Cheese!

Post by **dasein668** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 5:46 pm

Ok, first off the following relates to boats. Really. I swear. Consider the facts:

1) Optimal cheese aging conditions are 55 degrees F at 85-95% humidity. Standard bilge atmospherics here in the northeast.

2) Cruising without cheese: evil.

3) Head usage reduction.

Defense rests.

Milk ripening with mesophilic starter culture at 90 degrees F:

Curds cut into 1/2 inch cubes

Curds cooking at 100 degrees F

Curds draining for 1 hour in warm environment

Cheddar after 10 minutes of pressing at 10lbs. (0.8 psi)

Cheese pressing at 44lbs (3.5psi) for 12 hours

Still to come: Air drying, waxing, aging, and eating.

Post by **Tim** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 6:05 pm

dasein668 wrote:Still to come: ...eating

That ought to be the most fun part!

Looks like an interesting process, and surprisingly simple. (Or maybe unsurprisingly, when I think about it...)

Post by **dasein668** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 6:14 pm

Tim wrote:
dasein668 wrote:Still to come: ...eating
That ought to be the most fun part!

Well, I certainly hope so... we'll see in about a month! I did pop down a few of the curds after salting and before pressing. Waaaay tastier than storebought cottage cheese, I can tell ya that!

Tim wrote:Looks like an interesting process, and surprisingly simple. (Or maybe unsurprisingly, when I think about it...)

Yeah, it's really not that tough. Definitely easier than brewing beer (at least if you mash your own grains, which I do). Admittedly this is about the easiest hard cheese you can make?farmhouse style cheddar. Even traditional english cheddar has more steps. And anything with mold... Starting with baby steps seemed appropriate though...

Post by **dasein668** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 12:20 pm

After 12 (ok, more like 15) hours in the press, I unwrapped the cheese, carefully sliced it into two wheels and repressed each one briefly to help knit the rind on the cut face. The cheese will now air dry, turning several times daily, at room temperature for 2-4 days until a nice rind is formed. Then it will get waxed.

Two wheels, approx. 1/2 lb each, air drying.

Robert The Gray · Post by **Robert The Gray** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:43 pm

Two flags for your upcoming spring cruise:

[img][img]http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads ... ac3fbf.jpg[/img][/img]

Robert The Gray · Post by **Robert The Gray** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:44 pm

i will try those photos again

sorry,

R

Robert The Gray · Post by **Robert The Gray** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 4:50 pm

argh.
out of time

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:25 pm

Good on ya, Nathan!

Though we're both Certified Cheese Freaks, I really think the wifey would kill me if I started another Make My Own hobby. She's still regretting the ice cream maker she gave me two christmases ago.

Unless, of course, there's an easy way to make Brie.... we're going through a lot of brie lately :)

Post by **dasein668** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:47 pm

Well, Heather did roll her eyes. But she really doesn't like beer. But she loves cheese, so...

Ric in Richmond · Post by **Ric in Richmond** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 8:46 pm

Ok..I gotta try that.

ANy good websites you'd recommend???

Ric

Ric in Richmond · Post by **Ric in Richmond** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 8:47 pm

Ok..I gotta try that.

ANy good websites you'd recommend???

First Mohitos now home made cheese!!!!

Ric

Post by **dasein668** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:20 pm

Ric in Richmond wrote:Ok..I gotta try that.

ANy good websites you'd recommend???

Well, I got the book Home Cheese Making from the library. I'll likely purchase a copy now.

The author is co-owner of New England Cheese Making Supply which is one source for stuff (including the book).

There's also some good info at [url=http://www.mainecheeseguild.org"]the Maine Cheese Guild[/url] including some good links to general info and additional vendors.

JetStream · Post by **JetStream** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 9:27 pm

Since the head will get little use now, is that where you set up the cheese shop?
Then would that be "head cheese"?

bcooke · Post by **bcooke** » Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:17 pm

You do realize, Nathan, that if you are going to tempt us with your homemade cheese then you are obligated to offer samples when it is done.

-Britton

Post by **dasein668** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:23 am

bcooke wrote:You do realize, Nathan, that if you are going to tempt us with your homemade cheese then you are obligated to offer samples when it is done.

Well, I'm not shipping it anywhere...

MikeD · Post by **MikeD** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 12:47 am

You know, to make this thread a little more "nautical", you could have used an anchor for the weights or something. How about homemade wine for your next project? :)

Summersdawn · Post by **Summersdawn** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 1:24 am

Way to go Nathan. I worked with a guy who used to make cheese. Like anything else, the homemade stuff is better.

He brought in a homemade cheesecake once that he made with his homemade cheese. It was awesome.

Post by **Tim** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:11 am

JetStream wrote:Since the head will get little use now, is that where you set up the cheese shop?
Then would that be "head cheese"?

Groan! But boy, I certainly hope that's not the case!

Post by **dasein668** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 11:00 am

MikeD wrote: How about homemade wine for your next project? :)

My wife would certainly like that better than beer, but I must confess that I don't care enough about wine to take on that project. I'll stick with bread, beer, cheese, and sausage...

Robert The Gray · Post by **Robert The Gray** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 8:09 pm

here are the two flags for the spring cruise.

robert the graphic muenster

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Fri Feb 24, 2006 9:29 pm

Genuine Watterson images?

Post by **dasein668** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:48 pm

Ready for Aging, 4-6 weeks minimum at 55 F, 85% RH.

Post by **dasein668** » Sat Feb 25, 2006 3:53 pm

Robert,

I still can't see those pictures... Must be a freeimagehosting issue...Anyone else have missing images?

Figment · Post by **Figment** » Fri May 12, 2006 6:13 pm

6 weeks is up, no? how is it?

(just came across this from one of my favorite cheese shops)

The trucker cheese does actually bite back.

Post by **dasein668** » Sat May 13, 2006 1:12 am

Ah yes! Cheese is good. I wouldn't say it's true-to-style (the cheddar) but pretty tasty nontheless. I think there was a bit too much acid production in those first batches, so the cheese is a bit "lactic" tasting. But we had some on burgers last night and no one was complaining!

Haven't broken into the gouda yet...