob
I recently made an oiling mistake:
(https://i.imgur.com/CnqcuBO.jpg)
You can see how the rind has got bumps on it (like pimples, kind of). This was apparently due to oiling too early.
Last night I was reading old postings here on the topic and the long and the short of it is that if you oil too early, you've got a good chance of yeast getting driven into the rind. It stirs the rind up like that and you end up with lots of crevices that blue loves (you can see a bit of blue in that picture). What you are supposed to do is to age it 2-3 weeks as normal, wash it, dry it and then oil it. I've done that before and it's worked well.
Mainly an oiled rind is there to keep the moisture in the cheese, not to combat mold. This was something I kind of new, but hadn't thought through. Basically, if you bring your rind through the 3 first weeks, it's basically easy after that anyway. Once the rind is established, you can kind of ignore it. In my last tomme, I ended up washing it (for reasons) and then I got a great bloom of mycodore with a nice rosy rind from a little bit of b. linens. It was awesome. But you can also just let it grow blue and it doesn't matter (done that many times too). An oiled rind build up a nice slick surface eventually, but it's actually too late to help you with the difficult part of the mold.
The other thing I didn't understand about oiling is that you want only enough that it is absorbed by the rind. If there is any greasiness left on the rind, then there is a good chance it will go rancid (olive oil is less likely to do that, so it's worth the cost to use it).
Anyway, that's my Colby style cheese I did about 3 1/2 weeks ago. It worked out really, really well! Definitely going to use that recipe again. I based it half on a video of a factory producing Colby and half on one of Mal's old recipes. I just needed to let it acidify a *bit* longer and a bit more age would have been good.
Very interesting. I've just been letting molds do their thing.. I think after the rind develops a bit and hardens slightly, the cheese gets protected. Would this be a reasonable assumption? I'm not against mold on my cheese.. but some cheeses like Gouda are traditionally waxed. Has anyone made a non-waxed gouda? How might that change the cheese itself?
I have not been waxing, and have successfully made Goudas. Look on the forum for the latest picture of my Gouda under the COVID Vaccination party topic.
Once the wheel dried, I vacuum sealed it and I am storing it in the cheese cave that way. I flip it every week. About four to six weeks in to this period, it typically weeps a little whey, so I cut open the package, pat the wheel dry, let the wheel sit at room temp for a day or so to dry out even more, and then revacuum it, and put it back in the cave.
I have done this maybe three times so far? After 6 months, the cheese is a delightful Gouda. I will be opening a 9 month version in July and a one year old in October. I am very eager for that time to roll around to see how the flavors develop and have other wheels in the cave doing their thing... :) ;)
Last Sunday we made another Asiago, but this time with the intent of aging it up to 2 years.... an Asiago Stravecchio.... 8) .... We reduced the fat content a bit by using our usual 8 litres of 2% P/H milk, but only 700 ml of 18% cream, for a total of 8.7 litres of 3.3% BF.... We used 1/8 tsp. of Su Casu culture, ripened for 40 min. at 91*F, and then after renetting and a floc. multiple of 2.5X, cut the curds into 1" columns, sit 5 min., and then cut it horizontally and whisked down to 1/4" curds.... After that the procedure was the same as our previous makes, heating slowly to 104*F, stirring 20 min. then slowly to 118*F and another 20 min.... We then filled the mold under the whey, removed the mold from the whey and pressed slowly until we reached 10 lbs. and held it there 15 min. before flipping and repressing.... After 30 min. at 20 lbs. and 1 hr. at 40 lbs. (by which time it was tightly knit) we pressed it overnight at 85 lbs. (3.5 psi).... After 8 hrs. of brining, the yield was 1 lb. 14 oz., which works out to 9.8%, pretty close to ideal for an Asiago intended to be aged.... Here is a photo after waxing....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Asiago_230521_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/3bf4b97b-7c01-4c2f-b68f-c2ccb70da5de)
Now it's into the Cave to be sampled at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months.... This will tell us how it changes along it's journey, and how it compares to our Asiago Pressato.... ;)
PS.... At 4 months, this cheese swelled and cracked the wax.... We vacuum bagged it immediately, and then sampled it at 6 months.... It has a lot of medium size eyes, and tastes great.... It slices well and is quite pliable.... Not sure where the eyes came from, but next time we will use Holdbac....
PPS.... At a year, this cheese has aged nicely.... It is only slightly drier, and has developed a somewhat nutty flavour, with a hint of caramel.... It is slightly bitter, from using the wrong rennet in a cheese intended to be aged, something we will cure next time by using Chy-Max instead of vegetable (Mucor) rennet.... The make could be drier to be a good grating cheese....
Bob
I've never done an Asiago, basically because we like Alpkäse so much I don't feel like making any other "alpine-kind" (apart from Emmentaler but that's for the holes).
