I didn't know whether just to continue my first chronicle, or start another one, with a new make beaufort.
I guess I think the other thread is (really) tired, and am pleased to report that so far, this make promises to be much better, so hope to chronicle some differences between the two, in the hope it helps not just myself, but others like myself, new at the game, also doing their level best to improve. Targets hit much better: milk in at 6.71, rennet (after 2 hours) at 6.56, hooping at 6.37. In pre-press under whey, now.
Rightly or wrongly, too, I changed my cutting and stirring routine. I did cut into 1" squares, heal 3 minutes, then as best as I could (freehand, on a curved surface - some bizarre memory of conical sections, and an unsteadier hand than I used to have), 1/4" cubes. Healed 10 minutes.
However, this time, I used my large whisk (it's something like 15" of whisk length, not counting the handle) to gently, at first, work the curd, then as I progressed in the cook, more vigorously. I decided to take it down to largish rice kernels, aware this may mean a drier cheese. I worked the whisk according to videos I've seen of gruyere makers, and per Pav's guidance, as best as I could approximate. The result was a target of 128 over 40 minutes. I took the cook an additional 6 minutes - testing the curd by matting it in my hand, forming it under an approximation of lightish weight, and then flipping it lightly - a kind of easy dolphin kick - per what I saw somewhere, on a gruyere make, in a video. The curd was lightly rubbery, adhered well as a mass, but not too rubbery.
Hard to describe, but I am hopeful I've improved my feel for the cheese. I'm also hopeful that this time, I've got a pH meter that is at least useful.
Well, it's approaching 3 in the a.m., and I'm up as I've been up, since 6 hours in the main press for this cheese. Giddy with joy at the prospect that I now have a meter that finally works, I was anticipating a fine read, to indicate a good end of pressing.
At 1:30ish a.m., I discovered the meter (the replacement meter), once again, bloweth. Unless I'm missing something that may have messed it up over the last 8 hours of the press.
If the earlier readings seemed reasonable, the meter now believes the pH 7 buffer is approaching 120F, and is, uh, the pH 4 buffer, when calibrating. When I just do a blank read of the buffer, it starts off near 7, then flips out, plummeting down to 3, 2.4, 1.2, etc. I'm too far out of labwork to recall whether this signals something obvious (the buffer is new, and clean) - anyone?
I have gone through the usual hoops of taking the batteries out, "rebooting," etc. - and nothing. The only thing I can think is that it's already become gunked with the earlier readings (whey and curd), so I'm renneting it for a bit, in the hope this will cure the ill. But irregardless of the fact a true, dependable meter can cost far more, I'm astounded at this point Extech can put out such lousy instruments, for over $100.
I know some have had good luck. I'm 2 strikes on 2 pH110 meters.
Rather than take up Sailor's thread with more of my stuff, moved things here.
Sailor, your 24 hours cooling/resting; I've seen this as a traditional practice, elsewhere, as well. Can you explain the reasoning for this period of time (e.g., why not 8 hours; 12, 36?)? From some guidance earlier given by Pav, I am pretty certain it has to do with target pH, prior to brining; again, I'm flying blind. Pretty certain as to the decent accuracy of my reading of 6.37 at pre-press/first hooping (based on the behavior prior); my press routine is a graduated PSI over 2 hours, then 8 hours in the main press. I plan to dry-salt this wheel, once I can determine how to dial it down for a wheel this size.
In about a half hour, the wheel will have rested for 12 hours, so a total of 22 hours between early hooping, main pressing (both pressings were with "seedling" mat warmth), and resting at room temp. Can you discuss the background on the "cooling/resting" period, part of this style?
Edit: It's 4:00ish, 12 1/2 hrs in to the cooling/resting period. As the "new" meter is on LSD, I cleaned my "old" meter as best as I could; calibrated it, and tested 3 samples. One was a liquid slurry of curds and whey from the make; this measured 4.72 Another, just whey from the make - 5.30. Finally, the wheel itself, which measured 4.99. The first two samples were placed in a warm environment, same as the wheel during its press - though they were left there, longer (left in a warm environment after the wheel was pulled from warm press to cool at ambient temp).
I really don't know what the wheel pH is, at this point; again the "new" meter is gonzo, utterly (just keeps flashing a weird half "H" symbol), and there is so much variability on my old meter, that I don't know. I am going to presume the wheel is in the neighborhood of 5.0, now, and will begin a dry-salting regimen (still investigating, how long).
