[Kate and her Ducks]

Hi,

Since I got my beautiful goats this summer I have been dabbling in cheese making and it is turning into a serious obsession. I have even had to buy myself a little wine cooler as a cheese ageing fridge! Loving trying different recipes and styles of cheese.

Anyone else make cheese?

[Mrs Bee]

I had a go at making feta about a year ago but it wasn't very successful. I got a couple of cheese making books but haven't got very far yet.

I am practising smoking techniques at the moment.

Are we going to see pictures of your cheeses? :)They sound wonderful.

Are they soft or hard?

[Beetroot Queen]

Three out of six in this house cant do cheese, but I'd love to see some pics of how its all done. 

[Kate and her Ducks]

Will have to get my camera out and take some pictures. They are a mixture of soft and hard cheeses. The best one (in my opinion) is my honey and black pepper coated goat cheddar. Do a mean crottin too.

My sister took me on a smoking course for my birthday which was wonderful. Haven't had a chance to do as much as I would like but panning to make a cold smoker this year and then there'll be no stopping me!

[Kate and her Ducks]

Three out of six in this house cant do cheese, but I'd love to see some pics of how its all done. 

Sorry, that came while I was still typing (will get quicker one day! ).  A life without cheese must be miserable but then there are people who survive without chocolate so it must be possible!
Going to make a cheese tomorrow so will take some pics as I go along and post them. Actually the making of the cheese seems to be the easier bit. Its the getting it to age properly without going a bit funny (quite a few when to the pigs when I first started but luckily I seem to be getting better as the pigs are in the freezer!). Cheese is a bit like having another pet; it's a living thing that needs care and attention and if you mistreat it, dies, or worse tries to kill you - mainly with the smell!

[Beetroot Queen]

Three out of six in this house cant do cheese, but I'd love to see some pics of how its all done. 

Sorry, that came while I was still typing (will get quicker one day! ).  A life without cheese must be miserable but then there are people who survive without chocolate so it must be possible!
Going to make a cheese tomorrow so will take some pics as I go along and post them. Actually the making of the cheese seems to be the easier bit. Its the getting it to age properly without going a bit funny (quite a few when to the pigs when I first started but luckily I seem to be getting better as the pigs are in the freezer!). Cheese is a bit like having another pet; it's a living thing that needs care and attention and if you mistreat it, dies, or worse tries to kill you - mainly with the smell!

When it makes you vomit non stop for hours on ends and makes you itch like you have fleas you dont mine missing it LOL hubby used to eat a lot of cheese but he doesnt worry much now. Wonder whether he just worries about the cross contamination issue.

My oldest son used to love stilton when he was little. He once asked at a grand age of five if the cheese board came with stilton, the waitress said it did but they could change it for a kid friendly cheese. The look of disgust told her he was not impressed. 

[Kate and her Ducks]

Yes, can't imagine that one missed something that make you so ill.
I do love the story of your son and his loving of stilton, clearly a young man of taste!

[Annen]

Is Goats cheese as bad as cows cheese, BQ?

[Beetroot Queen]

Is Goats cheese as bad as cows cheese, BQ?

Its something in the cheese, I can have cows milk in tea and on cereal, yoghurts make me feel rough too. Never been tested just stayed away after I had throat swelling and hives. The kids dietician did name something she thought it was but I didnt take any notice.

The kids take priority I can happily avoid the yellow stuff. The smell makes me come over queer I went for a look around a cheese factory ( just a look) with our older kids, I didnt get past the first room without feeling so ill. 

I would love to see how its made though and maybe one day work out what doesnt like me. 

[robinahood]

I love cheese but it is strange stuff, a friend of mine pours with sweat when he eats any type of it - no other symptoms except a sweat which is confined to his face! Weird!!

[Kate and her Ducks]

Cheese is amazing stuff. It wasn't till I started making it that I had the slightest idea. It really is a living thing that comes into being, reaches maturity and then ages into decay like the rest of us!

Funny the reactions some people have. The most common allergies people have are to lactulose which for most people is just a sensitivity and probably quite over diagnosed, and cow milk protein allergy which unfortunately have a high level of cross reactivity with the proteins in goat and sheep milk!
There must be other aspects as well for people like you BQ who can tolerate milk but react to it when processed.!

[tosca100]

I made quite a bit at one time with milk from a neighbour, but mainly feta style and ricotta. But the local sirene (feta style) is only 6 leva a kilo, just over 2 quid, and as I had so much else on and no wine fridge it petered out. Would like to have another bash, but can't afford the cooler. We considered getting goats but they are not cost effective.

Great that you persevered though, would love to taste but alas. too far away.

[surbie100]

We got a halloumi kit for That Event in December, would love to see how you make your cheeses.

[sunshineband]

We got a halloumi kit for That Event in December, would love to see how you make your cheeses.

I saw those kits and nearly bought one for my SIL, but wondered how good it was... ended up buying him a smoker to use outside.

Love to know how you get on with it please, Surbie

and looking forward to your series of photos Kate. 

 I only made stuff like paneer, which doesn't need aging.

[surbie100]

I saw those kits and nearly bought one for my SIL, but wondered how good it was... ended up buying him a smoker to use outside.

Love to know how you get on with it please, Surbie

Will let you know - it would help if OH didn't keep drinking the milk I buy to make it with...