Well, I have to admit that I’m both excited and a bit sad since I just put my swiss in the press…
The excited part is easty to understand since everything seems to have gone well but the sadness comes from the fact that this will probably conclude my cheesemaking season, other than a few possible batches here and there.
I’ve decided that for this hobby to continue to mean as much to me as it does right now, I have to take the summers off.
Also, this gives me a reason to have a least a little bit of joy once we enter into the fall/winter season since I really hate that time of year, other than taking part in this hobby.
In the summer months there is just too much to do for a person that loves the outdoors the way that I do. I’ve already put 60 miles on my bicycle this past week and that reminded me of the fact that time in the summer is limited so I’d better enjoy it all that I can.
Anyway, I do feel good about this cheese.
I did hit my Ph targets every step of the way, (Ph at draining was 6.35 which is pretty much as perfect as it gets), and I did press under the whey which wasn’t nearly as big of a deal as I imagined it to be.
At the first flip, (after a 15 minute press) the wheel had already knitted together nearly perfectly and felt as elastic as any I’ve turned out, in the past.
Sometime tomorrow or the next day I’ll post a pic or two of this wheel, either before or after brining. Now if it will JUST FORM THE LARGE NICE EYES THAT I’M AFTER…...whew….that felt good. 
I sincerely hope that the rest of you have good luck with the cheeses you make this summer and I will be checking in here from time to time when I find a free minute.
In between visits, rest assured that I will be enjoying life, swimming, cycling, playing racquetball, badminton, cooking out and pursuing one of my other passions…ice cream making.
Dave