Just unpeeled:
(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/pkphotodo/beaufort2.jpg)
I don't know about the ph meter, but that sure is one nice looking cheese!
- Jeff
Thanks, Jeff! I've learned so much through this site (I'll say again a thank you to everybody - most especially John(CH), for hosting such a wonderful forum, and Francois, linuxboy, SailorConQueso for their generous expertise), and, taking a nod from Boofer, I hope these chronicles are helpful to others, as well.
If I've been pleased with how much I've learned with each make, the only problem is that as every cheese is an aged cheese...I won't know how any of them have turned out for a couple months, at the earliest (3 tommes, and these 2 beauforts; the oldest tomme is just over a month old). I just hope I'm managing the affinage well. As a maker (an old friend my wife and I recently reconnected with - and we had no idea he's been a maker, all these years!) told me, when visiting his company: "a cheese stays 24 hours in the make room, but months in the cave...."
After chatting with Pav and Francois, I've decided upon a dry-salting regimen, and a true morge regimen. I've tasted out two mountain cheeses I really loved; one, a Jura cheese with a white-wine wash, another, not of French but of Swiss origin - L'Etivas, a summer, alpage make.
I've decided on the L'Etivas, in attempting to capture a good rind flora to wash onto this wheel (experimentally - my other wheel gets a pure culture, PLA wash). Not a beaufort, obviously, but it's family. I loved it. Here's a pretty good description (http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/cheese/cheese2/whey/2005-10.asp) of what I tasted:
QuoteI speak of Fromage D'Alpage L'Etivaz, an under-appreciated, natural rind cheese of Swiss origin. This is a cheese made only when cows are summer grazing in Alpine meadows. The fourscore or so families that make this product move with their herds from pasture to pasture, following the growth of mountain grasses, flowers, and herbs.
The cheese must be made in traditional copper kettles, over open-wood fires....rich and buttery, it will remind you of Gruyere, but the depth and complexity of the aroma and flavors are quite astonishing.
Paul, I love the look of your cheese! Wow! Very nice, indeed.
Is it naturally colored from the milk or did you help the color along (or is it just the lighting)?
And now you wait.... Such delicious anticipation. The ultimate delayed gratification. ;)
-Boofer-
Thanks, Boof. So far, I'm really happy with this make - not the least reason of which is that it represents the first time I deliberately tried a technique, and was able to line it up with sensory feedback (using a whisk to cut and stir the curd).
Nah, no color effect - just the lighting, without flash. Your standard, white baby cheese.
Going away in a few weeks, leaving the turning in the care of our good friend and neighbor. When I get back, I plan on a reblochon make because, yep, it's really hard to wait months, now, to see what I've actually come up with...
Paul,
This looks fantastic. Well done indeed. Can you elaborate on your affinage plans for this wheel?
Thanks alot, Wayne. I'm knocking on wood, as I'm pleased with what I've got so far, and know a lot can go south from here (if so, c'est la vie, learning experience). I've got this in side-by-side comparison with my beaufort 1, which got wet-brined and dried, and is being washed with a PLA inoculated-3% brine.
This one was dry-rubbed, without a drying period afterwords. I mentioned the L'Etivas above - I was blown away by this cheese, and am simply washing my wheel with a 3% salt brine; then, I've found it's pretty easy to simply rub the L'Etivas rind directly on the wheel (I had originally rubbed a cloth on the rind, then transferred the cloth/flora to the wheel).
I'm doing it daily. Not every other day, etc., as I was doing with my tommes, but daily. I'll have to watch these carefully, as I've been made aware of the danger of rind rot, from such an early morge. I plan to do this daily until the flora is good and established, then pull back, watching for rot and bad patches. And I'd hate to see it. But after talking with Francois and Pav, I'm after both a traditional gruyere approach, and stronger flavor via a good penetration of the morge, and so going for it in this way.
Wish me luck!
Quote from: ArnaudForestier on March 10, 2011, 03:44:11 AM
Wish me luck!
Okay, good luck, Paul.
We'll be watching for updates on your progress. You seem to be breaking new ground in hard cheese rind treatments here on the forum. Hey, I'm looking over your shoulder! ;)
-Boofer-
Quote from: Boofer on March 10, 2011, 03:10:08 PM
Quote from: ArnaudForestier on March 10, 2011, 03:44:11 AM
Wish me luck!
Okay, good luck, Paul.
