Cheese making.

[gallantwarrior]

You've most likely taken all the same precautions I have. Sanitizing equipment, making sure the milk is cleanly collected, fresh cultures and rennet. What exactly is the problem you're having? Do you cure your Parmesan in brine? Brining should keep the mold down.

 

[PredFan]

You've most likely taken all the same precautions I have. Sanitizing equipment, making sure the milk is cleanly collected, fresh cultures and rennet. What exactly is the problem you're having? Do you cure your Parmesan in brine? Brining should keep the mold down.

Yes I use brine. I've also taken all of the cheese out of my aging refrigerator and cleaned it thoroughly with a bleach solution.

I have been learning that the recipes in the book I use often have to be tweaked. Perhaps overnight in brine isn't long enough.

 

[gallantwarrior]

I use apple cider vinegar to clean mold off my cheeses, often if needed before I wax them. I seems to work well. Wish I could offer more. Actually, red, green, or blue molds aren't bad. If you have black or a slimy dirty brown mold, though, it's best to throw the cheese away and start again.

 

[PredFan]

I just put my 33rd cheese in the ager. It's another Blue. Oddly enough, a lot of people have told me that Blue Cheese is not for beginners, but of all the cheeses I've made, I'm most consistently successful with the Blue. The last Blue Cheese I made was the best I've ever had anywhere. I'm hoping to repeat that success.

This is my 7th Blue cheese and only one failed. The next best cheese I make is Parmesan/Romano. It's a bitch trying to keep the mold off of it, but it seems to come out well.

I'm going to make another Blue and another Romano, and then I'm going to try a Gorgonzola.

 

[gallantwarrior]

I just put my 33rd cheese in the ager. It's another Blue. Oddly enough, a lot of people have told me that Blue Cheese is not for beginners, but of all the cheeses I've made, I'm most consistently successful with the Blue. The last Blue Cheese I made was the best I've ever had anywhere. I'm hoping to repeat that success.

This is my 7th Blue cheese and only one failed. The next best cheese I make is Parmesan/Romano. It's a bitch trying to keep the mold off of it, but it seems to come out well.

I'm going to make another Blue and another Romano, and then I'm going to try a Gorgonzola.

Excellent! I have a "barrel" of feta that I need to wrap up. There's a cheddar on the stove right now that I'm getting ready to drain and press. My first parmesan cheeses are ready to shred and use, too. I recently traded a brick of pepper jack for an equal amount of moose meat. I sold a three pound cheddar and two quarts of greek-style yogurt, too! Yogurt was tricky at first, always too runny. But the culture for greek-style yogurt works very well. One of these days, I'll work up the courage to try a blue. I'm backing off my milk production now, though. I'll be moving to a new location next summer, building a new barn and putting up new fences and I'll need more time for that than for milking and cheesemaking. I'll still milk a couple of does, but only to provide my current customers with milk.

 

[PredFan]

I just put my 33rd cheese in the ager. It's another Blue. Oddly enough, a lot of people have told me that Blue Cheese is not for beginners, but of all the cheeses I've made, I'm most consistently successful with the Blue. The last Blue Cheese I made was the best I've ever had anywhere. I'm hoping to repeat that success.

This is my 7th Blue cheese and only one failed. The next best cheese I make is Parmesan/Romano. It's a bitch trying to keep the mold off of it, but it seems to come out well.

I'm going to make another Blue and another Romano, and then I'm going to try a Gorgonzola.

Excellent! I have a "barrel" of feta that I need to wrap up. There's a cheddar on the stove right now that I'm getting ready to drain and press. My first parmesan cheeses are ready to shred and use, too. I recently traded a brick of pepper jack for an equal amount of moose meat. I sold a three pound cheddar and two quarts of greek-style yogurt, too! Yogurt was tricky at first, always too runny. But the culture for greek-style yogurt works very well. One of these days, I'll work up the courage to try a blue. I'm backing off my milk production now, though. I'll be moving to a new location next summer, building a new barn and putting up new fences and I'll need more time for that than for milking and cheesemaking. I'll still milk a couple of does, but only to provide my current customers with milk.

