Well, here at Size Matters late summer is the season for cheesin’. Throw in an aging time of 90 days for most hard cheeses, and that means we have a nice variety for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I thought I’d do a run down of what we’ve made this year, what it’s supposed to be like, and how it actually turned out. Cheesemaking is a complex alchemy of milk, rennet, good bacteria and lactic acid production. Since the milk components change throughout the season, the cheese I make this week will be different the cheese I made the week before. Furthermore, most cheese recipes have been developed for cow’s milk, which performs somewhat differently than goat’s milk. Most of the recipes I have used are from The New England Cheesemaking Supply Company. Jim Wallace is the head cheese technician there and has many decades of cheesemaking experience under his belt. He has visited dairies all over the world to continue to learn the old methods that have been lost in our country. As a result, the recipes he develops are designed to produce authentic heirloom cheeses. Typically, I start a recipe with fresh, raw milk; a cheese that ages for more than 60 days does not require pasteurized milk. When I plan for a young cheese like Colby (30 day aging), I will pasteurize the milk to minimize the risk of things like Listeria. Unlike commercial cheese, my cheese is typically bright white to ivory in color. That’s just how it is with goat’s milk, and I usually don’t feel the need to color it with annatto (a natural colorant used in cheesemaking).
Without further ado, let’s take a look at Size Matter’s Cheese, 2018.
All excerpts taken from The New England Cheesemaking Supply Company
Colby
Aging time 4-6 weeks
unavailable
Colby is considered to be one of the first truly American cheeses, since it was developed by an American in the United States, and it was not intended to be an imitation of a European cheese.
Colby is NOT a young cheddar. Today’s Colby is similar in flavor to cheddar but is softer, has a more open texture, and is higher in moisture. The curd is washed in cold spring water which prevents them from knitting together and gives it a more open elastic texture and a sweeter flavor than any cheddar.
Traditionally Colby was made in the “Longhorn” shape (a tall cylindrical shape) and pressed as 13 pound horns. These were then waxed for sale. Today’s plants mostly make Colby in 40 pound blocks.
-Jim Wallace, New England Cheesemaking Supply Company
The recipe for Colby changed significantly in the 1970s, but the recipe we use is the traditional recipe developed in the late 1800s.
Colby is a perennial favorite at Size Matters for a few reasons. The time commitment is relatively short (3-4 hrs), the recipe is uncomplicated and the aging time is only 4-6 weeks. We’ve had the most experience with this cheese, and as a result we can turn out a consistently moist cheese with an open, elastic texture and pleasant flavor. Our Colby is somewhat more sharp than expected. This indicates a higher lactic acid production than typical. I believe I will need to find a way to decrease the amount of time I cook the curds. However, that means I may need to increase the amount rennet in order to produce a firmer curd (cooking the curd makes it firmer). All of our Colby was aged and eaten over the summer….
Dunlop (8/11)
Aging time 3-9 months
4oz available
During the 17th century in Scotland and it’s Religious/Kings wars, many of the outlawed Presbyterians were exiled to Ireland.
One such woman was Barbara Gilmour who, on return to the west of Scotland, settled back with her husband John Dunlop onto the family farm in Dunlop, East Ayershire.
With her return, she brought her skills learned from making cheese in Ireland. However, the process ran counter to the existing manner of preserving milk which removed much of the cream as was common in much of England at that time. Gilmour’s method was to use whole milk with no cream removed. The resistance to this new method was great and came very close to accusing her of witchcraft, which had dire consequences in those days.She held to her methods however, and gradually it became well accepted for it’s flavor and texture with the full cream. It became known as a “Sweet Milk Cheese” in comparison to the rather lean skimmed cream cheeses that were being made at the time. In fact this cheese won out and was eventually imitated by many farms in this region as well as throughout other parts of Scotland. Her method produced a distinctly creamy texture and mellow, nutty taste and was so widely copied that Dunlop soon became Scotland’s most famous cheese.
Unfortunately, those farm produced cheeses are hard to find today since production has gone to larger dairies and the cheese today is really made more as an earlier ripening cheddar style of cheese but still uses the “Dunlop” name. Traditionally it was a very unique style and quite different from today’s cheese.
In his historical writings on Cheese from the British Isles, Patrick Rance (one of my favorites) speaks of the fame of these traditional Dunlop cheese through the late 19th century but then waning during the early 20th century. He mentions that by the 1970’s the traditional cheese was quite hard to find.
Today the name lives on but not in the same cheese that Barbara Gilmour introduced. Most of what is produced as Dunlop today comes from the large dairy, The Clerkland Farm.
I am hoping that my guidelines below and this enlightenment to follow are more in the character of that traditional cheese of Scotland.
-Jim Wallace, New England Cheesemaking Supply Company
Expectation:
I followed the recipe of Jim’s traditional Dunlop cheese. Dunlop is a cow’s milk cheese, specifically using milk from the Ayrshire Cows. Ayrshire cow’s milk has a higher butterfat than most other dairy cows, so goat’s milk should perform nicely in this recipe. We expect to have a high-moisture cheese with a slightly nutty and tangy flavor. The texture should be closed and smooth. The nutty flavor will be more pronounced with longer aging.
Reality:
This cheese is very high moisture with a really nice mouth-feel. The texture is very smooth, but there are few tiny holes. I can tell that a nutty flavor will develop, but it is not very detectable now. Again, this cheese is sharper than expected, so I will have to tinker with the curd-cooking time. Half of this cheese has been sectioned into 4oz portions and the other half will continue to age.
