Leaning Stilton of Eccles.........The latest Alchemy of GA

[graysalchemy]

For ages I have been banging on about wanting to make a stilton cheese to go with my 20 yr old bottle of port I have. So on monday I took the plunge

Quite an easy process really, you heat up some milk add a starter a bit of blue cheese and some rennet let it rest for an hour, cut the curds let it rest agagin drain out the curds in a cheese cloth add salt and pack into a mold. :hmm: :hmm:

Probably not that simple and if I posted that on a cheese making forum then I would probably here the same gasps as i would make if I read a similar attempt of AG brewing,

' bung in some grains, add some water, let it rest for a hour, drain it off, boil it up with some hops, add some yeast and hey presto we have beer' :lol: :lol:

I took it out of its mould last night and because it was a tall narrow cheese and probably to soon to take out of the mold it has become the 'Leaning Stilton of Eccles'

But it looks like cheese smells of cheese and probably tastes of cheese.

Hopefully in a week it will have gone blue and I can put it in my cheese cave/fridge for a few months ready to eat in november.

If it is successful I will get another on for Christmas. :party:

 

[Jeltz]

Interesting I've often wondered abut cheese making 'kin hate Stilton though

 

[calumscott]

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

That is all.

 

[graysalchemy]

More like cheshire cheese at the moment Nic :lol: :lol:

 

[graysalchemy]

Thanks Calum

Its about 1 KG at the moment made from 12 pints of milk and a carton of buttermilk and some rennet so I should get about 800g of stilton for about £3.50 :party: :party:

With supermarket milk cheap it seems worth while to make cheese. And it is less effort than making beer

 

[calumscott]

What temperature does the "cheese cave" sit at?

 

[anthonyUK]

That looks great.
Can't wait to see it when ready to eat. Mmmm, Stilton :thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

What temperature does the "cheese cave" sit at?

just had to check my instructions but about 15c............

and guess what I have a spare temp controller and fridge :lol: :lol:

However humidity is also important you need about 85-90%. You can buy controllers from china like an STC but for humidity and a little viparium mister and a dehumidifying unit would give you total control.

However a plastic lunch box will covering the cheese will also do the trick. :lol: :lol:

By the way those are the conditions for Salami and air dried hams :whistle: :whistle:

 

[anthonyUK]

Will that be a blue stilton?
I'm guessing the blue cheese in the recipe is to introduce the fungus?

 

[graysalchemy]

Yes hopefully it will be blue I used a piece of stilton mixed with some milk and added to the rest of the milk.

 

[graysalchemy]

Just put it back in its mould, as I was advised on the 'Cheese forum' that I was a little hasty

 

[Jeltz]

Well at least you don't have to check that the taps are closed

 

[hypnoticmonkey]

Looking good!

What's the OG?

 

[graysalchemy]

Looking good!

What's the OG?

:lol: :lol: :lol:

At least 1080 :lol:

 

[hypnoticmonkey]

Seriously though, let us know how it goes! You could be about to introduce me to a new hobby...

 

[graysalchemy]

I will post some more pictures when it turns blue :lol:

 

[graysalchemy]

Well it is day five of this cheese life. I have taken it back out of its mould but I think it is going to lean again. :lol:

Well it definately smells er cheesy and tatses creamy almost like a cheshire cheese. I am going to leave it out in the open for the weekend and hope that it starts to turn blue. :whistle:

If it does I will be happy

 

[sam.k]

GA do you go on a cheese making forum? I would be intrested to read up on the whole process in more detail.

 

[graysalchemy]

I have just started on the cheeseforum.org/. However I was too embarassed to post up my procedure etc, as I probably made whey (see what I did there )to many Noob mistakes.

However I found this guy here inspirational. He is a member on CF, but started making stilton really basic without much equipment. Also this and little green cheese.

:thumb:

 

[graysalchemy]

Practising my Baguette recipe this weekend in readiness for the cheese.