We'll be watching for updates on your progress. You seem to be breaking new ground in hard cheese rind treatments here on the forum. Hey, I'm looking over your shoulder! ;)
-Boofer-
Thanks, Boof, that's really kind of you to say. I really can't claim to be breaking any new ground of any kind, as I know so little, and beyond that, I am almost tragically orthodox in my view of learning "ways." I think we're all doing it - just trying to grab everything we can from a few key people (perfectly legit in Japanese traditions, "stealing the mind of one's master...").
All I have is a palate, which I've tried to hone for a long time; and the hope to understand the principles behind and practice of traditional methods. I really do hope to learn to master those, before (if ever - I really don't have the chops) attempting anything in the way of "innovation."
Will keep posting, good or bad, what comes down the pike. :)
Well, call this on the side of "bad" down the pike. :o
Been sick as a dog the last several days, and discovered yesterday that one of my humidifiers in the cave has apparently been leaking water. The beaufort shelving got soaked, and the cheeses overnight got waterlogged, in part. The result is that on both cheeses, where there was previously a beautiful, even mat of flora developing, I now have weird gradients across the wheel surface, with entire swaths seemingly died or washed away.
Sigh...does anyone feel like building me an underground cave, in exchange for a memorable French meal, or 3? ;D Did what I could do, washed the wheels, exchanged the shelving, and will see. I suspect both will recover, though neither will be as perfect as I had hoped.
Will never be, so the next wheel's got to be made. :)
Felicitations, my friend. Tomorrow's another cheese day.
We've all had downturns. File them under "hard won education". During the time I've been at this cheesemaking enterprise hobby, I have done a few things or had a few things happen that I didn't expect or intend. I worked to correct the difficulty at that moment in time and told myself not to have that negative experience again.
Somehow I have the feeling that you will surmount this momentary setback and rise to the occasion.
Press on, O Cheese Meister! 8)
-Boofer-
lol - thanks, Boof.
Well, I've just been monitoring and washing as needed. The blues, I think, really are having a tough time gaining traction, since the desired flora have gotten a great foothold, so we'll see...nothing really coming back.
Having tapped 2 of my 3 tommes, I now have more room in the cooler, and I think I'm just going to be in beaufort land for the indefinite future. (Tapped my budget, but am actually eyeing these hoops (http://www.thecheesemouldshop.com/en/speciale-kaasvormen-special-wooden-cheese-mould-ri-749797.html), pretty keenly).
Marching on, dutch-press guru!
I made some of these molds myself, not that difficult. Just steam a thin piece of wood, shape it, glue a block with holes to it and cut another block with holes for the adjuster. I even made one from hdpe, food grade plastic because I was considering them to use them in a commercial set up.
Here is a link to what I made: http://heinennellie.blogspot.com/2010/02/alpine-cheese.html (http://heinennellie.blogspot.com/2010/02/alpine-cheese.html)
Oude, your ability to craft things is astounding. Beautiful molds, and screw press. Thanks for the idea.
Quote from: ArnaudForestier on April 05, 2011, 02:38:34 PM
I think I'm just going to be in beaufort land for the indefinite future.
I took a tip from somewhere in the forum about reusing the wash water from one Beaufort to wash another. I've had the rind of my second Beaufort developing nicely and I had made a third Beaufort, so I did indeed use #2 to assist the rind development of #3. After about a week and a half, #3 looks promising. I will post pics soon. Very encouraging.
There's something innately satisfying about washing down one of these hard cheeses. I would guess it has something to do with
hope for the future. There's a lot going on around the world right now that isn't conducive to that premise so that makes the whole rind-washing such a profound moment. Wow...deep, huh? ::)
-Boofer-
Totally agreed, Boof, it is satisfying...something about smoothing over a wash on these cheeses, feeling like one is building layers of flavor that cannot possibly take place overnight. I know I've enjoyed doing the two that are in my cave, one with PLA, the other, as you describe it, just gets a 3% whey wash, followed by a good rubbing with L'Etivaz (http://www.etivaz-aoc.ch/) rind. Both are coming along well (see blue attempts from time to time, still, but I think I'm winning that war; the blue never sporulates, just faint dusting in 2 or 3 spots, which I wash away as needed).
Well...data point. I've been going from anywhere from 1 1/2 mos to 2 mos on my beauforts. I've been washing with either straight 3% whey brine (in tandem with a bought L'Etivaz rind rub), or a 3% PLA whey brine.
I've got a great crop of...geo and yeasts. A beautiful, even, resilient, thin mat of white on both wheels. The smell is sweetish, "cheesy," somewhat nutty.