But you're posting so many Asiagos I feel I'm going to try making one soon :)
Interestingly, Manchego and Asiago are our two favourites.... 8) .... oh and Gouda.... ;)
Asiago Pressato is meant to be eaten young (1-3 months) and it's OK at a month, but at 2 months and over it is excellent....
Bob
Last Sunday we made a Cranberry Wensleydale.... We coated one side with a dusting of Cinnamon.... We weren't sure if that might overpower the flavour, which is why we only did one side.... ???
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Cranberry_Wensleydale_300521_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/3c4f30ce-830c-461b-a9b0-c936f82ea155)
The make was based on Debra's book "200 Easy Homemade Cheeses".... We used MA 4002 culture, and 8 litres of 2% P/H milk plus a litre of 18% cream, for a total of 9 litres of 3.8% BF.... A Floc. multiple of 3.5X at 86*F was followed by cutting the curds to 3/8" cubes, then slowly (35 min.) increasing the temperature to 95*F where we held it for an hour before draining and an hour of Cheddaring.... After milling and salting we added 3/4 cup of sweetened, dried Cranberries and then pressed it starting at 10 lbs. at which point it was still falling apart, so we increased that to 20 lbs., then after 30 min. flipped it and increased to 40 lbs. for an hour.... The final pressing was overnight at 85 lbs. (3.5 psi), after which we dipped one side into a thin layer of cinnamon on a plate, brushed off the excess, and then dried it for 5 days.... It kept weeping moisture, particularly from around the cranberries, but once dried we vacuum bagged it.... We will age it a total of 4 months, sampling it each month along the way....
PS.... We cracked this wheel this evening, aged 1 month.... My wife and I are blown away at how GREAT it is.... far better than the commercial version we bought to compare it to.... 8)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Cranberry_Wensleydale_at_1_month_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/051586c8-3fdf-4d66-ab60-f2c7f9b04af7)
It has a slight Cinnamon aroma, the paste is tight and slices great.... It has a mild flavour, just slightly sweet from the Cranberries.... They seem to slice quite well, for the most part staying in the slice of cheese, and they are slightly moister than the paste, which has balanced moisture, neither too moist or too dry.... The Cinnamon in no way overpowers the flavour, in fact there is just a hint of it, and only on the side we dusted with it.... We definitely like it better with the Cinnamon, and next time we will cover both top and bottom, and the sides of the wheel, so that you can get a trace of it on every bite.... Other than that, this is one cheese we will try and duplicate exactly next time.... and there WILL be a next time.... It would be a perfect Christmas cheese!....
PPS.... after 3 months again, we started to notice a very slight "fermented" flavour in the cranberries.... nothing strong, and doesn't detract from the cheese, but on the next one will will consume it all between 1.5 and 3 months.... In addition, the bag kept going "loose" and we needed to revacuum it....
Bob
Yum! That looks delicious already! Can't wait for your tasting report! Do people give cheeses before aging? Aw. hell with it.. AC4U
Thank you!....
Bob
Last Sunday we made our 3rd Gouda.... As usual, we basically used Ricki's recipe, using 8 litres of 2% P/H milk and 650 ml of 18% cream, for a total of 8.7 litres of 3.2% BF.... We used 1/4 tsp. of MM 100 culture, plus 1/8 tsp. of LH 100, hoping for a nutty flavour to develop when aging.... We used a Floc. multiple of 3.5, and then cut the curd into 3/8" cubes.... After washing with warm water, to cook the curds per the recipe, we pressed it lightly in the mold under the diluted whey.... and then once we took the mold out of the whey, flipped, redressed and pressed at 10 lbs. for 15 min., 20 lbs. for 30 min. and then 40 lbs. for an hour (1.6 psi) by which time the rind was closed.... We then pressed it overnight at 80 lbs. and then soaked it in 21% brine for 8 hours.... then dried it 2 days before waxing....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Gouda_060621_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/ec60d524-a560-4cd4-bc0c-7b65db001298)
We are going to age this one for up to 8 months, sampling it every 2 months.... I wonder how much difference adding the LH 100 will make, and how long it will take for the nutty taste to develop.... It weighed 1 lb. 14 oz. before brining, for a yield of 9.8%, just about perfect for a Gouda....
PS.... We cracked this one at 2 months, and though Gouda is one of my favourite cheeses, they never fail to please....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Gouda_at_2_Months_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/5c5bb360-fa39-4d33-99e6-09bdc8191989)
It had nice eye development, small but lots of them, and one medium sized crack.... It sliced beautifully, and the taste and aroma were classic Gouda, but with just a hint of nuttiness from the LH 100.... I am hoping that will continue to develop as it ages....
PPS.... At 4 months, is it maturing nicely and becoming more complex.... A really excellent cheese.... 8)
PPPS.... At 6 months it improved significantly, I think this will become our "go-to" make and aging time for a Gouda.... At 8 months it was just starting to get a bitter aftertaste, so we definitely will be trying Chy-Max rennet next time, as from what I have read, the Vegetable (Mucor) Rennet we have been using can cause that after 6 months of aging.... ???
