Remember I’m new.

Do ya’ll experiment? I mean, my Formage Blanc is great - everyone loves it. I bought some mesophilliac starter for my first attempt at cheddar. I also bought rennet and calcium chloride. I’m going by the recipe in my Home Chessmaking Book for traditional cheddar.

Anyway, reading the book it says that calcium chloride helps setting a firmer curd. Hmmmm, what if I put just the tiniest amount in my Fromage Blanc? Would I get a firmer cheese? Then a search on the internet says that it’s used to elevate saltiness. Would my Fromage become salty?

What if I put just a drop of rennet in there too?

Do ya’ll ever try stuff like that to see what will happen?

Experiment all the time.  In fact, every time I make a batch I do something different.  Haven’t ruined a cheese yet.  When using store bought milk the CaCl2 helps produce a firmer curd.  I always use it. 

9mmruger - 22 August 2008 04:53 PM

Experiment all the time.  In fact, every time I make a batch I do something different.  Haven’t ruined a cheese yet.  When using store bought milk the CaCl2 helps produce a firmer curd.  I always use it. 

I’m so glad! After all that Fromage Blanc that I’ve done until now is SO great!

I’m considering putting a little rennet and calcium chloride in my next batch to make the cheese firmer then blending a pear in VitaMix until its mush and mixing the two together.

That really sounds good.  I mixed chopped olives, fresh chives, and strawberry jam in my neuchatel (separate batches each) and used them on big apple bagels.  Delicious.

I spent several years in Italy and they had entire stores dedicated to cheese alone. A local one mixed pears with what they called “milk cheese” which I suspect was very much like Fromage Blanc. I just loved it. I’d spread it on a crusty bun and it was heaven.

I’m drooling thinking about it.    I spent 5 years in Europe myself, mostly in Germany, about 6 months in Livorno, Italy and really enjoyed the food in both places.  Chianti was with every lunch and dinner.  I learned to like wine there.  Of course the wines and cheeses in Germany were excellent as well.  Many a lunch was spend with a beer, brochen, and kase.  Ein beer bitte!

I had many lunches in the plazas with bread, cheese and vino.

Ahhhhh

Experimenting is a must, to improve and the joy of creating something dif.

Gotta agree.  Its the experimenting that really adds fun to cheesemaking.  Otherwise you’re just following a recipe and that’s pretty boring after the first time.