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Your source for cheese making supplies and wine grapes |
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Wind Dance Vineyard and cheese making supplies |
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CHEESE MAKING FAQS |
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DO NOT USE ULTRA-PASTEURIZED MILK (UP)! It does not have the enzymes, etc., needed for curding. It is not always labeled as UP. If you followed the cheese making directions and curds did not form then you most likely used UP milk. How do I know when the curds are ready? First, when the curds are ready the whey will look like lemonade. Second, there is room for a lot of error with curds. You should be able to take a knife and draw a line through them that does not immediately seal up like if it was cream. If you are not sure if they are done let them sit another 5 minutes. Then treat them like they are done. I think I may have heated up my milk too fast? If you didn't burn it you didn't heat it too fast. It is still usable, but do add the ingredients if the temp is warmer than your instructions state. My milk is too warm! Help! Don't worry, put some ice cubes in a baggie and let it cool off your milk. Do not add starter or rennet unless the temp is back down to that stated in the directions! I am not getting solid curds. You may have used ultra-pasteurized milk. In some areas dairies do not need to label it. You cannot make cheese from ultra-pasteurized milk. Call your dairy and find another source!! I have had good results with Walmart milk. But you need to call the dairy. Also, some milk is less acidic than others so this may happen even if you do everything right. It is often caused by diluting rennet in warm and not cold water or too low of acidity in the milk. To save your cheese it is too late to add more starter - Starter increases the acidity but dies off when heated. To try and save your cheese add 1 tsp of citric acid or 1tblsp of lemon juice to increase the acidity. Let it sit again per the instructions. My cheese is watery. The milk has too low acidity. See 'not getting solid curds' above. You can't fix it at this stage. If you age this cheese properly it will mold. Age it in the refrigerator. I do not have a 55 degree area to age my cheese. What can I do? You can age it in the refrigerator, it will just take twice as long. Try aging it in the coolest room you have. If that room is warmer than 55 check the cheese for mold and rub it with olive oil twice as often. The easiest way to age cheese is to buy a used wine refrigerator of Craigslist for $10-$20. I am in the middle of making my cheese and something went terribly wrong. Can I call someone? Yes. Call us at 612-205-2420. This number forwards to Bob's cell phone when we are closed. If no-one answers leave a message with what happened and we will get back to you ASAP. My cheese is too hard! Too much weight in the final pressing, insufficient rennet, and too much agitation of the curds, will cause hard your cheese to be too hard. Also, too dry of an environment and failure to seal the cheese properly will also make your cheese hard (plastic wrap or wax for cheddar and gouda, salt and olive oil for parmesan and Romano). I am missing an ingredient! As with everything, please check the ingredient list before using. all or email us for a replacement. Can I reuse the cheese cloth? Yes, but you will need to wash it thoroughly. Can I eat my cheese before it is done aging? Yes. But, it will not have it's full taste until it is done aging. I spilled some of my ingredients or didn't get it all out of the bag. Will my cheese be ok? Yes. You have enough ingredients to do as much as 30% to 50% more than your package is rated for. The milk coagulated instantly when I added the rennet. You milk has too high of acidity. Use less starter next time. My cheese is moldy. Cheese is alive and will mold under the perfect conditions - Too warm, too humid, not turned enough, etc. Check your cheese every few days when aging and wipe off any mold. You can use olive oil or a paper towel with a little vinegar on it. If you have a lot of mold, cut it off. Where can I see the cheese making kit recipe or directions? Click on one of the links below.
Contact us below with other questions and we will add them to the site. Thanks!
Email us with problems/concerns/cheese making questions
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Wind Dance Vineyard and Cheese Making Supplies Delano MN 55328 Phone: 612-205-2420 |
