Our first goal is to find a substitute for our fortnightly take-away meal. Well this goal lasted for about 2 months, and then we bent the rules a little. We only have take-away once a month now, and have saved quite a bit of money in the process. We found that sometimes you have to take a rest from cooking every evening, and we looked forward to something naughty each month. It is very hard to break ingrained habits. The good news is that I always take my lunch to work, mostly frozen left overs, and I find that the money I used to spend is now put towards our savings.
Our second goal is to build a backyard oven. This project was due to start in March when I was on annual leave for a week. Well things didn’t go according to plan, because Kim’s foot got infected, and I have spent the time just running the place. Not a good time for starting a pretty big project. We will see how we go in the spring.
Our third goal is to join/start a local sustainable living group. One out of three ain’t bad. This goal was achieved on the 28th March, which is the day we held our first meeting. We are now active in maintaining interest and the group is in the local paper most months. I really enjoy it and took up the Presidents position within the group. The Melton Sustainable Living Group Inc. is getting larger and stronger every month and we have a keen and diverse membership. It is more than I could have ever dreamed of. I love it when a plan comes together.
Now I am going to add one more.
My fourth goal is to make 12 different types of cheese over the course of 2009. Call me a ‘curd nerd’ if you will, but I love it. It is so relaxing making cheese on a Friday evening, and I find it a great way to unwind after a long week at work (the wine helps as well).
So how many types have I made so far? Here they are so far;
- Cows milk Feta
- Goats milk Feta
- Wensleydale
- Gouda
- Pepper Jack
- Ricotta
- Pyrenees with peppercorns
- Parmesan
- Camembert
- Stilton
- Yoghurt Cheese
Well, blow me down with a feather. There is only one more to make! As I have been having trouble deciding what this weeks cheese will be, I am going to let my readers make a suggestion for the final cheese type (I will be making more of course), and I will use a random number generator to pick the variety. Please feel free to leave a suggestion, and I will pick the winner on Friday afternoon, and then get stuck into making it. Oh, and no mozzarella either. I haven’t learnt that technique yet!
Go for it.
I don’t know what your options are when it comes to the cheese varieties you can make, but there is an absolutely fabulous Canadian cheese called Oka.
And since this is Canada Day… 🙂
My second choice would be Emmental!
Gruyere. Absolute best cheese in the world, but aged for quite a long time. I’m curious, you say you’ve made parmesan. How long did you let that age before you tucked in? And how do you age your cheeses? Do you have a wine fridge or something like that?
I have no idea of a cheese for you (I love them all!), but I have another idea instead of takeaway: cooking in double quantities and freezing the remainder, if you don’t do it already. Another option might be bread, cheese, fruit and wine for a simple dinner. Or a breakfast-for-dinner (egg, bacon, mushrooms etc).
Hi Gavin, How about a nice blue ?
Yummo!!
I’m with Olive here, a nice blue, I know you have the Stilton maturing, but can you make a quicker maturing blue, like a camembert type blue?
I recently found your blog and I love it!
Thanks for the tips on cheese making! I might be tapping your shoulders if I have questions within the next couple of months (this month is dedicated to perfecting the art of bread-making)…
Take care,
GardeningFool
Hey Mate , just don’t know how you do it all. Keep up the good work.
By the way I have nominated you in the “Green Hero ” category for the 2009 news.com.au Green Awards
Good luck
Phil
@ K. I looked and looked and couldn’t find a recipe for Oka. I found the finished cheese, and it sounds great. Unfortunately, I don’t have the Propioni Shermanii that is required to make the holes in Emmenthal. Sorry!
@ Aimee. As above for the Gruyere. Same culture required. I have made Parmesan, but it is only about a month old as this stage, only 11 months to go. I wrote about my cheese fridge a little while back. Do a quick search on the search bar to the right.
@Chookie. Thanks for the tips. We do make extra helpings and freeze them. That is what I use for lunches each day, but there is not enough to store for dinner. The breakfast for dinner sounds like a damn fine idea. I haven’t done that for years!
@ Olive. No more room in the container for another blue mould cheese. I will have to wait until the Stilton is gone before I can make another. I am rapidly running out of room in the cave!
@ Pip, The Camembert blue or Castello blue sounds like a plan, but after the normal Camembert is ready. No room in that container either!
@ Gardening Fool. Thanks for dropping by. Hope you enjoy the cheese posts and that they help you to get started.
@ Phil. You are a true mate. Fancy nominating me all the way from Perth. I am humbled!
Oh, BTW, I have room in the cave for 4 more cheeses. I have decided that due to a lack of other ingredients, I am going to make a Farmhouse Cheddar, as I have not given that type a go. Looks pretty straight forward and will let you know how it goes!
Gav
I was going to suggest a double gloucester but was having trouble with blogger last night and couldnt leave a comment.
Good old english cheeses, Kim will love you even more for it!
Lisa
I was coming to comment on making a Farmhouse Cheese,, Cause thats what I want to make and I’d love to see the process(so hope you takes lots of pics