And WAY behind the game. It took a conversation with Pav to realize I've been proceeding on autopilot for weeks, not realizing the fact my whey brines have no funk to them, was, uh, a problem.
The issue? These wheys were from the Beaufort make. Great for soak-brines, initial brines; perfectly pH-balanced for that purpose.
And useless for linens. I've got zero linens development, an issue at 2 months, as these should have been FUNKy by this point with linens.
As I said to Pav, "D'uh." I should have been flagged by the sweetness of these (aged) brine washes, and by the lack of any linens development despite many weeks of washes. I had thought the low Aw of the Beaufort meant the flora development cascade was drawn out, and that therefore, despite the fact we're at 1 1/2-2 mos...any day now....for real...I'm sure I'll start to see linens...really....
So, we're playing catch-up, started over tonight with a water brine, 3% salinity, sugar dosing, touch of geo and a lot of SR3. These wheels are going to get slathered daily with this linens wash until there is evidence of linens. Then back to 2x, or 3x weekly, then managed as needed. Next time, I do want to use whey, but will need to make sure it's whey above 6.0, not whey from my make that declines to the wheel pH over time.
Learning. Always learning to do.
Boof, the sugar's there just to give a bit of other food to the linens, to get it rolling. That, plus a tad of geo. I wouldn't normally do that - just create a brine, and get it going, but as I'm already behind the game in the linens's taking hold, I wanted to wash with an activated brine.
Quote from: Oude Kaas on April 05, 2011, 05:03:04 PM
I made some of these molds myself, not that difficult. Just steam a thin piece of wood, shape it, glue a block with holes to it and cut another block with holes for the adjuster. I even made one from hdpe, food grade plastic because I was considering them to use them in a commercial set up.
Here is a link to what I made: http://heinennellie.blogspot.com/2010/02/alpine-cheese.html (http://heinennellie.blogspot.com/2010/02/alpine-cheese.html)
Jos, a late bump, as I enjoy mental anguish, trying to emulate your carpentry skills. I know these are also a bear to maintain clean.
So, call me Ishmael.
No, wait, wrong narrative. Call me "One Who Needs to Scratch His Traditionalist Itch." (Sounds like a bad Mike Meyers character). Can you go into how you built this setup, a bit more (hoop, press - though the press seems fairly straight forward. if I had the space, I'd love to build one of those swing-arm screw presses, mounted to the wall).
I'd also like to build a traditional, though small(er) Beaufort hoop, something on the order of handling 10 kilos or so. (And yes, I'm already thinking of what I really want, one that can handle 35-45 kilos. Just for kicks). Meaning, I'd like to add in those concave-ribs, don't know what they're called, to the inside of the hoop, but not clear on how to do this, with the wood overlapping as it is.
Is your woodstock just hardwood veneer of some kind?
Thanks for whatever thoughts you have.
Paul
Edits: I removed the dumbest question, so I wouldn't seem like
too much of an incompetent. ;D
Secondly, the question has come up elsewhere - but I believe some makers (Thistle Hill, I had thought, for one) use wooden hoops in the U.S. (see, Mont D'Or wrapped in Spruce, for an example), but one of my vendors said that wasn't possible, due to USDA/FDA regs. Have I missed something? Is this true?
No, thistle hill does this:
1) pre-press in large mold (not under whey, their room is not equipped for it) to ensure good knit while curd is hot.
2) Cut into blocks to fit into smaller molds
3) Press in molds to final size
4) Take the plastic wrap-around hoop, and let the cheese rest in the hoop so it takes the concave shape.
They do not use wood. Good luck getting that approved anywhere in the US.
Thanks, Pav. I just wrote to Dairy Connections and did my mea culpa - after I posted the above, I actually contacted Thistle Hill, found they do it in plastic.
How do people using spruce wraps for Vacherin deal with the thought police? Unless it's considered something much like wooden shelving, a begrudging post-press/low pH by?
<<Je pense que je dois faire la démarche, au pays de mère (c'est la vérité, si vérité âgée...pays de mon arrière-grand-mère). Cassé, mais heureux. Bureaucratie, mais d'un animal différent>>
Don't blame me. Midway through a decent pinot noir, my young lad is retiring his chef dad tonight, making a true poussin rôti grand-mère, and I'm feeling a strong need tonight to feel my French blood. Now, Pav, are you sure my reblochons won't be <<à point>> before another few weeks? >:D
*****
OK, guys - how do you bend HDPE, and do food-grade tightening blocks on them? :o
Paul, Do you want to make a wooden mold or one made out of HDPE?