Bob
What's the biggest cheese in terms of weight you've made?
We did a Colby last year that was WAY too moist, and it was just over 2.5 lbs.... but the heaviest "proper" make we have done was this year's Manchego-style at 2 lbs. 6 oz.... We use between 8.5-9 litres of a milk/cream mix, and basically the higher the BF content the higher the yield....
Bob
Last Sunday we made our second Monterey Jack.... The last one was sour, cracked and crumbly from pressing it too hard initially (and inexperience), things we hoped to fix this time around.... We used the recipe in Caldwell's book "Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking" as the basis for this make.... We used 8 litres of 2% P/H milk plus 650 ml of 18% cream, for a total of 8.7 litres of 3.2% BF.... We used MA 11 for the culture, ripened at 86*F, a Floc. multiple of 3.5X, cut the curds to 3/8", cooked slowly to 102*F, and then held them there for 45 min., removed 4.5 litres of whey, and then washed with 3 litres of cold water (60*F) to bring the temperature down to 81*F.... The curds were direct salted before pressing....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Monterey_Jack_130621_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/4cf0a71a-2e03-429a-a70a-b551a072409f)
According to Peter Dixon, the lower the temperature after adding the cold water, (in the range of 80-86*F) the moister the cheese.... We recently did a Colby from the same basic recipe, and stopped the cold wash at 86*F and it was just a bit dry for our tastes.... The other difference on the Colby is that after raising the temperature of the curds to 102*F, we cooked them for an additional 90 minutes, instead of the 45 this time.... This cheese weighed 2 lbs. 4 oz. after drying and before waxing (the Colby only weighed 1 lb. 15 oz).... That works out to a yield of 11.8%, which is only 1 oz. more than expected, so we think this make went pretty well.... This recipe was a cold washed curd type, the previous one we used was not.... The plan is to age this cheese for 4 months maximum, sampling it every month along the way.... We are hoping it will melt well, as the last one did not....
PS.... We sampled this Monterey Jack at 2 months, and again at 3.... It was slighty sour, and a bit crumbly, both indications of too much acidity being developed.... In addition, it did not melt well.... I am thinking of reducing the cooking time for the curds next time, or possibly eliminating the post draining 20 minute ripening of the curds to try and raise the pH before salting.... Any suggestions?....
Bob
Our latest cheese was our second Cheddar, based on Ricki Carroll's recipe in "Home Cheese Making".... We used 8 litres of 2% P/H milk plus a litre of 18% cream, for a total of 9 litres of 3.8% BF.... We used MA 4002 culture, and 3 drops per litre of Annatto to get a deep yellow-orange colour.... and a Rectangular mold to make it easy to slice for grilled cheese sandwiches.... We cheddared it for a total of 2.5 hrs. and it was difficult to get the curds to knit, but by installing the second set of springs in my press, which allows me to reach 170 lbs. (7 psi), it tightened up 98% overnight, and after an additional 12 hrs. back in the press it looks great....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Cheddar_270621_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/c141b657-25f0-46ab-9d8e-2f9f9870a765)
Judging by the difficulty in pressing the curds, this cheese may be on the verge of being over-cheddared.... I don't think that should hurt it (since I managed to get it to knit).... and perhaps the slightly greater acidity will make it melt easily.... The cheese weighed 1 lb. 15 oz., for a yield of 9.8%, about right for a Cheddar.... We waxed it in orange wax, and plan to age this cheese 2 years, sampling each 6 months along the way....
PS.... At 6 months, this was very nice.... It had a cheddary aroma, balanced moisture content, and was relatively hard.... It sliced OK, only slightly crumbly, and had a medium sharp taste.... We look forward to seeing how it ages....
PPS.... At a year, it was starting to get a bitter note from the vegetable rennet.... By the time it was 18 months, it was so bitter we discarded the last half.... :(
Bob
Wow. That looks fantastic! You should have a cheese party 2 years from now and invite me! I'd love to taste that. ;D
Last Sunday we made a Cotswold, which is a Double Gloucester with Onions and Chives.... We basically used the recipe in Debra's book "200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes".... We used 8 litres of 3.25% P/H milk plus 700 ml of 18% cream, for a total of 8.7 litres of 4.4% BF.... We used MA 11 culture and 18 drops of Annatto colouring, 1/2 tbsp. Dehydrated Onions (rehydrated in 1/4 cup boiling water) and blanched some fresh Chives from our garden, chopped them fine and used 1 tbsp. of those also.... They were added along with the salt after milling, following 1 hr. of cheddaring.... Here is the result, after pressing and drying for a day, but before waxing....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Cotswold_110721_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/910dfca3-3d4d-4cdc-82a4-5f3d3815a0d9)
The yield was 2 lbs. 3 oz. which works out to 11.4%.... It smells heavenly and we can't wait to try it.... We will sample a quarter at 1 month, and then another quarter each month until it is 4 months old.... The Double Gloucester we made with this same recipe was delicious, I have no doubt that with the added Herbs this will be even better....