I'm a little jealous. I do not intend to make cheese my business though. It's just a hobby with me. But reading your post I think of what is possible and wish I had that. But it has to stay a hobby, I'm not willing to give up any of my other hobbies.

I just finished the 3 days of turning and salting the new blue. The texture is correct, the firmness is correct, and there are lots of holes for the blue mold to grow. Now I just have to wait the six months.

 

[gallantwarrior]

I just put my 33rd cheese in the ager. It's another Blue. Oddly enough, a lot of people have told me that Blue Cheese is not for beginners, but of all the cheeses I've made, I'm most consistently successful with the Blue. The last Blue Cheese I made was the best I've ever had anywhere. I'm hoping to repeat that success.

This is my 7th Blue cheese and only one failed. The next best cheese I make is Parmesan/Romano. It's a bitch trying to keep the mold off of it, but it seems to come out well.

I'm going to make another Blue and another Romano, and then I'm going to try a Gorgonzola.

Excellent! I have a "barrel" of feta that I need to wrap up. There's a cheddar on the stove right now that I'm getting ready to drain and press. My first parmesan cheeses are ready to shred and use, too. I recently traded a brick of pepper jack for an equal amount of moose meat. I sold a three pound cheddar and two quarts of greek-style yogurt, too! Yogurt was tricky at first, always too runny. But the culture for greek-style yogurt works very well. One of these days, I'll work up the courage to try a blue. I'm backing off my milk production now, though. I'll be moving to a new location next summer, building a new barn and putting up new fences and I'll need more time for that than for milking and cheesemaking. I'll still milk a couple of does, but only to provide my current customers with milk.

I'm a little jealous. I do not intend to make cheese my business though. It's just a hobby with me. But reading your post I think of what is possible and wish I had that. But it has to stay a hobby, I'm not willing to give up any of my other hobbies.

I just finished the 3 days of turning and salting the new blue. The texture is correct, the firmness is correct, and there are lots of holes for the blue mold to grow. Now I just have to wait the six months.

You keep notes, don't you? At first, I didn't and I had difficulty duplicating my successes and avoiding the errors. Now, I have a notebook full of information. P.S. I got $46 dollars for the cheese and yogurt. I get about $10/gal for fresh, whole milk. (Over-processed, trash goats' milk at the supermarket costs over $20/gal.)
I will try blue cheese eventually. Once I get my creamery up and running, I'll have a separate curing room for blue cheese, so that the mold will not contaminate other cheeses.
I always look forward to your updates. Thanks!

 

[PredFan]

I just put my 33rd cheese in the ager. It's another Blue. Oddly enough, a lot of people have told me that Blue Cheese is not for beginners, but of all the cheeses I've made, I'm most consistently successful with the Blue. The last Blue Cheese I made was the best I've ever had anywhere. I'm hoping to repeat that success.

This is my 7th Blue cheese and only one failed. The next best cheese I make is Parmesan/Romano. It's a bitch trying to keep the mold off of it, but it seems to come out well.

I'm going to make another Blue and another Romano, and then I'm going to try a Gorgonzola.

Excellent! I have a "barrel" of feta that I need to wrap up. There's a cheddar on the stove right now that I'm getting ready to drain and press. My first parmesan cheeses are ready to shred and use, too. I recently traded a brick of pepper jack for an equal amount of moose meat. I sold a three pound cheddar and two quarts of greek-style yogurt, too! Yogurt was tricky at first, always too runny. But the culture for greek-style yogurt works very well. One of these days, I'll work up the courage to try a blue. I'm backing off my milk production now, though. I'll be moving to a new location next summer, building a new barn and putting up new fences and I'll need more time for that than for milking and cheesemaking. I'll still milk a couple of does, but only to provide my current customers with milk.

