I’ve reached a milestone in my cheesemaking journey.  I just put my 100th hard cheese into my cave.  Its a Monterey Jack - a cheese that has given me great tribulation over the years.  I had a lot of trouble getting it right - it was always too dry and very, very sharp.  Since the advent of my pH meter, however, I’ve turned out a couple of good ones since then.  So, I guess then next milestone will be 1,000???

LOL, Congratulation !!!

Congrats GCM.

I have my meter now and all calibrated.  Will put it to use this weekend.  Gotta decide which cheese first tho!

congratulations!!!!

9mmruger - 27 July 2010 03:21 PM

Congrats GCM.

Gotta decide which cheese first tho!

Always go with your personal favorite.

Rich,
I’m thinking about a chive and onion Cotswold.  Recipe is in the Artisan Cheese-making book.  Looks Yummy!  I need to find a different mold and follower however.  I can only make 3 gallon batches at present and my 7.25 mold and follower work great, but make a thin pancake wheel.  They look real pretty, but not thick enough at only 2 to 2 1/4 inches.  Loose a lot of cheese to rind.  I guess I will have to spend the bucks for a Kadova.  Yikes are they expensive.

My press will be done shortly also so I will be able to get the proper poundage on the cheeses.  50 actual pounds of weight on a cheddar that size does not get me to the proper psi for a cheddar, yet heavier and I would have a 1/2” wheel of cheese.  May have to consider 4” white PVC at some point.  That should really help my texture.

Depending were u look their actually not expensive, I was expecting more for the one I bought but if u consider the materials and work then its real cheap (if u get it from the right place). I dont like the company Glengarry but the molds are cheap.

The size I was looking at is $115.00 cdn for the mold plus shipping.  Looking for a 1.5 to 2.5kg mold.  Whew, momma might not like that price to form cheese.  She’ll say cheaper to buy the cheese. 

What kind of mold u looking for?

http://www.glengarrycheesemaking.on.ca/wax.htm

I have found that a piece of 6” schedule 80 pvc is perfect for a 4 pound cheese.  A plumbing contractor should be able to fix you up fairly cheaply.

Neil,

I am looking at the Kadova molds.  They produce beautiful cheese shapes.

GCM,

I picked up a 4” white yesterday for 5.00.  I had not thought of a 6” but will look into that as well.  Do you drill holes in them for whey drainage?

Yes, or drainage will be slow and problematic.

Thanks Neil.

The one I’m using has no holes.  I’ve used it for about 2 years.  I’ve thought about drilling holes; but I haven’t gotten it done yet.  It turns out some really good cheese just like it is.

I tried without holes when I began, took a long time to drain and the draining was uneven, center drained faster.