PS.... we sampled this Cotswold at 1 month, and it exceeded all our expectations....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Cotswold_at_1_Month_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/7a67d956-ba86-4fe1-b9ff-2589cf17da4d)
It slices well, only a hint of being crumbly, and the aroma predicts the taste.... The chives and onions are dominant, but do not overpower the subtle cheddar undertones.... I expect this will only continue to improve with age.... This was the #1 hit on our recent family cheese plate!.... ;)
PPS.... We consumed another quarter of the Cotswold each month, the last at 4 months of age.... We did not notice any change in flavour during this period, it was great all the way from 1 to 4 months.... Definitely a repeat for this one, in fact we plan to make one every 4 months, so that we can have some every month of the year.... 8)
Bob
It looks nice! I have thought about making this... So many cheeses, it's so hard to decide. How long before this baby is done?
We aged our Double Gloucester up to 8 months, but I understand that cheeses with herbs or fruit added, or wine or beer soaked, are better eaten young, as the flavours become overwhelmed or fade rather quickly.... We will eat a quarter of this each month, so it will be gone at 4 months.... The recipes say to age 1 to 3 months....
Bob
Last Sunday we made a Wine-Infused Gouda style cheese that we are dubbing the "Drunken Dutchman".... :o
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Drunken_Dutchman_250721_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/c16cbcdd-7b98-4e7a-ba86-1cba15cbe8eb)
We basically followed Jim Wallace's Online recipe from the NEC Website, using 8 litres of 2% P/H milk and 1 litre of 18% cream, for a total of 9 litres of 3.8% BF.... We used an MM 100 culture, cut the curds to 3/4" and were very gentle with them, they were Hazelnut sized when we removed the whey and washed them with hot water, as per the recipe.... A half hour later, after the 140*F water had been slowly added, they had shrunk considerably, and it took another 30 min. of stirring to get to the "Grip Test" described in the recipe.... So far, it looked like we had a Gouda.... 8)
The next step is to drain the whey and put the curds back in a warm pot and "ripen" them for an hour, breaking them up gently with your fingers to keep them from matting.... The curds continued to shrink, and after the hour we drained them again and soaked them in my own very dark red wine for an hour, again as per the recipe.... When we drained them they were quite small, and once put in the medium cylinder mold and carefully pressed (just drops of whey running out, never a stream) at 20 lbs. for a hour they were still almost falling apart, some falling off when we flipped the cheese and rewrapped it.... The next pressing was 2 hrs. at 40 lbs., and it still was not knit, so we did the overnight (16 hr.) pressing at 85 lbs. instead of the 60 that the recipe called for.... The rind was still not completely closed, so we rewrapped it, added another set of springs to my press, and pressed it for another 16 hrs. at 170 lbs (7 psi).... The result is what you see above, not a very good knit, and an undersized cheese with a much lower than expected yield of only 1 lb. 11 oz., which is only 8.5%.... Considering you get about 10% with a Gouda, with a lower fat content, I think for some reason this cheese dried out MUCH more than it should have.... ???
I suspect that the hour of ripening is partly to blame.... and perhaps the wine soak dried the cheese as well?.... We have waxed it and put it away to be tasted in a month, the plan is to consume a quarter each month until it is 4 months old (assuming it is tasty).... I assume it will be dry and probably crumbly.... Does anyone have any suggestions, such as omit the hour of ripening, and/or shortening the wine soak next time?....
PS.... We opened this cheese at 1 month, and were quite surprised at how good it was....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Drunken_Dutchman_1_month_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/fe79f388-bdfc-42b1-8c12-041dd4be0598)
It was only slightly crumbly, sliced OK, and smelled and tasted like wine!.... The paste was a bit dry, but neither the cheese or the wine dominated, but complimented each other very nicely.... Depending on how it develops when aged more, we will probably repeat it, but try and make sure it does not dry out as much during the make....
PPS.... This cheese never really impressed us.... It was dry, and rather bland, and the added wine never really made it "pop".... Not to our taste.... :-\
Bob
I made the wine infused cheese for CHeeemaking.com 10 days ago. My cheese wasn't too dry but my curds were and they got really small..way too small. Not sure if I should let it age super long or not. Which wine did you use? I used a Petite Syrah but it wasn't as velvety as I wanted so the next time I think I'll use a Merlot. I dont like drinking merlot so it wont feel like too much of a waste. :-)
When do you plan to open your cheese?
