Yesterday, I finally got back into cheese making again after a long drought. I think I kind of shocked myself when I took a wheel of Parmesan out of the cheese cave and saw that we were completely out of home made cheese and that the cave was empty.
Not wanting to run the small cheese fridge with nothing in it (besides 2 bottles of red wine), and because I miss the exquisite flavours of my own cheese, I decided that by the time my holiday ended, it was going to be full again.
Besides that, you have all be asking for a set of cheese making videos for a very long time. I can’t think of a better way to spend my holidays.
So the first cheese in this series of video tutorials is indeed Caerphilly. I hope you enjoy it, and if you have any questions please leave a comment and I will endeavour to answer it.
The recipe for this cheese is located at this post titled, “Caerphilly Cheese” if you are interested in trying to make it. Caerphilly is one of my favourite cheeses to make. It is relatively quick to make and only takes 3 and a half hours from milk to mould, and you can eat it in only three short weeks.
Enjoy! Blessed are the Cheese Makers.
Check out my other cheese videos on CheeseMan.tv
Hurray. I love your cheese making articles.
You’re the one who inspired me to experiment with cheese in the first place.
I can’t wait to read more.
Thanks Sandy. I have been making another video today but I mustn’t let the cat out of the bag.
I was beginning to wonder if anyone was watching these videos seeing that there was a big lack of comments?
Gav
Thanks for the great tutorials> You make it look to do-able. It will certainly be something I need to put on the ‘must learn’ list. I think I will stick to the ricotta at the moment.
I just bought the Good Gardener mag and am looking forward to reading though your article.
Ah yes, blessed are the cheesemakers indeed! Thanks for the video Gav, I am a visual learner and would struggle with many things if it weren’t for YouTube!! Have not yet made Caerphilly, but aim to rectify that asap!
Cheers,
Julie
@ Bruise Mouse,
No problem. It is easy enough once you break through the fear of failure barrier. The first cheese I made after attending my cheese making course was the most daunting one I have ever made and probably the most complicated. It was Wensleydale that took about 9 hours from milk to mould. Mind you, when mature the flavour just blew me away.
@ Julie
Glad you liked the Python line. Give it a go, I insist. Would love to read your thoughts on your blog of how it went. The world needs more cheesemakers like us!
Gav
I still have not started! BUT I am going to. Thanks for the videos, Gavin.
Thank you so much Gavin! This video has answered many of my questions. I am very intrigued with Caerphilly and have made two so far, one almost eaten and one in the cave, but I waxed them both and brined the second one before waxing. There are several recipes out there that give different ideas about cultures, pressing times, etc., but your video was very clear and helpful. I will try the salting bit with the next batch and let it form a natural rind. By the way, I am making mine from my goats’ milk. Thanks again, Kim at Highfeather Farm in Northern California USA
@ Kate,
You are most welcome.
@ Kim
Sounds like you have found a few different ways to make Caerphilly. I believe that once you have found a good version of a recipe, stick to it! I was really pleased with my first wheel of this cheese.
Gav
Hi Gavin, wanted to let you know that I found your site and have been reading it. Thanks for all the cheesemaking tutorials. I haven’t attempted them yet but will again when I have surplus of milk. I’ve posted a link on my site and hope you come and check me out.
@ Amy
Thanks for dropping by and the link. I hope you have success in your cheese making endeavours!
Gav
Hi Gav
I made Caerphilly yesterday before finding your excellent video. My recipe called for making walnut sized pieces of curds not nail sized and also draining the curd in the bucket/pan and not a colander.
Otherwise they were the same.
I will post a link to your site on http://www.harvesthastings.ca here in Ontario.
Thanks again.
Louise Livingstone
Hi Louise,
I am glad you liked the tutorial. Have you posted the pictures on your blog?
Gav
Gav, can you please tell me how it tasted? Thanks to your video I will be trying my very first cheese ever this week which will be the Caerphilly. Yea!
Hi Jasmin70, Caerphilly is creamy and salty, with a wonderful flavour and a semi hard rind. It is a delightful cheese to make and eat.
Well done on giving it a try.
Gav
Hi Gav, Thanks for the great video! I love that you included the stirring and cheddaring, which were exactly the parts I wanted to SEE to make sure I was understanding the methods well.
One question…I see you have a beautiful rind on your caerphilly, I have one that is 16 days old, and it doesn’t have much of a rind, it has formed a harder type crust, that is yellow, but it doesn’t seem to have any molds growing on it, and I can’t imagine it is very thick…is this right? Since I have put it in the cave, it has been at 11 degrees, and I turn it everyday, other than that, I don’t do anything to it, should I??
Hi Nova.
You can develop the rind further (if you like) by wiping the cheese with a brine solution each day before turning it.
Other than that, it sounds like it is developing well.
Gav x