I'm a little jealous. I do not intend to make cheese my business though. It's just a hobby with me. But reading your post I think of what is possible and wish I had that. But it has to stay a hobby, I'm not willing to give up any of my other hobbies.

I just finished the 3 days of turning and salting the new blue. The texture is correct, the firmness is correct, and there are lots of holes for the blue mold to grow. Now I just have to wait the six months.

You keep notes, don't you? At first, I didn't and I had difficulty duplicating my successes and avoiding the errors. Now, I have a notebook full of information. P.S. I got $46 dollars for the cheese and yogurt. I get about $10/gal for fresh, whole milk. (Over-processed, trash goats' milk at the supermarket costs over $20/gal.)
I will try blue cheese eventually. Once I get my creamery up and running, I'll have a separate curing room for blue cheese, so that the mold will not contaminate other cheeses.
I always look forward to your updates. Thanks!

On the blues, I haven't diverted even a tiny bit from the recipe in the cheese making book. When I was struggling with the cheddars, I kept lots of notes but kept having to go back to the drawing board. Still can't get them right. I'm about to give up on cheddar.

 

[gallantwarrior]

I just put my 33rd cheese in the ager. It's another Blue. Oddly enough, a lot of people have told me that Blue Cheese is not for beginners, but of all the cheeses I've made, I'm most consistently successful with the Blue. The last Blue Cheese I made was the best I've ever had anywhere. I'm hoping to repeat that success.

This is my 7th Blue cheese and only one failed. The next best cheese I make is Parmesan/Romano. It's a bitch trying to keep the mold off of it, but it seems to come out well.

I'm going to make another Blue and another Romano, and then I'm going to try a Gorgonzola.

Excellent! I have a "barrel" of feta that I need to wrap up. There's a cheddar on the stove right now that I'm getting ready to drain and press. My first parmesan cheeses are ready to shred and use, too. I recently traded a brick of pepper jack for an equal amount of moose meat. I sold a three pound cheddar and two quarts of greek-style yogurt, too! Yogurt was tricky at first, always too runny. But the culture for greek-style yogurt works very well. One of these days, I'll work up the courage to try a blue. I'm backing off my milk production now, though. I'll be moving to a new location next summer, building a new barn and putting up new fences and I'll need more time for that than for milking and cheesemaking. I'll still milk a couple of does, but only to provide my current customers with milk.

I'm a little jealous. I do not intend to make cheese my business though. It's just a hobby with me. But reading your post I think of what is possible and wish I had that. But it has to stay a hobby, I'm not willing to give up any of my other hobbies.

I just finished the 3 days of turning and salting the new blue. The texture is correct, the firmness is correct, and there are lots of holes for the blue mold to grow. Now I just have to wait the six months.

You keep notes, don't you? At first, I didn't and I had difficulty duplicating my successes and avoiding the errors. Now, I have a notebook full of information. P.S. I got $46 dollars for the cheese and yogurt. I get about $10/gal for fresh, whole milk. (Over-processed, trash goats' milk at the supermarket costs over $20/gal.)
I will try blue cheese eventually. Once I get my creamery up and running, I'll have a separate curing room for blue cheese, so that the mold will not contaminate other cheeses.
I always look forward to your updates. Thanks!

On the blues, I haven't diverted even a tiny bit from the recipe in the cheese making book. When I was struggling with the cheddars, I kept lots of notes but kept having to go back to the drawing board. Still can't get them right. I'm about to give up on cheddar.

My cheddars were dry at first but I think I was pressing them too long. The cheddars from this year are super...just right. My best is still feta.

 

[PredFan]

Made my first Gouda yesterday. I'll get to taste it in September. I have to say that the waiting is kinda fun.

 

[PredFan]

I just put my 33rd cheese in the ager. It's another Blue. Oddly enough, a lot of people have told me that Blue Cheese is not for beginners, but of all the cheeses I've made, I'm most consistently successful with the Blue. The last Blue Cheese I made was the best I've ever had anywhere. I'm hoping to repeat that success.