The way I did it, the fabrication of either one is fairly similar. To bend the wood or HDPE, I used steam. I first cut the wood or HDPE to size. I put a little water in a large stockpot (I used my 10 gallon vat), about 1 inch and brought that to a steaming boil. Then I put the piece of wood or HDPE slowly into the pot, spiraling it down into the steam once it got malleable. Once it was hot and soft, I took it out and shaped it to desired size and let it cool down. I seem to remember that the HDPE kind of melted when it got into contact with the hot stockpot wall. So try to avoid this.
The wood block I glued to the wooden hoop with wood glue. The HDPE block, I attached to the hoop with stainless steel screws. I know, this requires drilling and thread tapping, which might be beyond your toolbox. But, it is not that difficult.
The wood I used was pine which I had cut to about 1/8 thick.
The HDPE I got from McMaster Carr (http://www.mcmaster.com/). I don't remember what size I used, but if you want to know, I can certainly find out.
Hope this helps, if you need more info, let me know, happy to help.
I think that's enough to go on, Jos, ordered some HDPE from McMaster-Carr - thanks very much. I still want to find a way to try building those concave-kerf ribs, but this is a great start. Will keep you (and any interested) posted.
Paul
Jos, if reading this - running into a bit of a snag, should have thought to ask this before. By the picture of your HDPE version, the screws are countersunk. How did you do that with the HDPE being only about 1/8" thick to begin with? Just about every screw I found has a head/flange that's virtually 1/8" thick to begin with, so can't figure out how to countersink without basically just going through the plastic.
Have a Kadova which I blew, first time out - too used to my standard mould, and I ended up destroying the wheel, for the most part. Will have my head on better next time, will flip more aggressively, weigh more gingerly to begin, and do a salted brine soak of the mould during the make. I do like the look of the wheels made well from the Kadova, so looking forward to getting it down.
That said, I'm pretty seriously keyed about trying your design and make, Jos. Can you tell me - where did you get the components for your press, the worm-screw assembly?
Paul, I checked out the hoop I made. I used 1/4-20 thread screws countersunk into 1/8 material. Indeed, the head of this screw is a little higher than the 1/8 material thickness ( head height= .153") but if you countersink the hole in the 1/8 while holding the block underneath, you countersink a little into the block and the screws' head will be flush on top.
(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7i8-I17XnpE/Tcnaoy4yLYI/AAAAAAAACFM/mKtdFaGC83k/s1600/IMG_9419.JPG)
The "worm" screw is a 5/8 threaded rod and a nut. The nut is welded to a piece of flat bar with some holes to attach it to a piece of wood. Pretty simple. The way I made the wood structure (some pieces of wood screwed together) proved to weak for the required pressure. It requires some better joint connections.
Hope this will help in getting you some further. Keep me posted.
Thanks, Jos, will look into the press.
Thanks, too, on the hoop details. I did end up getting 10/24 tap, etc., have some extra 4" by, and have done a very (very) rough mockup for the night, just playing to see what we're dealing with. I'll shape, countersink and tidy everything up over the next several days. A lot of fun, thank you again. Now - just need a vat that can do that size a wheel some justice, and a cave to put them in....
(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/pkphotodo/hoopmockup2.jpg)
OK, done with the hoop, more or less (some fine polishing left). 13"D (adjustable) x 4" High, my estimate is about a 20 gallon milk need, yielding close to about a 9 kg wheel.
(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/pkphotodo/hoop2.jpg)
Thanks, Jos. Your 5/8" rod and nut - just mild steel, untreated?
Sure, anything will work. If you want to go a little heavier. You can use 3/4 or even thikker. And if youwant go really fancy and spare no cost, you can opt for stainless steel. Welding might be more complicated though. But you can avoid the welding of the nut to a plate by imbedding it in the wood. Might be easier.
By the way, hoop looks great.
Thanks, Jos. You made it easy. :)
Trying to locate those Beaufort or gruyere vids on Youtube, where I saw a similar "worm screw" press, but it swung down from the wall, to lock in place on top of the hoop. Now that I've done one hoop, already thinking big...like, 40 kg or better big. :o
I've found some mild B7 steel at both 3.4" and 1" diameter. Looking at your make, it appears to be to be about 2 1/2' rod? How did you get the flat bar with a hole big enough to pass the rod through - hole saw? What spec drill/saw?
Not sure what you mean by 2 1/2" rod.
