My cheese press was delivered Wednesday night (thanks Sheri). It came along with a huge hunk of cheese wax so I’m good to go for making hard cheese. I do want to share my experience with getting it set up.
First, I must say that the instructions were fine. The problem was me. I was in such a hurry to play with it that I didn’t take the time to read carefully. As the saying goes, “Measure twice”. Fortunately, there were no saws involved.
I assembled my tools and looked over the directions. Okay.” Looked over” might be a bit strong. Glance at might better describe it. In went the screws but it just didn’t look right. I couldn’t see how the cheese basket (not included-I just happened to have one) was going to accept the plunger without some major modification to the design. Of course, what needed modifying was my angle. I realized my mistake, took it apart and reassembled it properly. Only after it was all screwed together did I see that the plunger had to be inserted prior to assembly. I took it apart again, breaking one of the screws and stripping others and then discovering that the opening wasn’t large enough to hold the drill and that I wasn’t strong enough to screw it together by hand. Bruce took a 10 second look, unscrewed and removed one piece so the drill would fit, got it screwed together right and replaced the first piece in one minute flat. A job that should have taken about 15 minutes ate up a good hour or so and caused me to say some very bad words. (under my breath and out of earshot of my wee one who can’t tolerate cussing).
Now it was cheese time. Again, reading the directions for me is optional. Only after the milk was heating and the whole thing set up did I do the math on the timing. Because I didn’t do the timing part first I would have to turn the cheese at 3:00AM. I thought about setting the alarm but decided that an extra two hours in the press was unlikely to hurt anything and just got up and turned the cheese at 5:00.
Stupid thing number three. There was a lot of whey. Gallons actually. A bright person would have frozen it. I decided to make a whey ricotta. The last thing I needed was a huge mess and this made a huge mess right when I was concentrating on weights and timing and such. It was such an unnecessary distraction and I just ended up frustrated and overwhelmed. The volume of ricotta never lives up to expectations in my experience.
So there you have it. The cheese looks good. It comes out of the press this evening, sits for a few days to develope a rind, then gets waxed and goes to the root cellar to ripen. I won’t ever be a cheese company but at least I know that I can preserve milk during the summer glut and get to enjoy it during the hungry winter months.
There is a lesson here, at least for me. I’m mighty glad I went through this process while the lights were on and I had the benefit of an electric screwdriver. I’m glad that I wasn’t trying to figure out the basics when I was cold or hungry or otherwise stressed. I had the luxury of time to mess up, figure it out and move on. I’m afraid that an awful lot of people have things stored “just in case”, things they have never used or tried out. This includes, not just tools and equipment but also food and even relationships. I’m as guilty as the next person of believing that I’ll figure it out if I need to. I have the directions for making soap and builing a cob oven but I’ve never actually done either. (kits don’t count). How do I know I can make a barter system work if I don’t barter now. Am I really sure how that cheese powder will work if it remains in it’s mylar bag? The electric bike looks good but will I really be able to get my groceries home while riding it?
I’ll be posting some picture later (all right. Maggie will be posting pictures later) of my green house and my grape arbor. Both are really productive but took years to get figured out and become productive. The time to do is now.
May 27, 2011 at 7:17 am
Can you tell me a little bit about how the cheese ripens? Specifically, what kind of conditions are best for ripening? Cool, damp, dry, dark? Are you keeping it in something to protect it from vermin or out on a shelf somewhere?
May 27, 2011 at 8:11 am
I’m keeping it in my root cellar, cool and damp. The vermin is another question. I’m thinking of using an old tupperware cake carrier but I may need something more substantial. We don’t have rats but we live in the country and you never know.
May 27, 2011 at 9:08 am
You are so right about finding out how to do stuff before TSHTF. My washer broke about 2 weeks ago, and then my husband hurt his knee the next day and has been in bed since, and the whole household has had the flu this week. I washed about 5 loads of laundry in my tub before I managed to get the washer fixed. I’ve decided I’m buying a professional mop bucket and wringer. The light stuff wasn’t too bad, but towels and jeans are too much on carpal tunnel arms.
May 27, 2011 at 10:05 am
Kathy, rather than opening that big mylar bag of powder cheese. Well just use some from a cheap mac and cheese box. Same kind of thing.
As far as the tupperware to keep mice out. Sorry it might not work. Years ago I had crackers in one of there cracker keepers. Mice ate through the top, ate the crackers. The only thing left when I went for crackers, well let’s say not what I wanted in my chili. So unless I am using it in a closed mouse proof cabinet I do not use Tupperware for storage.
As far as whey, chickens love it.
May 27, 2011 at 4:28 pm
I would like to see photos of the cheese and press if you are going to be posting photos.
Went morrel hunting for a little while with my son after work today. We found 1 that looked like a morrel on top, but it was hollow inside. We also just read about some mushroom hunters from our state who were hospitalized for eating morrel look-alikes. I wonder if they ate what I found today. I’ll be getting my mushrooms from the store as usual I guess!
May 27, 2011 at 5:31 pm
Morels are all hollow inside, unless they’re filled with ants.
May 27, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Yum! That made me want to go right out seeking some! LOL
May 28, 2011 at 1:02 am
My husband made me a cheese press for mother’s day. All stainless steel, welded by his own hands. Have used it three times now and it is perfect. I can apply any level of pressure from mild to mighty, and the whey drains in an orderly fashion from the bottom. You can see photos on my blog,
http://newtofarmlife.blogspot.com/2011/05/best-mothers-day-present-ever-thanks.html
May 28, 2011 at 6:52 am
You all have got to check out that cheese press. The thing is GORGEOUS and creative and cool. What a guy!
May 31, 2011 at 8:30 pm
Kathy- just a note that the cheese looks gorgeous- some say lumpy- I say ARTISAN. I can remember making my own mozerella for the first time- it didn’t come out as these well shaped balls- but damn it was the best I had ever tasted and the neighbours agreed at the pizza night!