Hi Everyone :)
I recorded a taste test video for two of my Cheddars but the video just didn't turn out! I'll give you a quick summary in writing and add a video addendum below!
Yesterday I opened:
1. A Cheddar that I made in October 2019 that's been aging 3 months. For this cheese I used the culture MA4002 which is a mix between a mesophilic and a thermophilic culture. It's supposed to create a buttery texture and a milder taste.
2. A Cheddar that I made in July 2019 that's been aging 6 months. For this cheese I used the culture MA11 which is marketed as a "go to" mesophilic culture for hard cheeses.
A Cheddar that I opened a few months ago was made with MA11 and both Alex and I found it to be way too tangy for our liking. That's why I made another one with MA4002 to test if there would still be a tang.
Unfortunately the 6- month aged Cheddar (using MA11) was too tangy and yeasty. Sigh. The 3-month aged Cheddar (using MA4002) was also tangy but very edible and tasted like a Cheddar.
We recorded a follow up video after we paused for a bit to taste the cheeses again, here it is, but the conclusion is that I will never use MA11 again in my hard cheeses!
And just for fun, here is the pets' taste test video, they're so supportive! 😊
8 comments:
You already know how impressed I am with your cheese making. I think it's wonderful that you make your own cheese. Cheddar is our favorite, hard sharp or creamy, we love it all.
Thank you for the very sweet comment you left on my blog, it touched my heart.
Thanks so much Connie :) As for the Cheddar, it's our favourite too, we do eat a lot of it, and I hope I can get it right the way we like it with future experimentation!!
I know I'm several months late- how'd I ever miss something so cute in February? I love, love, LOVE the six pets' taste tests! You are an amazing person, Rain.
Hi Rain. Really enjoying your videos. I found by halving the amount of culture all the sour tang dissapeared and I've been successful on all my cheeses. Storebought milk with half the recommended culture...try it! We just tapped into a jalapeno cheddar that tastes perfect...and I'm from Wisconsin! We know good cheese!
Cathy, you think you're late lol...I only JUST saw your comment! Sometimes Blogger doesn't notify me. Thank you SO much for your sweet comment! :) I'm so glad you loved that taste test video, it was really something wasn't it? They only all sit like that for cheese!!! :)
Hi Cheese-lab! You just made my day. I'm going to try what you suggested the next time I make a Colby or a Cheddar!!! Thanks so much!! :)
I really hope it works well for you. Like you we can't buy raw milk in wisconsin. Last week i partnered up with my first farmer bought 15 gallons, and made a Jarlsberg, Cheddar, and a Dry Jack! So looking forward to the results (i've snacked while drying...very very tasty). Reducing the culture to half was a game changer for me. I make cam's, brie, feta, valencay, and fresh cheeses with no issue at all, but the longer cheeses were always sour or "acidic" and typically had whey in the bag. now they are dry, no whey, and i don't get that sour "tangy" taste anymore. Good luck Rain! My name's Ed BTW!
Thanks for the update Ed!! Do you have a blog? I'm SO SO SO envious that you teamed up with a farmer. I just moved to this area in Canada last May and there are so many dairy farms around here, I've been stuck with house stuff, but one of my goals is to approach a local dairy farmer one of these days. Really, I'm so glad you shared that with me, because I've been searching high and low to figure out WHY THE TANG...thanks so much. I really hope I can update my cheese blog soon. It's been so long. I think because of the move, I've put the cheese making on the back burner. Feel free to visit my main blog: www.rainfrances.com. Thanks again Ed!!
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