I have been making cheese for a few weeks now and enjoying it but I am finding it impossible to source an ingredient for making a fewspecialty cheeses. I am after *Proprioni bacteria* does anyone know where I can purchase it from please :)
davidt4,
Dec 10, 12:13am
I don't know if they ship to NZ but it would be worth asking.
Go direct to chr hansen.I think Cottage Crafts buys from there and then onsells.I have found it cheaper to buy my cultures directly from chr hansen.
jude164,
Dec 10, 4:56pm
Thank you so much for the above. Are you all making cheese as well! I am really enjoying it but the wait is so Longggg before I can taste the fruits of my labours :) I have Cheddar, Colby, Block, Bra and Neufchatel aging with the Camembert and Double cream Brie just starting to get their mould.
vmax2,
Dec 10, 5:21pm
Yes I make lots of cheese too but the soft cheeses only.Maybe I'll venture into the hard cheeses one day.I make halloumi, feta and camembert and lots of yoghurt and kefir.Currently have some camembert which I've just put away to gather the mould.Have milk in a pot heating to make feta at the moment.
davidt4,
Dec 10, 5:30pm
I make haloumi, ricotta and a soft white Turkish cheese (similar to feta but with Flora Danica starter) regularly.I initially had intentions to make white mould cheeses as well, but the escalation in equipment has deterred me, also the fact that haloumi and feta are the cheeses that we eat all the time.
I do recommend making a feta-style cheese if you want something to eat straight away - it is really delicious when brand new.
jude164,
Dec 10, 8:37pm
I have made both Feta and cream cheese. What recipe are you using for Feta! and have you a favourite one! I have used the Mad Millies booklet but also a cheese site from overseas but I must admit that sometimes the recipes don't turn out like they should with those booklets and I am not the only one who has had problems with them.
This is the feta recipe I use, it always works.I've heard other people having problems with Mad Millies recipes too.
Do you use raw milk for your cheese!
davidt4,
Dec 10, 8:46pm
The feta-style cheese I now make has evolved from the Mad Millie instructions for feta.I must think up a name for it.
Fresh White Cheese
4 litres pasteurised un-homogenised full fat milk 1/2 envelope (1/8 tsp)Flora Danica starter culture ¼ tab rennet dissolved in 80 ml cooled boiled water 750 ml 12% brine (use un-iodised salt)
Heat milk slowly to 37 degrees C in a water bath is best.Add starter and leave to rehydrate 5 min then stir in.Leave 30 minutes in water.
Add rennet and stir gently 1 minute.Leave in an incubator or water bath to maintain 37 C for 90 minutes or until it gels and you can achieve a clean cut.
Cut curds into 1.5cm cubes, leave to heal 30 minutes at 37 C.
After the 30 minutes stir curds gently every five minutes for 30 minutes.
Ladle curds gently into feta moulds.Put inside incubator and leave to drain three hours.After three hours place a small piece of butter muslin over the top of each cheese and turn upside down.Leave in incubator 1 hour.Repeat the turning over and leave to drain in incubator overnight, at least 10 hours.
Meanwhile make the brine (750 ml whey, 90 gr plain salt.Chill overnight.
In the morning place each cheese (in its mould) in a container and cover with brine.Refrigerate 12 - 15 hours (for a mildly salted cheese) or longer.
When the cheese reaches the desired level of salt, pour off the brine and cover cheese with good quality olive oil.Keep in the fridge.
jude164,
Dec 10, 9:01pm
That sounds a much better recipe than the mad millie one, NOW I have to go down the road don't I lol. off to buy some milk :) many thanks for the recipe.
jude164,
Dec 10, 9:50pm
http://www.cheesemaking.com//CreamChz.html I think you will all have this site but just incase you haven't I have posted it up. Off to make some Feta :) and I use full fat milk from farmhouse :)
vmax2,
Dec 10, 9:55pm
Have you tried making cheese with raw milk!I find it gives a real depth of flavour.
jude164,
Dec 10, 10:49pm
Where do you suss raw milk from! I did start by using blue top but found the farmhouse a lot better tho of course dearer :(
Buggar so no milk from you lol, I am on 3/4 acre an a house cow sounds great but I think council would have a fit lol.
jude164,
Dec 11, 2:27am
pmsl forget the milk I will buy your cows lol.
jude164,
Dec 12, 4:12pm
My Feta looks like a success so thank you very much :), Millies recipe says to leave in the brine but oiling it sounds better, how long does it keep this way! I might have a go at Swiss cheese today if the culture arrives, a lot of the recipes useProprioni bacteria so I might have some decisions to make lol.
davidt4,
Dec 12, 4:42pm
I've kept the feta-style in oil for up to 8 weeks.I tried storing it in brine but it first of all got too salty, then went slimy and horrible, and from what I've read this seems to be a common problem.You can use the storage oil to cook with when the cheese is finished.
vmax2,
Dec 12, 5:20pm
The last lot of feta I made I put in the bucket with the brine.The instructions say to put vinegar in if water is slimy a day or two later.Well I forgot and several weeks later I opened the bucket to find soft cheese, mould in brine, not looking pretty.I then put heaps of vinegar in, put the lid back on and forgot about it for another week.Opened the lid up and the cheese had gone hard and tasted perfect.I have kept my feta in this same bucket for 2 years without a problem.
davidt4,
Dec 12, 5:27pm
That's very interesting vmax2.You are a braver cheesemaker than I am!Did the cheese taste at all vinegary after its rescue!
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