I make my own wine, from my own grapes.... We call it "Bearly Whine" - made from the grapes the bear didn't get.... because the first year he raided our vines just before we picked, and we only got enough for one gallon!....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Bearly_Whine.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/2e8b3f52-a231-42b1-9cd2-4383f9703aeb)
It is a very dark red because the Valiant grapes are bluish purple.... They are the only variety that will survive our winters.... Last year we got 53 lbs....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/53_lbs_Valiant_Grapes_2020_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/ac965b69-dfe7-4d5c-8aab-a570d938517f)
I steam extract the juice before starting the wine....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Steam_Extracted_Grape_Juice_2020_Cropped.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/99a304f4-cd0f-4bc0-97f4-8fbb06a22c77)
I make it to have an alcohol content of about 10%....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Grape_Wine_and_Port_2020_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/8dee57af-b2c1-4e01-9138-2c8ca5207c8a)
We make it in September/October and bottle it about Christmas.... then put it away until the January over a year later.... The wine I used for this cheese we made in 2019.... 8)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Valiant_Wine.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/ee9b4896-c4da-496d-b730-979817cd2312)
Last year we got 30 bottles, plus enough to make a bottle of Port (Grape Jack) by freeze distilling a gallon down to one bottle.... Powerful stuff, and almost black in colour!.... ::)
Bob
Wow.. that is so cool!
This is our 2nd Emmental.... It is a repeat of the one we made last year, except instead of the Su Casu culture, we used 1/16 tsp. of TA 061 and 1/32 tsp. of LH 100.... It was our typical blend of 2% P/H milk and 18% cream, a total of 8.5 litres of 2.9% BF....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Emmental_010821_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/05eb7af8-87a6-4d83-9ff8-59ce95a5faef)
The yield was 1 lb. 12 oz., which works out to 9.4%.... We decided to wax it, and it's in our Cheese Cave at 55*F for the initial ripening.... In a couple of weeks it will sit at room temperature to let the P. Shermanii do it's magic.... We will be aging it up to 10 months, using a quarter for French Onion Soup or Fondue each 2 months, starting at 4 months....
Here is a photo after 11 days in the warm phase....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Emmental_Warm_11_days_Email.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/d2bebe2a-3bba-4026-a69f-44173eada7e2)
It has swollen up nicely.... Unfortunately, 3 days later it had deflated and looked just like it did after we waxed it.... There were a couple of cracks in the wax, although when we removed the cracked portions the rind underneath showed no cracking.... We rewaxed it, and it is now aging at 46*F for another 3 months....
PS.... We made a fondue the other day with the first quarter of this and some of our Gruyere.... It was superb.... This cheese is also great in French Onion Soup, or as a table cheese, and also melts well on grilled cheese... a typical Swiss.... 8)
PPS.... The third quarter of this cheese was again combined with our Gruyere in a Fondue.... We also ate some as a table cheese, and it is quite a strong Swiss flavour now, with just a hint of bitterness creeping in.... Cursing that Mucor-base rennet, the next time we will use Chy-Max.... :-\
Last Sunday we made our second Kefalotyri.... I posted the recipe and photos of the make in this thread....
https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,19573.0.html (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,19573.0.html)
After drying for 4 days it now weighs 2 lbs. 7 oz., a yield of 12.3%.... It is now waxed and in the Cheese Cave at 55*F for 6 weeks, after which it will go into our Beverage Fridge to continue aging at 46*F until 3 months old....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/15_Waxed_2_lb_7.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/6b639868-f422-442d-8010-00bc23ed1041)
At that time we will cut off a couple of 1/2" thick slices for Saganaki, and give you a report in both threads.... The plan is to use it every couple of months so that we use it up within a year.... We should get 10 servings (5 each, assuming no company) with each slice just over 1/2" thick.... This is the reason for using a rectangular mould....
PS.... The Saganaki was perfect.... golden brown on the outside and soft in the middle.... A huge success, just like the first one we did.... The rectangular shape works great for cutting off slices.... Here is a photo of the Saganaki made from it....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Saganaki_Lemon_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/7e081f06-7361-4682-bae8-94978d705622)
It browns nicely on the outside, and the inside is soft but not fully melted....
PPS.... This cheese changes very little as it ages, just getting a bit more flavourful.... We just love it as Saganaki.... ;)
Bob
As we continue to experiment, last Sunday we made an Havarti with our own Dehydrated Tomatoes.... We dehydrate them for use on Pizza or in Pizza Bread (yum), and store them in the freezer until required.... We removed them from the freezer, chopped them while partially frozen into small pieces (pea sized or smaller) and put 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) into a glass dish and microwaved them on high for 30 seconds, stirred them, and then another 30 seconds.... This was to sterilize them completely....
