Cheese 'n wine or wine 'n cheese!!

[rrawhide]

Well, here is the first attempt - this is the Farmhouse Cheddar (2#) made from 2 gallons of whole milk. It's been a couple of days to get to this step of the process AND I must say it has been fun. I just took it out of the mold and it needs to sit out for 3-5 days to dry THEN I will wax it with red cheese wax and let 'er age for at least 2-3 months. Then we will taste and probably age for another several months. Come to find out that even through the aging process you can cut off a little chunk to enjoy and then add some more wax and continue aging. It has been a fun project and am ready to go and get some more milk. I'm sure you all know that all cheese is white unless you add a yellow cheese color (it's on order). I think that the next batch will be a colby and/or a gouda. Then you can added different spices and really have some fun I hear. Blue cheese is on the list but the BLUE Mold additive is only $25 a 1/4 oz. Ouch!!!

I hope some of you try this as it sure goes right along with making wine.

Question - I am going to age this in the winery where the temp is always 60-65 degrees BUT the humidity is only 29-40%. (best is about 70%) Is there a way to raise the humidity? Can I just leave a open container of water in there? How much humidity is right for the wine?

Thanx for your input.
rrawhide

 

[Waldo]

Looks good rrawhide...Perhaps one of our experienced cheese makers could post a "How To" thread on here. I would love to try this myself but have no clue as to how or where to begin.

 

[joeswine]

THAT LOOKS PERTTY COOL TO ME <I'AM LOOKING INTO IT//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 

[mississippi mud]

looking good rrawhide!!! I read that those mini water fountains do a good job of adding humidity to a cellar like the ones at Lowe's. You could probably build onewith the pumps they sell (in between cheese and wine batches of coarse)

 

[rrawhide]

Hi Waldo

You can go to www.cheesemaking.com or www.you-tube.com (search on 'home made cheese' and watch the videos. I bought mine as a hard-cheese kit from Hamby Dairy Supply and I also ordered the Cheesemaking 101 DVD by Ricki Carroll. Any of these links will start you on the way of answering your questions. It just starts from there. Good luck and have fun.
rrawhide

ps: I turned my cheese over this am and it sure is drying like it is supposed to. Needs to be turned several times a day for 3-5 days.

 

[Joanie]

This reminds me...a while back I was reading a book about making cheese from goat's milk. The author insisted that you only needed one
recipe because the cheese never comes out the same way twice!

 

[rrawhide]

hi
mississippi

thanx for the mini-fountain idea for the winery - - - i will check it out!!

however, here is one i am making for our patio - another good use for
wine barrels. the pitcher pump on top you can get from harbor freight.
i will post when i get mine done.

have a great day.

rrawhide

 

[mississippi mud]

THAT ISA COOL FOUNTAIN !!!

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Looking good rrawhide!

 

[Wade E]

A good humidity for wine is 65-70%. Looks good rrawhide and betcha itll taste good to.

 

[rrawhide]

morn'n

well the cheese has been drying for 4 days now and the rind is quite hard so time to wax

Well it's waxed - not very pretty - hope to get better as we go. This time I dipped the cheese into the the wax and next time I think that I will brush the wax on. Anyway I waxed on a label and it shows the date. Now we age and wait - for at least a couple of months. More later - momma just brought home a couple more gallons of milk - chesse -cheese -cheese and wine. a couple of great hobbies.

rrawhide

 

[mississippi mud]

Looks like cheese

 

[moose]

Looks like fun, may have to try this hobby.

 

[PolishWineP]

Nicely done! I have a feeling that quite a few of us will be checking out this addition to our wine making! Got cheese to go with that wine/whine?

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

Looks good rrawhide, did you dip then brush? If you do it that way a couple of dips, it will smooth out and remove any air bubbles.