I’m trying the Cotswold recipe posted in the recipe section. I don’t have annatto, though I’m wondering if I can fake it with cake food coloring? Cake food coloring is a paste-type colorant and great for icings and cookies but… anyone think it’s safe for cheese?
Thanks!

No, ran across some one else that tried food coloring.. didn’t go well, he ended up with weird looking ricotta like substance. I believe it is tooo acidic and has chemicals that interfere with coagulation.

Thanks, I was worried about some such reaction. Think I’ll keep it non-traditional looking then, and leave out the color to be safe.
Happy cheese making and eating-
Bobbie

Hey Bobbie, great to have you aboard.  Don’t worry about the lack of color.  I just made a Cotswold today, and the aroma is so heavenly that you won’t even notice the lack of color.  I just heard of this cheese about a week ago and I’m really glad I gave it a try.  Its in the final press now.  Good luck with yours.

If u have an asian market were you live they should have annatto.

Green Cheese Maker - 31 May 2009 12:46 AM

I just made a Cotswold today, and the aroma is so heavenly that you won’t even notice the lack of color.

Oh, you are so right about the aroma! It smelled so good everywhere here while it was drying. I missed the smell when I waxed it! And I think cotswold would look just as great without coloring. Annatto is purely cosmetic anyway. With the green chives I doubt it needs any more color. I have plenty of annatto on hand so I used it anyway.

LittleCriminalPosted: 30 May 2009 07:10 PM

New Visitor

I’m trying the Cotswold recipe posted in the recipe section. I don’t have annatto, though I’m wondering if I can fake it with cake food coloring? Cake food coloring is a paste-type colorant and great for icings and cookies but… anyone think it’s safe for cheese?
Thanks!

In the past, carrot juice was used as well, although it is less concentrated, so take this in consideration.

Interesting ideas, all, and thanks for the inspiration. There are lots of Asian markets around here; I’ll check it out for the next batch. I’m also intrigued by the carrot idea, but I imagine I would somehow end up introducing bad bacteria in the process. I was worried enough adding the chives and onion- don’t they want to break down and get slimy/moldy inside my special precious cheese?! Well, I put that aside and I made the cotswold yesterday, knowing that if millions of cheeses have been made this way and the recipe says so, I can do it too…
-Bobbie

LittleCriminalPosted: 31 May 2009 09:43 AM

I was worried enough adding the chives and onion- don’t they want to break down and get slimy/moldy inside my special precious cheese?! Well, I put that aside and I made the cotswold yesterday, knowing that if millions of cheeses have been made this way and the recipe says so, I can do it too…
-Bobbie

Look at the “Pepper Jack” with the fresh peppers, before/after waxing. I shall cut it in a month, for now it looks good, no slimy/moldy inside at all.

Pepper Jack

That pepper jack is so pretty I want to try it now! I like that you can still see the dots through the wax.
-Bobbie

[quote author=“LittleCriminal” date=“1243795401” I was worried enough adding the chives and onion- don’t they want to break down and get slimy/moldy inside my special precious cheese?!
-Bobbie

There are several ways of handling your additives prior to introducing them to the curd.  I chose to mix the chives (in my case onion tops, since my chive population is already gone for the year), onions and salt together in a bowl and mixed it thoroughly.  I allowed the salt to do its preservative thing for about 30 min. before I added it to the curd.  We’ll see how it turns out.  Don’t think I can wait more than a month on this one.