We used the same Havarti recipe we have in the past, both for a plain Havarti and a Dill Havarti, adding them after draining but before pressing....We used 8 litres of 2 P/H milk plus 473 ml (1 pt) of 18% cream, for a total of 8.5 litres at 2.9% BF, and we used MM 100 culture.... We broke up the mat of curds in the cheesecloth lined colander to the consistency of scrambled eggs, and then thoroughly mixed in the chopped dehydrated tomatoes.... After pressing, and drying for 3 days, here is what it looked like....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Havarti_with_Dehydrated_Tomatoes_050921_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/a0c6a32e-367e-46db-8c5b-a04c97ed7663)
After drying but before waxing it weighed 1 lb. 13 oz., which is a yield of 9.7%.... There is just a hint of white starting, we wiped it with vinegar to remove that, and then waxed it with orange wax.... The plan is to sample a quarter of it each month, consuming the last of it at 4 months of age....
PS.... We sampled this Havarti today, at 1 month old, and it is a delightful Havarti, but with no aroma, and no tomato taste!.... Otherwise, very nice.... 8)
PPS.... This melts well, and makes a great grilled cheese sandwich, especially on Diane's homemade Pizza Bread.... ;)
Bob
Last Sunday we made an Alpine Tomme.... It was based primarily on the recipe from the NEC Website at Cheesemaking.com.... We used 8 litres of 2% P/H milk plus 1 litre of 18% cream, for a total of 9 litres of 3.8% butterfat, and we used a Su Casu culture.... This cheese takes about 15 hours from the start to the end of the brining, so we started before breakfast!.... It is a washed curd cheese, with the temperature raised to 109*F during the process.... After pressing, the last stage of which we did in our heating cabinet (made from an old fridge with an aquarium heater), it sits for an additional 3 hours at 86*F before brining (to complete acidification).... Here is what it looks like after 3 days of drying and waxing....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Alpine_Tomme_190921_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/392bf9e1-7272-4601-b861-ffd7e99ffcf7)
The yield was 2 lbs. 1 oz., which works out to 10.4%.... It will be aged for up to 8 months, and we will consume a quarter of the wheel each 2 months along the way....
PS.... At 2 months, this cheese was delicious, but I wish we had the Holdbac when we made it.... It swelled up and split the wax at 6 weeks (we vacuum bagged it immediately), and it was full of nice large eyes.... :-\
PPS.... As it ages, once again it gets more and more bitter.... Dang that Mucor (vegetable) rennet.... We are now using it primarily in Grilled Cheese sandwiches, a pinch of salt gets rid of the bitterness.... It sticks to the knife when cutting as well, definitely needs a better make.... ::)
Bob
AC4U! Alpine tomme is another one I'd really like to do (well, basically Italian Toma specifically). I'll be interested to hear how the Su Casu turns out.
Thanks, Mike.... I have used it before in other cheeses with good results....
Bob
Last Sunday we made our first Baby Swiss.... We basically used the recipe in Ricki Carroll's book "Home Cheese Making".... We used 8 litres of 2% P/H milk and 650 ml. of 18% cream, for a total of 8.7 litres at 3.8% BF.... We used 3/16 tsp. of MM 100, and 1/16 tsp. of P. Shermanii.... We followed the pressing instructions in the recipe, but had to increase the pressure to get a proper knit.... I think we should have used more weight sooner, because at the 2 hour mark it was still not knit properly, and because of that it took 4 hours to close the rind, even though we increased the weight beyond what the recipe called for.... I think next time we will press at 5 lbs. under the whey for 15 minutes, then for only 30 minutes at 10 lbs. and then an hour at 20 lbs. to try and achieve a better knit by the 2 hour mark.... Here is the finished result, which weighed 1 lb. 14 oz. after brining and drying, but before waxing....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Baby_Swiss_031021_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/6f5822b3-c3a0-4d00-b207-bfb6ad45a29d)
That works out to a yield of 9.8%, about what we expected.... It is in the Cave for 2 weeks at 55*F, and we will then move it to room temperature for a few weeks to let the PS do its magic and create the eyes.... After that it will go into our beverage cooler at 46*F for a further 1 to 4 months, sampling a quarter each month....
PS.... 2 weeks in the Cheese Cave at 55*F, then 2 weeks at 70*F.... The wax split once it started to grow, so we vacuum bagged it....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Baby_Swiss_Growing_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/9096f218-f778-4990-815b-c4e450b8711c)
It continued to swell for another week, and then flattened out to a larger diameter and back to about its original thickness....
