The wee little baby cheesies we started out on their path to cheesiness only just last weekend, have sprouted their wee fur coats and are well on their way to teenagehood (in the life span of a cheese, that is).
Aren't they darling?
Now is the time we start to treat our cheeses differently depending on what sort of cheese they are going to be when they grow up. Just as we would if they were real little boys and girls- they have different rules. We will leave the little Camemberts to do their own thing and get all hairy,only bothering them once every 2 days to turn them. While we gently wash the fur off all the the little washed rind cheeses on a regualr basis.
For the rind washing, we use a sterile 4% brine solution inoculated with brevibacterium linens. The washing removes the white mould fur coat and replaces it with a sticky orange rind that smells a bit like feet, but which makes the cheese taste lovely.
Where do you keep the cheeses while they mature? That looks like a fridge in the picture.
Posted by: Ana | May 25, 2005 at 06:00 PM
wow that is awsome!!!!!
I LOVE washed rind cheese, esp when you search the house for what is making that horrible smell :) but the taste (my eyes are rolling back in my head) is so good (as u know ;) )
I would love to make my own cheese.. i cant wait to see ur babies develop
Posted by: clare eats | May 25, 2005 at 10:01 PM
Oooh - nice cheese. And nice fingernails, too! (I bite mine, like a 7 year old...)
Posted by: Niki | May 26, 2005 at 06:41 AM
Oh wow - I love these little guys! I am endlessly impressed by home cheese making... Can't wait to see how they develop as they "grow up"!
Posted by: Jeanne | May 26, 2005 at 10:25 AM
Ana,
That's actually a shallow tupperware with a baking rack in the bottom. They are living in a styrofoam cooler in my basement with ice packs that keep the temperature around 10 celcius. After about 6 weeks they'll go in the fridge.
Clare,
Yeah, it's pretty good stuff alright! Every time we make cheese I am always torn between how many should be washed rind and how many should be camembert. Every time it seems that I'm making more washed rind and less camembert.
Jeanne,
I'll be posting some new photos tomorrow as they can change SO much fromm day to day. Their little white coats have really blossomed over the last couple of days.
The cheesemaking really isn't all that hard, Alhtough, I think it's easier to learn if you have someone show you rather than reading about it. Kind of like kneading bread - you can't accurately describe in words what well kneaded bread feels like, you have to have someone show you.
That said, home cheesemaking courses aren't exactly offerer on every street corner so I'm thinking I might do an online tutorial if I can build up enough interest. Oh yeah, and find the time!
Posted by: Lyn | May 26, 2005 at 12:07 PM
I would love an online tutorial!
I have access to really good organic unhomoginised milk. Do you know where you could get the cultures in Sydney?
I love camenbert too :)
Posted by: clare eats | May 27, 2005 at 12:28 AM