Finally got a call back from Anne Stevens of Servi Doryl USA (Fromagex USA) about the Edam molds.
"Although we are no longer carrying the model M7-4015, we do have
available ARO-270 (Edam mould 1500g/3.3 lb, 150 x 170mm). They are
$26.96 each."
I ordered two. I forgot to ask about shipping but she said they'd be here in 5 to 7 days. She also said they have 8 in stock. Make that 6! ::)
Servi Doryl USA
1442 W. Willow Street
Chicago, IL 60642
p. 312.738.2677 #101
tf. 1.877.784.8779
f. 773.681.7267
cell. 740.405.3190
I thought I would post a picture for those wanting to buy the Edam molds. The price is nice only about $27 but they are not lined like the kadova molds. They are also not as nice - BUT the price is less than 1/2 so I can't complain.
I ordered the 1.5 kg (3.3 pound) molds. I was making dinner so I used a small saucer with 2 sliced kiwis for size comparison.
They look great, but I will be interesting to see if the cheese sticks, or are you going to make up a liner?
Tea -
I will probably just use either cloth cheese cloth or the plastic cheese cloth. We'll see how it goes. Looks like they could easily become footballs if you over stuffed them.
http://www.fromagex.com/ (http://www.fromagex.com/) have an outlet (or whatever it is) is Chicago. The ones they list are discontinued but they had 8 of these ARO-270 - $26.96 each - 1.5 kg.
I emailed them for several months before I got a response, then another few weeks before I got a call back when I phoned. I you want them CALL!
Webmaster Edit: Combined two threads and thus edited this text for clarity of posts.
Please do report when you have tested them. I am about to order similar (not kadova) Gouda molds and it'd be nice to hear user experiences.
Are you going to line the whole thing or just the bottom where the holes are. Or are there holes at the sides as well? Can't be sure from the pic.
Riha -
There are holes all over the molds but it seems like there should be more than they have. If I can get my raw milk maybe I'll try it this weekend. I am on standby now they have a new customer and don't know if they can give me 7 gallons at a time now. :'(
I will line the whole thing for the first press then remove it for the rest. This will probably be last last cheese for a few weeks I am making a trip to Wisconsin to visit family and won't be home to tend new cheeses.
Is this the only place you located reasonably priced Edam molds?
I have tried an Edam but it was a wheel. I would really like to make a ball and have it turn out decently. Edam doesn't seem to be as common a cheese commodity as other types. More reason to make my own. I too am anxious to hear of your efforts with your new molds.
-Boofer-
They are the best price I have found except a place in China but they couldn't tell me anything except to make cheese - $20 American dollar.
Okay I used the Edam molds tonight for the first time and they are a PITA!
First thing I noticed before trying to use them is there doesn't seem to be enough drain holes. I think I mensioned this eariler. Well guess what? There isn't enough drain holes. It was a real pain trying to get the curds in because I kept having to turn the thing upsidedown to get rid of enough whey to do anything. You definately need to drain in a collader first.
Okay the curds are getting rather cold now but I drained the whey so rewarming is not a good option at this point. I started trying to repack the curds and press using the lid ... There are also no holes in the top to the lid. This causes an almost vapor lock. When you push down on the lid it just pops back up from air pressure. A bit late to start looking for my drill and bits tonight.
I have them pressing but I think these guys are gonna be full of air and holes everywhere. I will definately drill a bunch of hole all over the molds and in the lid for the next time I use these things. The only way to get a good press with them as they are is to use a hydraulic press with lots of pressure.
I came realy close to setting the darned thing on the floor and jumping on it to release the air pressure and get a good press going! ???
Okay FRiday night I made Edam with the new molds. I think I mensioned when I got them they didn't sem to have enough holes in them - well I was right - they didn't!
I should have trusted my own judgment but I figured they knew what they were doing they make their living doing this right? Wrong.
When I tried to put the curds in the mold and press them it kept pushing back. It created a vapor lock I could not overcome. I kept wiggling the lid try to evacuate air but it was all but useless. I finally after playing with it for about 20 minutes dumped the curds bac in the vat and removed the cheese clothes. I did one with real cheese cloth and one with the new plastic cheese cloth. Both vapor locked!
Now my curds are getting very cold and the ones still in the vat are probably overcooked.
I managed something of a press I will post else where. A losy press to be sure! But i started closely examining the molds after I removed the cheese today.
Here's what I found:
No hole in the lid (hence the vapor lock) - so I drill some.
The holes in the bottom seemed radomly distributed. Drilled by hand.
Only 2 holes every few inches around the sides. I added more.
I think for the money with a few extra holes drilled they will work fine but as is they don't work right.
Debi, congrats on your mods (holes) and your first try making Edam balls (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,2137.0.html).
I think they look great, especially for first try, like member Francoise said here (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,901.0.html), "they are a PITA".
Hope you try again, after you've recovered from your fight with them of course . . .
I am supposed to be getting a sample of a "microperforated" mold from Servi Doryl soon. Hopefully they will not have this problem. Will let everyone know once I receive them and try.
I think the mocropref have tiny little holes everywhere. That should be really good for draining and air. Can't wait to see them!
Ah this is all very bad news. Guess I'm not ordering 1kg Gouda molds from http://www.kaesereibedarf-leidinger.com/index.html?sonstiges_2.htm (http://www.kaesereibedarf-leidinger.com/index.html?sonstiges_2.htm) since I assume they are similar to these Edam molds.
Somehow, if I order something that is designed for a single purpose, I assume it does the job well without me having to tweak it any further. In the case of cheese this would seem to mean kadova molds. Question of principle, yes, I know it's silly, but, but... Looking forward to hear about these microperforated molds.
riha -
From what I can see from the pictures most of those molds seem to have plenty of holes in them. I can't see the edam or gouda molds very well though.
I understand your point that something should work well as is but after paying less than 1/3 the price of the kadova brand molds I didn't expected the same quality. I am quiet sure that with the additional holes they will work as I intend them to. I will drill a few hole to save - in this case well over $100.
Just received my microperforated mold yesterday. Will put pics up on a separate thread.
The construction seems really heavy duty and there was a "Made in France" sticker on them.
Interestingly they are the same as listed on the Fromagex site for Tomme molds - I did a search via the product number on the invoice.
I have a Havarti in them now....
KEWL! I will be anxiously looking for your post!