In my case, the flat bar only needed a hole slightly larger than 5/8" to pass the threaded rod through. I simply drilled this. (Granted, I do have a fully equipped metalworking shop).
Sorry, Jos - I meant that it looks like your threaded rod is about 2 1/2 feet long?
Looked at more of your site, and projects. Wonderful, Jos. You've inspired me to give my hand again at welding - did some MIG, that's about it. I need to get my stick and gas chops down.
One foot only. I guess picture distorted the proportions.
How about TIG...?
Quote from: Oude Kaas on May 12, 2011, 01:02:17 AM
One foot only. I guess picture distorted the proportions.
How about TIG...?
Oh, hahah - way off. Thanks.
TIG - I'd love to, but I'm afraid I don't have the chops. At best, I was self-taught for a long-ago project (my build on a 2-tier, 2-bbl brewing system), and was able to make fairly ugly beads with MIG on the mild steel components, flux-cored, so no gas. TIG is a beautiful beast I do want to learn, but I'm nowhere near skilled enough, at this point. Though you've inspired me to look into our local Craigslist for an old beast of a stick welder, and begin learning again.
I have been away for quite some time. I hope to be a more regular neighbor, folks. Just wanted to post some nice results. No longer thinking of this commercially, just a labor of love for friends and family; my heartfelt thanks to so many, and the top of the thanks must go to Francois, Pav, Sailor. Some pics of my Spring 2011 Beaufort, raw milk. I was very sloppy cutting, so please ignore the "hack lines" in the wheel shot. Slices really well, wonderful sweetness upfront from my Ayrshire friends, and a really wonderful length and complexity - butter, grass, slight herbs. For a 4 month, must say, really pleased:
(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/pkphotodo/DSCN0402.jpg)
(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/pkphotodo/DSCN0405.jpg)
Thank you, community, for all your generosity of heart. And "Big 3," for so much more beyond.
Paul
Quotejust a labor of love for friends and family;
You will be happier in the end this way :)
Cheese looks amazing. Great calcium retention, tight paste, decent rind. Kudos!
Thank you my friend. If I've mourned some things, I've been very grateful for other things, and the notion of simply doing this out of a pure desire to share has its rewards. Of many things I've enjoyed, our conversations would have to be among the rarest of them.
My best.
Paul
Nicely done.
The cheese looks very very nice.
How does it smell?
Thanks, Wayne. Very difficult to pin down - rind is extremely mottled, all kinds of things going on; but there's some linens taint, though not predominantly so; some cellar/mold; and a florality that I have a hard time pinning down. The paste, I'd have to say my first impression is a really rich buttery quality, predominantly, with a slight hazelnut or other nutty quality. The thing that really pleases me is the length and complexity - in aroma, taste, the qualities are really long, and morph. The taste, for instance, I get this up front sweetness, that releases into a fresh fields/herbaceous quality, over the chew.
PS: As I mentioned to Boof on another thread, just because I haven't been babbling online, I've enjoyed lurking from time to time....many congrats on your buildout, Wayne. You astound me with your drive and ingenuity. :)
thanks, but since cheese is the goal, so far, its been a year of downtime..
Props to you. You are actually making cheese.
I understand, must be hard to keep patience with it, at times. Let's just say I can't wait until I see the conclusion, Wayne - as always, very impressed with your industry and skill.
Hello all - Just to drop in. I will not bore with the details, just to say it's my tendency to drop away from all good society, to focus on some hermitic pleasures, and hermitic work. Just posting that I decided to open my summer, 2011 Beaufort, at 5+ months.
(http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p316/pkphotodo/DSCN0464.jpg)
(Boof, ignore the date....battery change, etc.). An experiment of complex, engineered morge, and other things. I am, objectively, extremely pleased. Everything I had hoped for, right texture, depth of complex flavor that includes the nutty sweetness of this alpine style, the savory funk of a host of linens and other species, and a transparency from the summer, Ayrshire milk from two girls with whom I have, as badly as Homer on Circe's Island, fallen deeply in love.
My absence from here, as I told Pav, is no indication of my fondness for the community. I wish all of you good health and joy, and thank all of you for the help and camaraderie you've offered.
Warmly and with all best hopes,
Paul
Ahh, Paul, you remembered me.... :'(
Looks great. I can almost taste it from over here. :)
We missed you.
-Boofer-
Boof, though I've not posted, I have taken a lot of pleasure dropping in from time to time to see your usual adventuresome self, going nuts on all kinds of styles and cheeses. You're impossible to forget! Kudos, friend. :)