This is my 7th Blue cheese and only one failed. The next best cheese I make is Parmesan/Romano. It's a bitch trying to keep the mold off of it, but it seems to come out well.

I'm going to make another Blue and another Romano, and then I'm going to try a Gorgonzola.

Excellent! I have a "barrel" of feta that I need to wrap up. There's a cheddar on the stove right now that I'm getting ready to drain and press. My first parmesan cheeses are ready to shred and use, too. I recently traded a brick of pepper jack for an equal amount of moose meat. I sold a three pound cheddar and two quarts of greek-style yogurt, too! Yogurt was tricky at first, always too runny. But the culture for greek-style yogurt works very well. One of these days, I'll work up the courage to try a blue. I'm backing off my milk production now, though. I'll be moving to a new location next summer, building a new barn and putting up new fences and I'll need more time for that than for milking and cheesemaking. I'll still milk a couple of does, but only to provide my current customers with milk.

I'm a little jealous. I do not intend to make cheese my business though. It's just a hobby with me. But reading your post I think of what is possible and wish I had that. But it has to stay a hobby, I'm not willing to give up any of my other hobbies.

I just finished the 3 days of turning and salting the new blue. The texture is correct, the firmness is correct, and there are lots of holes for the blue mold to grow. Now I just have to wait the six months.

You keep notes, don't you? At first, I didn't and I had difficulty duplicating my successes and avoiding the errors. Now, I have a notebook full of information. P.S. I got $46 dollars for the cheese and yogurt. I get about $10/gal for fresh, whole milk. (Over-processed, trash goats' milk at the supermarket costs over $20/gal.)
I will try blue cheese eventually. Once I get my creamery up and running, I'll have a separate curing room for blue cheese, so that the mold will not contaminate other cheeses.
I always look forward to your updates. Thanks!

On the blues, I haven't diverted even a tiny bit from the recipe in the cheese making book. When I was struggling with the cheddars, I kept lots of notes but kept having to go back to the drawing board. Still can't get them right. I'm about to give up on cheddar.

My cheddars were dry at first but I think I was pressing them too long. The cheddars from this year are super...just right. My best is still feta.

I'm a couple of weeks past the minimum age for the last cheddar I made. But I still have a sizable chunk of the latest blue that was done. I'm going to finish the blue before I open that cheddar. It'll be the first time I didn't open up a cheese as soon as it was ripe. Let's see how sharp it gets.

 

[asaratis]

Made my first Gouda yesterday. I'll get to taste it in September. I have to say that the waiting is kinda fun.

It's like gestation and birth...only it doesn't hurt...and you get to eat it.

I once had some sharp cheddar cheese my mother in law made...we really didn't want to run out of it so we cut it into 12 big pieces and had only one piece per month for the entire year.

 

[gallantwarrior]

My big success this year has been the smoked provolone. Everyone loves it. Having limited the number of milking does I have to primarily supply my fresh milk customers, I don't have the extra milk to make cheese this summer...at least until I wean the kids. After that I am going to focus on making soap for the craft markets. Once I get set up in Willow, I'll start "commercial" production of my cheeses.
It is nice to share your adventures with you, most certainly. Keep us posted how that gouda turns out.

 

[PredFan]

My big success this year has been the smoked provolone. Everyone loves it. Having limited the number of milking does I have to primarily supply my fresh milk customers, I don't have the extra milk to make cheese this summer...at least until I wean the kids. After that I am going to focus on making soap for the craft markets. Once I get set up in Willow, I'll start "commercial" production of my cheeses.
It is nice to share your adventures with you, most certainly. Keep us posted how that gouda turns out.

How do you smoke cheese? I love smoked Gouda, but I'm afraid I'll bring the temperature too high.

