I’ve made mozzarella, farmhouse cheddar, colby, swiss,parm and romano….what should be next?

How about trying a bloomed cheese like a Gorgonzola, or a bacteria ripened cheese?  I am not quite there yet.  Gonna do a Caerphilly next.

I was really impressed with a wenslydale I made 6 weeks ago, you can cut it at about 4 weeks to 3 months, it has a mild nutty flavour and the semi softtexture is heaven. I made it with raw milk (not pasturised) verry impressive, I hope to make a swiss this weekend, waiting for the propioni to arrive in the mail. I als make a couple of gouda and edam with and without cumin seeds, have to wait a few months to try these, but washed curd cheese is not hard to make.

What was the recipe for the Weslyndale?  Care to share?

I will get it for you when I get home from work tonight and a picture of the half that is left (I hope there is half left :-0   )

Yeah..I’ve made gouda too. I have the roquefort bacteria to make bleu cheese, biut wanted to do one more non-bacteria. How’s derby? caerphilly? would love the recipe for weslyndale…............

Havarti

just might do havarti….......

Here is the recipe/method I used for the White Wensleydale. This is all in metric as I can’t think in the old system anymore

Bring the milk to a setting temp of 30’C, (which is good for me as I get the milk still warm form the dairy, it is usually around 32 when I get it home so cooling it down is easy).

I have cultured up my starter the previous day (I add a few grains of medium temp mesophilic {the mix I use is Lactococcus lactis; subspecies cremoris, Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis} to boiled milk in a jar and incubate it for about 12 hours at 30’C, the amount needed is 50 ml of cultured milk for each 10 litres of milk being made into cheese, so I use 100 ml for 20 litres of milk. I mix it in to the milk and let it sit for about 45 minutes.

Next add rennet, (I use liquid microbial rennet) the strength I have requires 2 ml for each 10 litres of milk so I add 4 ml of rennet diluted in 100 ml of cool boiled water, mix it in for 2 minutes and leave it to set for 45 minutes (maintaining the temp of 30’C)

Cut the curd into 10 mm cubes and leave to stand for five minutes
Gently stir the curd and whey for 10 min and leave for 20 min, stir the curds again for 20 min gently raising the temp to 32’C.

Then stir the curds as often as required to prevent matting, continue this step for another 1 hour.

Drain all the curds into a cheese cloth bag or cheese cloth lined colander. Cut or break up the curds every 15 minutes (do this eight times over 2 hours)

Finally cut the curd into finger sized pieces and salt it (20 grams salt per kilo of curd)

Place the salted curds into a cheese cloth lined hoop (for 20 litres of milk I use a 150 mm x 200mm PVC pipe ) and press with a light weight overnight. I used a 4 kg weight.

Next day I turned out the cheese and left in my pantry for a week, turn it daily.
I then put it in my cheese fridge 11’C for a further 4 weeks

So on the fifth week from making I cut it and we have been eating it, It has small holes in it. It has a sweet nutty taste with a zingy after taste, it’s texture is moist and almost a soft cheddar texture, it feels like is melts on the tongue, it is absolutely delicious especially on a dry piece of rye toast (it is my first White Wensleydale) I definitely will make it again. Picture will follow. 

Thanks for recipe, I will be giving this a try soon.

now its time to master one to three type of cheese

Did a Colby and it turned out quite well.  Either Derby or Leicester next.  I’m reticent about mold ripened cheeses.  Its a hurdle for me.  I’ve just never considered eating moldy stuff.  But I’m coming around - I’m at least considering it.

LOL, yup I know people that when they see brie the run because of the furr

i just tasted anew cheese to me

the cheese name is Comte

WOW how nice

it is made of raw cow milk , aged at least 18 months, the wheel is 2 feets (65cm)  in diameter weight 50kilos (110 pounds) out of 500 to 600 littre of milk (100 to 125gallons)

strange English scales , nothing related to anything , feets then pounds and oz, fl oz , gallons .. etc

it is time to Americans to use Metric

That cheese should be big enough to share with all of us too!  But seriously, was it a pressed cheese; and if so, what was used to press it - perhaps an olive press?

“Comte Cheese
This most distinguished of Jura’s cheeses is dotted with small holes and has a characteristic hazelnut flavor. The Comte cheese is made without any artificial ingredients, using traditional methods in the small cheese dairy factories called “fruitieres”. To reach its best flavor, it is aged for 4 to 12 months in cool cellars. 500 liters of milk are needed to produce one round of Comte cheese with a weight of about 40 Kg.
Poligny has a museum dedicated to Comte cheese of which it is the capital, but nothing equals a visit to a “fruitiere” in operation.”

“Comte, How the French Say Cheese

Comté (pronounced con-tay) is a cheese made using time honored traditions in the Franche-Comte region of France, in the Jura Mountains bordering Switzerland. These plateaus, known for their rugged terrain but lush green fields, categorize Comte as a “mountain” cheese.

Comté is not only a world renowned cheese with subtle aromas that titillates the taste buds of gourmets. It is also, and above all, a valuable foodstuff, wholesome, natural and an essential ingredient in achieving a balanced diet. The outstanding nutritional quality of Comté is the result of the traditional manner in which it is produced which gives precedence to nature and to the seasons.

The main characteristic of Comté is its exceptional aromatic diversity. A study carried out in 1993 by a professional tasting jury identified more than 200 aromatic components. It is not necessary to be an expert however for tasting different Comtés to be a surprising experience. One young Comté may exude a distinct odor of fresh hazelnuts while another will reveal a more discreet touch of nutmeg. A young, 6-month old Comté will bring to mind the delicate smell of buttery mashed potatoes while an older, more patiently aged specimen like the one we bring you may surprise you with its cascade of fruity, spicy, and roasted flavors that unfold gradually and lastingly in the palate. Each Comté has its own unique aromatic and unpredictable perfume to set free. This exceptional diversity can be attributed to a couple of different factors: The first is connected to the diversity of the land itself. The apparent unity and geological and historical coherence of the region do not detract from the variety of the soils, the microclimates and the flora which naturally create what could be called “cru” just like in the world of wine-making. In the heart of the Jura massif, the old folk are even capable of distinguishing in which cheese dairy a particular cheese was made with their eyes closed. The second factor is attributed to the duration of the maturing period which enables nature to unfold its divine alchemy at a leisurely pace.

All Comte is graded using a 20 point grading system. A green label ensures the cheese has been graded 15 points or higher, this also denotes it to be labeled “Comte Extra”. This is the Comte you are tasting with this month’s selection - we only deliver green label. Thanks to its uniqueness, its cultural importance and its economic contribution to the region, Comté cheese was one of the first cheeses to be awarded a label of origin guaranteeing its quality (AOC). As one of the premiere cheeses of France, we know you’ll enjoy this fine taste of French living. Bon appetit!”

(http://www.cheesemonthclub.com/pastnewsletters/vol4no10.htm)