PPS.... We sampled this at 2 and at 3 months, and it is awesome!.... mild swiss flavour, lovely as a table cheese, and melts great on a grilled cheese sandwich.... We will definitely be making this one again.... 8)
Bob
Our latest cheese was our attempt at a Sbrinz-style "extra hard, washed curd" cheese.... We found 3 recipes, 2 of which did not wash the curd, the other, which we basically followed, was in Caldwell's book "Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking".... We used 8 litres of 2% P/H milk and a litre of 18% cream, for a total of 9 litres of 3.8% BF.... We used Su Casu culture, and added 1/4 tsp of Holdbac to prevent late blowing, which we have had a lot of in our brined cheeses.... They have all smelled and tasted fine, but often had large cracks and irregular holes.... The Holdbac is supposed to avoid this.... We used a Floc. multiple of 2.5X, and cut the curd to 1/4" and then whisked them down to about 1/8", and then raised the temperature to 129*F over a hour, at which point the curds were rice sized.... We then removed 1.5 litres of whey, and poured back 500 ml of cold water to reduce the temperature to 122*F, stirred 5 minutes, and then allowed to sit for 20 minutes before molding and pressing.... The rind was tight at 1.5 psi after 2 hours (the cheese was still warm to the touch), and the next morning (after pressing overnight) we brined the cheese for 12 hours, and then dried it for 3 days before waxing it....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Sbrinz_171021_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/40aea7e5-2c7a-42ee-99e8-13b96cda786f)
After brining and drying but before waxing it weighed 2 lbs. 1 oz., for a yield of 10.4%.... Caldwell says to age this cheese 8 to 18 months, and we plan to start sampling at 8 months, consuming a quarter periodically until it is 2 years old.... This cheese is basically a Swiss Parmesan, and it is supposed to be great for grating, and when mature have a "butterscotch" flavour, so I guess in a couple of years we'll find out!....
PS.... At 8 months, this Sbrinz was lovely!.... It had a large split in the middle, but was semi-moist and sliced well.... The aroma was distinctly Cheddary, and yet there was not a hint of Cheddar in the flavour!.... It was very flavourful, creamy, with a slight Caramel taste....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Sbrinz_at_8_months_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/9ff893ee-5c93-433c-8a53-f229c8ffad04)
I thought I detected just a hint of bitter from the vegetable (Mucor) rennet, as we didn't have Chy-Max at the time, but my wife didn't notice it.... There were no holes, indicative of late blowing, so I think the Holdbac LC did it's job well.... In one spot the crack came up to a corner, and I guess it cracked the wax there, as there was a small patch of mold just under the wax, which we cut out.... It didn't seem to bother the cheese, though.... 8)
Bob
Last Sunday we made our second Cranberry Wensleydale.... The recipe was based on Debra's book "200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes", with the addition of 3/4 cup dried Cranberries.... We sterilized them for 30 minutes at 170*F and then coated them with a teaspoon of sterilized Cinnamon before adding them at the salting stage.... We used 8 litres of 2% P/H milk plus a litre of 18% cream, for a total of 9 litres of 3.8% BF, and we used MM 100 culture and it was Cheddared for 1 hour.... The last time we made this cheese we coated one side in Cinnamon after pressing, and we really liked the flavour, but wanted it throughout the cheese, so this time we mixed it in with the Cranberries.... Here is the result....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Cranberry_Wensleydale_241021_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/4dd52a5a-7db5-4942-964b-0cba220ea31b)
It weighed 2 lbs. 6 oz. after 5 days of drying, a yield of 12%, at which time we vacuum bagged it.... Based on the last one, this should be ready at 6 weeks, and we plan to consume this very festive looking cheese over the Christmas season, and it will help us bring in the New Year!....
PS.... We tried this Cranberry Cinnamon Wensleydale this evening at 6 weeks.... It was awesome!.... The amount of Cinammon was perfect, slightly sweet, balancing the tart of the Cranberries.... We plan to eat an eighth of this cheese each week over the Christmas season and into the New Year.... The bag keeps going "loose" on this cheese, I suggest storing it in the fridge once you cut into it.... ;)
PPS.... This cheese remains a Christmas favourite, the only problem is consuming it in a short enough time period!.... Even storing it in the fridge, the bag keeps going loose, and as it ages it tends to get a white powder on the cranberries, likely a yeast?.... We give it a vinegar wipe when removing each quarter from the bag, and don't notice any off flavour as it ages, but I suspect the residual sugar in the cranberries is fermenting.... ???
Bob
We made our second Double Gloucester yesterday (third if you count the Cotswold in between).... In keeping with the "Double" cream concept, we used 8 litres of Whole P/H Milk plus 700 ml. of 18% cream, for a total of 8.7 litres with a BF content of 4.4%.... We more or less followed the recipe in Debra's "200 Cheese" book, but doubled the Annatto to 2 drops per liter (18 drops total) because I wanted a nice bright yellow, common to this cheese.... We used MA 11 culture, and completed our pressing at 3.5 psi overnight in our new "warming cabinet", made from an old bar fridge and an aquarium heater.... https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,19576.0.html (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,19576.0.html)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Nicely_Pressed_Dbl_Gloucester_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/b4f49b7d-2429-443f-bbca-75df375ed866)
The rind was closed beautifully, with the final pressing starting at 86*F and cooling overnight to 72*F with the cabinet heater turned off.... The weight before waxing was 2 lbs. 4 oz.... which is a yield of 11.7%.... 8) .... We plan to age this 10 months, sampling a quarter each 2 months starting at 4 months.... The first one we made we started tasting at 2 months (until 8 months), and there was a big change between 2 months and 4 months, so we'll age this one a bit longer....