 

[gallantwarrior]

My big success this year has been the smoked provolone. Everyone loves it. Having limited the number of milking does I have to primarily supply my fresh milk customers, I don't have the extra milk to make cheese this summer...at least until I wean the kids. After that I am going to focus on making soap for the craft markets. Once I get set up in Willow, I'll start "commercial" production of my cheeses.
It is nice to share your adventures with you, most certainly. Keep us posted how that gouda turns out.

How do you smoke cheese? I love smoked Gouda, but I'm afraid I'll bring the temperature too high.

Get a "Little Chief" smoker (cold smoker) and set your cheeses up so they are supported and exposed to the smoke. I use commercial netting, and set the smoke to the cheese. Carefully monitor the cheese, don't let it get to warm, it will melt through the nets (or grates) and will taste wonderful.

 

[PredFan]

My big success this year has been the smoked provolone. Everyone loves it. Having limited the number of milking does I have to primarily supply my fresh milk customers, I don't have the extra milk to make cheese this summer...at least until I wean the kids. After that I am going to focus on making soap for the craft markets. Once I get set up in Willow, I'll start "commercial" production of my cheeses.
It is nice to share your adventures with you, most certainly. Keep us posted how that gouda turns out.

How do you smoke cheese? I love smoked Gouda, but I'm afraid I'll bring the temperature too high.

Get a "Little Chief" smoker (cold smoker) and set your cheeses up so they are supported and exposed to the smoke. I use commercial netting, and set the smoke to the cheese. Carefully monitor the cheese, don't let it get to warm, it will melt through the nets (or grates) and will taste wonderful.

Cold smoke, that's the problem. Living in an area where it never gets below 75 degrees in the middle of the night, I don't know how that can happen.

 

[gallantwarrior]

My big success this year has been the smoked provolone. Everyone loves it. Having limited the number of milking does I have to primarily supply my fresh milk customers, I don't have the extra milk to make cheese this summer...at least until I wean the kids. After that I am going to focus on making soap for the craft markets. Once I get set up in Willow, I'll start "commercial" production of my cheeses.
It is nice to share your adventures with you, most certainly. Keep us posted how that gouda turns out.

How do you smoke cheese? I love smoked Gouda, but I'm afraid I'll bring the temperature too high.

Get a "Little Chief" smoker (cold smoker) and set your cheeses up so they are supported and exposed to the smoke. I use commercial netting, and set the smoke to the cheese. Carefully monitor the cheese, don't let it get to warm, it will melt through the nets (or grates) and will taste wonderful.

Cold smoke, that's the problem. Living in an area where it never gets below 75 degrees in the middle of the night, I don't know how that can happen.

Maybe wait until winter?

 

[PredFan]

My 37th cheese is my first Gouda.

 

[gallantwarrior]

My 37th cheese is my first Gouda.
View attachment 76998

NOM! How many gallons of milk does that cheese equal? What are your typical dimensions and where do you get your cheese molds? I usually label my cheeses by date, but then, I've been doing this for over 10 years now. I still haven't braved a bleu, but my smoked provolone is gaining accolades with each sample tasted.
Because I only milk two does right now, I usually have just enough milk to cover my milk share customers and the extra goes to feed my bottle-fed kids and the barn cats. I suppose I'm taking the summer off until I wean the current crop of kids. There's one special recipe I want to try.

 

[PredFan]

My 37th cheese is my first Gouda.
View attachment 76998

NOM! How many gallons of milk does that cheese equal? What are your typical dimensions and where do you get your cheese molds? I usually label my cheeses by date, but then, I've been doing this for over 10 years now. I still haven't braved a bleu, but my smoked provolone is gaining accolades with each sample tasted.
Because I only milk two does right now, I usually have just enough milk to cover my milk share customers and the extra goes to feed my bottle-fed kids and the barn cats. I suppose I'm taking the summer off until I wean the current crop of kids. There's one special recipe I want to try.

I get two pounds of cheese for two gallons of milk.

I have a log that I keep on the cheeses. Each one gets a number.