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Hi everyone!
I'm new to the cheese forum and making cheese. I've always had a fascination with eating, looking and purchasing cheese. On more than a few occasions I have spent the entire time my wife was shopping at one of those supercenters staring and studying the cheese varieties while she shops. So yes I'm a cheese head and yes my wife has has to drag me away from many a cheese counter. I have to thank her for putting up with my....uuummm...addiction.
It wasn't until I bought my first book on making cheese and made my first Parmesan that I realize the hard work and effort it takes. I'm looking forward to the advice of many for techniques to make and use cheese.

Welcome to the forum, Beachnative. Yeah, you'll be right at home here.

Looking forward to following your cheese exploits...with pictures! 

Interesting avatar.

-Boofer-

Welcome Beach dude,
  I am pretty new to the forum as well but have been making cheese for six months or so with quite good success.  I share your passion as do all the nice folks here.  Short of scientific publications, I can say hands down the knowledge available from the members has surpassed everything I have read in books or on the net.  Techniques, equipment, cultures...everything is here. Check out the wiki articles first as almost all of my questions were answered by them.
  BTW I`m impressed that your first cheese was a parmasean.  How did you wait out such a long termer for so long?
  Nathan
   

Welcome Beachnative!

Thank you for the warm welcome.  To clarify, In the past I have made Mozzarella, Ricotta and Mascarpone using Youtube as a guide and they were pretty simple to make. But after reading Ricki Carrol's Home Cheese Making book and being a real Italian cheese junkie, I had to make Parmesan. I'm hoping for the best but really don't know what to expect. I took notes during the process and now know my weaknesses such as gradual temperature control over a specified time interval. I know I should have probably waited till after making something else perhaps a cheddar instead.

In the picture is my Wine cooler / el cheapo cheese cave and the Parmesan I made.

My hat is off to you. I have never made any of the four cheeses you mentioned and I'm still learning my weaknesses & strengths. 

-Boofer-

welcome! glad to have you here.

 Beachnative Welcome as they say its all here if it aint just ask, it will be

I am an Italian cheese nut! Most of my cheeses are Italian. I've even created a few with Italian names. Growing up in an Italian family , in an Italian neighbothood I only ate Italian cheeses growing up and am quite fond of them. Sharp, pungent aged Italian cheeses are top notch!

Ok, I'm an admitted noob and have already made mistakes with my Parmesan, that I know of.

No hygrometer and no ripening container..........uuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

We all must start somewhere and we all make mistakes - sometimes they are even worth repeating.