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Hi hoeklijn,

I certainly wouldn't try to make a pressed cheese with UHT, that's for sure.  However, if one simply wanted to make a simple fresh cream cheese, let's say, then based upon what I've got now UHT would be more than adequate.  So, it's not quite right to say UHT is not suitable for making cheese, since it is suitable for "bag cheese" at least.  I was thinking it might just firm up enough to give me a fresh, semi-lactic goat's cheese.  Jury is still out on that I'm afraid. 

- Jeff

In terms of CaCl my understanding is that its best to add it sooner rather than later before renneting.  One of the problems of the internet is that if you keep searching you will eventually find something that contradicts everything else!  Anyway, I add CaCl at least 30mins before renneting and have good results.  But, I think I remember Linuxboy saying that in a lactic curd adding CaCl is of no value since with low pH most of the calcium is lost from the curd anyway.  I will be interested in your results.

NVD.

I thouht UHT was the long shelf life refrigirated kind.
Why would anyone buy the boxed shelf stable kind? It has a weird taste from the maillard reaction going on.

Thats right, its not the best quality milk to use but sometimes its the only option.  Especially when using goat milk.

NVD

Yah, the box milk is not much good except for making mother culture ice cubes (since it's sterile you can get your own culture in there to take over in peace).  Since it's the only goat's milk I have easy access to I thought I would give this a try.  Nothing ventured nothing gained, as they say.

- Jeff

Im surprised nz doesn't have fresh goat milk - there are heaps of goat dairies over there.

I know when Australia runs short we import barrel loads of frozen goat milk, thaw and process it into 'fresh' milk and cheese etc.

Keep me posted how it turns out.

NVD>

Hi NVD,

Francois mentioned that he thinks Fontera buys up all the goat's milk and processes it.  So, much like our lamb, the good stuff goes for export and the leftovers "trickle down".  I've not seen any regularly pasturized goat's milk for sale in the stores, just the box stuff, but it could just be the stores I've been looking in.  These cheeses are firm enough to take out of the mould, but we'll see if they hold their shape.  I don't think I could pick them up without deforming it though.  The taste is good (not the best cheese in the world, but it's edible, and would be nice as a spread, etc).  Still, these semi-lactics can take ages to drain, so I'll just let it sit a bit longer.  Will probably move it to the fridge after work though.  Will try and get photos before I destroy them by trying to pick one up.

- Jeff

Fonterra doesn't buy it, they process it under contract for the goat cooperative.  You might try cottage crafts milk map.  You might also try finding a goat cooperative farm and asking if you can buy directly from them.

Oooops!  That "buy it" was a slip, thanks Francois.  They process it all. 

The milk map shows a few goat places not too far away, like Waiuku, so it could be done. 

- Jeff

Hi,

Well, here are my two little goat cheeses.  One cracked as you can see.  They're not the prettiest flower in the bed, but for a first attempt and with low quality milk, not too bad.  One has picked up a bit of b.linen contamination.  When they are first out of the regular fridge they are firm enough that I could wrap them, and I think I will.  Not sure how soft and gooey they will go when they warm up, but we'll see.  Taste is good, starts off a bit like apples then a mild goatiness builds up and morphs the flavour (but in a good way).  The paste is very creamy and smooth.  They will need to be eaten fairly quickly, but that's fine.  They're not huge.  In the end, I think these are quite acceptable cheeses.  Oh yah, the two of them total 270g (they are within a few grams of each other, so each is about 135g).

- Jeff

Hard to see but it looks from here like the paste is nice.

i dont think bag drying in the fridge was a good idea.  Since that milk is tired as it is, maybe you could try to keep it a constant temperature, until drying stage.  Plus refridgerators are a bacterial playground.  That bacteria wont develop cold.

Looks good.  Congrats!

Hi Frotte La Tomme,

Yah, I think draining at room temp would have been better as well.  I made quark recently, and it calls to be drained in the refridgerator, and I just sort of did the same thing.  But upon reflection, this is quite a different cheese and it was going to require room temp for a few days anyway.  Still, once it was bag drained and moved to the moulds, it was back up to room temp.  But that's probably not the best way to keep the cheese bac's happy.

Thanks DejayDebbie and anut,

The paste has turned out quite nice.  Very smooth and creamy.

- Jeff

well, considering you used UHT milk, which to my knowledge wasn't suitable for making cheese, I think you did a good jobs. I hope for you the taste turns out to be fine.
Fortunately I'm able to get fresh raw milk, from a goat farm nearby and from a small cheese farm on a ten minutes drive. Last Saturday morning I had my 20 liters of milk during milking time right from the milking machine. When I came home the milk was still at a 33C so I could add the culture immediately...