PS.... We tried the first quarter of this cheese today, at 4 months.... The consistency was great, it sliced well, and the aroma was that of a nice Cheddar....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Double_Gloucester_at_4_months_Email(1).JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/f20f94f6-7f24-453a-a6ef-acaec0daad3c)
The taste was fabulous.... a nice Cheddar flavour, especially for only 4 months of aging, and it was rich and creamy like it should be.... I think it will only improve further as it ages.... 8)
PPS.... at 6 months it is even nicer.... now a Medium-sharp Cheddar, firmer, and still rich and creamy.... YUM !!!! .... It makes me wonder if 6 months is the minimum?.... ???
PPPS... At 8 months, this cheese continues to improve.... It is a bit sharper, slightly drier, and definitely more complex.... Definitely one of our favourite cheeses.... 8)
Bob
Last Sunday we did our second Derby.... We roughly followed the recipe in Ricki's book, using 8 litres of 3.25% P/H milk plus 500 ml of 18% cream, for a total of 8.5 litres of 4.0% BF.... We used her Mesophilic culture and rennet (with a Floc, multiple of 4.0), and 9 drops of Annatto.... The total Cheddaring time (including draining) was 1.5 hrs.... The yield was 2 lbs. 5 oz., which works out to 12.3%....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Derby_141121_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/752903ac-9dc4-4722-b4a7-1b8acd3389b8)
The plan is to age it 2 to 8 months, eating a quarter each month along the way.... We may have a forced break in our Cheesemaking next weekend, as there was a big flood and our local grocery store is completely out of milk!.... Fortunately, we were fine here, although we did evacuate for 6 hours as a precaution.... ::)
PS.... We sampled this Derby today at 2 months, and it was a delight.... It was moist and creamy, sliced well, and had a mild cheddar aroma and taste.... Aging it 2 months before trying it, instead of just a month like we did with the first one, was the right decision....
PPS.... At 6 months this Derby is lovely.... It is a bit more Cheddary, and continues to age well....
Bob
After a month without milk available due to delivery problems after the flooding in BC, we finally got enough to make another cheese!.... We made our first Maasdam (Leerdammer), which is a Goutaler style (a Gouda with eyes like an Emmentaler).... We basically used the Recipe in Debra's book "200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes".... We used 8 litres of 2% P/H milk and 700 ml of 18% cream, for a total of 8.7 litres of 3.3% BF.... We used MM 100 plus some LH 100 to add a nutty flavour, plus the Propionic Shermanii for the eyes and Holdbac to avoid late blowing, which has been an issue with a lot of our brined cheeses.... Here is a photo of it ready to go into the Cave for the initial 2 weeks at 55*F....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Maasdam_141221_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/de45ba64-ac28-4b86-8965-aa35af2b5dd5)
After 2 weeks, we will put it into a warmer environment (68*F) for 3 or 4 weeks to develop the eyes, and then age it in our beverage cooler at 46*F, like we would for any Swiss style cheese.... We plan to sample it every 2 months, consuming the last quarter after 8 months of aging.... The make went very well, our technique continues to improve.... It weighed 1 lb. 14 oz. after brining and drying a couple of days, for a yield of 9.8%....
Milk is still rationed here, so this will be our last cheese this year.... :'(
PS.... After 2 weeks in the Cave at 55*F, and a month at room temperature (68-70*F) for the PS to grow and create eyes, here is the result....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Maasdam_Waxed.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/cac5eea3-9d2d-4a30-9cf3-2c465d773a20)
We had used a Gouda mold, and the follower is sitting on top to show how much this Maasdam has grown.... We were turning it every day in the warm room, so it didn't get domed, or rather the dome from one day got flattened the next when on the bottom.... It is nearly as thick as it started, and about 1.5" larger in diameter.... and best of all, it didn't collapse like all our other "Swiss" types have done.... This gives us hope that we will have larger eyes than before....
PPS.... We sampled this Maasdam today at 2 months, and it was a delight.... It was full of eyes, with a pliable texture and sliced easily....
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/oo221/rsterne/Maasdam_at_2_Months_Email.JPG?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/rsterne/a/51b71c5f-e26c-457c-b4e4-d8c7586aae7d/p/93f35942-0d3a-4114-a48d-703cccb08566)
The taste was most definitely that of a mild "Swiss".... We will sample it each 2 months until the last of it reaches 8 months of age....
PPPS.... At 6 months, the "Swiss" flavour is quite strong, and it is picking up a bit of bitterness from the Mucor rennet as it ages.... Next time we will be using Chy-Max.... ;)
Bob