First Time Cheeses..

[Mike D]

Just did my first two cheeses last night. One a Lancashire, and one as a Stilton as per Riks recipes (forgot to put my starter Stilton in tho, so now have two Lancashire.. ...that's what happens when you are still at it at 1:30am )

Have been pressing them overnight to expel any whey, and they are looking good..and tasting like Lancashire as well. I'll give them a couple more days in the press/mould (read that as a large Tesco New Potato tin ) and I'll leave for another 5 days in the 'cave' before trying again.

I'm excited that I've got cheese....just about to brew some lager....more excitment than I can handle in this house for a sunday morning!


Mike.

[Mike D]

I couldn't wait and removed one of the cheeses from its mould.

As this is my first time I'm keeping the other in it mould for a couple more days, just to compare texture so I can get a feel for it.

Here it is in it's glory!





I'll get around to doing a Stilton this week, after I have created space in my cellar for the beer, wines and cheeses. I'm at risk of becoming fat alchoholic

[johnfb]

Well done...looks the business

[Mike D]

Well it certainly wouldn't look amiss if it said Heinz around the edge !

You can clearly tell what the mould was

[Mike D]

Here are a few more images....I tasted it today, and is far, far better than any supermarket cheese I have bought, and, it is only 3 days old. Why didn't I do this years ago??

Cut Cheese close up for texture




Cheese Mould & Follower




Cheese Mould & Follower "Extension" to get Weights Pressing On Follower




Full "Heath Robinson - (B&Q, Le Crueset)" Cheese Press

Note: Water in pans for additional weight

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All the whey just runs into bottom of bucket and it is easy enought to take the pans...ahem, Cheese Press Weights off and pour the whey into sink.

I apologise for the overly large pictures, I'll reduce the camera resolution next time

Now for some Stilton.


Mike

[wheels]

Mike

You can resize and optimise your pictures online at http://webresizer.com

Hope this helps

Phil

[Mike D]

Thanks Phil,

I should have checked beforehand....looks like the Attack of the Monster Cheese on my laptop screen.

I did reduce the camera resolution, but obviously not enough.

[jenny_haddow]

Looks very good. Be warned, cheese making is addictive! If you go to France the very large tins of confit make excellent cheese moulds for larger cheeses.

Jen

[Mike D]

Hi Jen,

You are right, this cheeemaking is addictive...I'm getting a couple of Stiltons done tomorrow, and probably a couple more Lancashires at weekend. Looking into Parmesan as well.

Cheesemaking Addict - sounds like something from a Wallace & Gromit film....Cheesemakers Anonymous meetings etc..


Mike.

[BlueCheese]

Thanks for the fantastic pics
LOL, main problem is running out of room for the cheese, unless one eats them fast

[BlueCheese]

Look awesome, surprised u got it out of the tin in one piece (the ridges).

[Slarti]

Here is as good as anywhere.

My first go at (a fermented) cheese yesterday. A blue - generic? As it was a recipe from the mob that sent me the culture and mould spores. No specific type.

It is non-compressed, just it's own weight. I also had to use three different shaped hoops, as well as one other being 'free-form', so it will be interesting to see how the differing sizes and shapes effect maturing time and taste.

[wheels]

It is non-compressed, just it's own weight. I also had to use three different shaped hoops, as well as one other being 'free-form', so it will be interesting to see how the differing sizes and shapes effect maturing time and taste.

It's in good company: Stilton isn't pressed either.

Phil