I have a free weekend coming up, which around here are far and few between. I will dedicate the entire weekend to cheese making.
Yesterday, my order of annual cheese goodies arrived in the post from Green Living Australia. Here is what I ordered.
125ml Vegetable Rennet (I just ran out of my first bottle)
24 doses of Mesophilic Culture (Used the last in October)
Mini measuring spoons (sick of using spoons too big for the task)
Penicillium Candidum PC-A1 (mild white mould)
Creme Fraiche culture
Microperforated Cheese Wrap
Cheese basket follower
4 x 100mm Cheese hoops (to replace the warped one I made)
2 x square Feta Baskets (coz round feta just doesn’t look right)
I am going to make a favourite, Caerphilly, for a work lunch we have coming up in mid December. Everyone is bringing a dish they made at home. I took along some Pepper Jack last year with a jar of home made Branston Pickles, and it was a great hit. It was devoured in 15 minutes flat.
It has been so long since I made Feta, and am hoping that a different recipe and the square baskets will help me perfect this wonderfully simple cheese. Fantastic for all the Greek Salads that I can grow greens for!
The cheese hoops, Penicillium Candidum and cheese wrap will be used to make Camembert. I chose a milder mould than the one I already have. Hopefully it will result in a milder cheese that doesn’t get extremely pungent after 4 weeks of age. The cheese wrap should help mature it slowly.
Finally, the creme fraiche culture will be used to turn cream in to a smooth and creamy cheese that is often used in deserts in Europe. Kim tells me that she just loves this stuff, so we will see how it turns out.
All this in two days? What do you reckon my chances are? Three cheeses and filming for video tutorials as well? Well lets just give it a go and see what happens.
Sounds like a fun weekend coming my way!
That looks like a great kit – I’m thinking of getting some cheesemaking stuff for my wife for Christmas. Hopefully she doesn’t read your blog :-).
Ooh, can’t wait to see all this! I’ve come across a way of making mozzarella that I’d like to try, think I’ll wait and see what you do first.
Creme fraiche is something readily available in stores in Germany. My family used it for cooking and baking a lot. Here in the States it is hard to come by and then it is expensive. Thank you for posting about the creme fraiche culture, I’ll have to see if I can get some and start making my own.
Good luck this weekend!
Yeah! Have fun on the weekend! It’s great to be able to stock up the cheese fridge again!
(I have been doing so the last few weeks – 1 cheese a week. Looking very good.)
Sounds like a lovely weekend- the weather is supposed to be pretty average in Melbourne so sounds like you’ve got your days planned beautifully. Apologies if you have this info already on your blog, but where did you originally learn to make cheese? Did you do a course? I made mascarpone last week from Matthew Evan’s book- it was amazing- no more paying $6 per 250g for me!
I have meaning to get into cheese making for ages but just never find the time to learn how, must check out a course for the summer while I’m not working.
Have you posted the Branston pickle recipe – I love that stuff but it against the local diet rules to eat the imported stuff.
Wow Gavin!! You have perfection in cheese don’t you? You bought Feta Baskets coz round feta just doesn’t look right?! I’m looking forward to seeing your cheese update (with pictures please). I’ve never tried making cheese yet but it is in my ‘to try’ list. Any tips and advice will be helpful. Enjoy the weekend!!
That sounds like a fun weekend to be had.
I was telling my husband about your cheese making recently and he asked what milk you used?…Good question…so what milk do you use Gavin?
Cheers everyone. Looks like everyone is catching the cheese making fever!
Going to pop up to Dalesford tomorrow to pick up some raw milk to see how different it really is.
Normally I just use store bought full cream milk, but just want to try something different. I to experience milk just like we had every day when I was growing up on the dairy farm in Loxton North.
Gav
Yeah for raw milk! Let us know whether you notice any difference.
You will notice the difference if you keep using it throughout the seasons. The yield will vary, depending on how lush & green the grass is. At least it does with the milk from our friends’ cow.