Gouda (8/20 and 9/6)
Aging time 2-6 months
Tested at 3 months and 4 months
3lbs available
The distinguishing characteristic of Gouda cheese is that it is a relatively sweet cheese. This is accomplished by removing some of the milk sugars early in the process to keep excess acid from being produced by the bacteria culture. Shortly after the milk has formed a curd and been cut, about 1/3 of the whey is removed and replaced with hot water to heat the curd.
The reason for this goes back to the days of the wooden vats in which the cheese was made. These vats could not be heated so hot water was added to increase the temperature of the curds and release more whey from the curds.
-Jim Wallace, New England Cheesemaking Supply Company
Expectation:
A smooth, sweet, medium-dry cheese with a few mechanical holes.
Reality:
First batch: We have a smooth, creamy, moist cheese with some mechanical holes. This is a very snackable cheese. The creamy flavor of the milk is really coming through in this one. Again, it is sharper than I expected, but not unpleasantly so. I expect with aging this cheese will become drier and more complex. Half of this cheese has been sectioned into 4oz portions and the other half has been re-sealed for aging.
Second batch: We tasted this one at 4 months. It is noticeably drier and sharper than the first batch with a lot going on for flavor. I am pleased with both batches and how the aging process works.
Cheddar (8/24 and 9/6)
Aging time 3-9 months
Tested at 3 months
1.5lbs available
Cheddar comes in many colors, textures, and degrees of moisture. Some of it is just plain comfort food, while others really make you stand up and pay attention. There is NO DESIGNATION for what Cheddar should be,so throughout the world there are many cheeses that answer to the name of “Cheddar.” Welcome to the variations of Cheddar.
We have the wonderful “West Country” cloth bound cheddar, that is likely closest to the original Cheddar.
There’s also the orange and white varieties that seem to be tied to specific regions, all with different levels of moisture, texture and flavor.
Throughout the world the many variations from each region tend to show their own characteristics.
Wisconsin: sweeter and creamier
Vermont: tangy, somewhat bitter, and sharp cheddar.
Clothbound Cheddar: reflects the traditional English style cheddar. More complex and a bit more mellow. The cloth allows for a cheese that is more open to the cave environment and thus more complex. I do remember tasting 2 cheeses taken from the same Vat run and aged as Block vs Bandaged. The complexity of the Block aged Cheddar was much less than that of the Bandaged Cheddar due to their closed surfaces.-Jim Wallace, New England Cheesemaking Supply Company
Expectation:
This should be a medium-dry cheese with a smooth texture and a distinctly “cheddar” flavor. At 3 months, it will not be as complex as it will ultimately be.
Reality:
This IS a medium-dry, smooth-textured, cheddar tasting cheese. It is the least sharp of the cheeses tested today. Half of this 3 lb wheel has been resealed for aging and the other half has been sectioned into 4 oz portions.
Jack (8/31)
Aging time 3-8 months
Tested at 3 months
1.5lbs available
Jack cheese is a simple hard cheese perfect for the beginning cheesemaker.
Expectation:
This should be a mild-flavored cheese with a texture similar to Colby. As it ages, it will become harder and good for grating. Jack should melt well.
Reality:
This is a sharpish, creamy cheese with a tangy finish. Half of this cheese has been resealed for aging, and the other half has been sectioned into 4oz portions.
Feta (9/10)
Aging Time 4-12 months
Tested at 1 month
1.5lbs available
Feta cheese is a Greek specialty and its origin goes back a long way in history, it is considered to be one of the oldest cheeses in the world.
The earliest record of feta cheese dates back to the Byzantine Empire. It has been associated closely with Crete, located in present day Greece. An Italian traveler to the city of Candia makes express mention of the curing processes in brine cellars in his writings, dated 1494.
The word “feta” has an interesting genealogy. It comes from the Italian word fetta (meaning slice). Fetta, in turn, is of Latin origin from offa (meaning bite or morsel). It first appeared in Greek language in the 17th century, possibly referring to the process of serving the cheese by cutting it in thin slices. Many, however, attribute a Classical Greek origin to feta cheese. According to myth, the Cyclops Polyfimos was the first to have prepared it. In the museum of Delphi, 6th century BC artifacts also make references to the process of feta cheese-making.
-Jim Wallace, New England Cheesemaking Supply Company
Expectation:
Feta should be a tangy, salty cheese that can be semi-soft to medium hard.
Reality:
Whoa Nelly is this ever salty! I’m told that’s normal, and to soak it in milk for several hours prior to eating. I tried that little trick and was rewarded with a pleasant-tasting and less salty feta cheese. It has a medium texture and a pleasant tanginess. We ate this with gyros and other foods that call for feta.
Havarti (10/3)
Aging time 1-4 months
Tested at 7 weeks
1lb available
Havarti has a buttery aroma, somewhat sharper in the stronger varieties, much like swiss cheese. The taste is buttery, from sweet to very sweet, and is slightly acidulous. It is typically aged three months, if aged longer the cheese becomes saltier and tastes like hazelnut. When left at room temperature the cheese tends to soften quickly.
-Jim Wallace, New England Cheesemaking Supply Company
Expectation:
This should be a creamy, sweet, medium-soft, smooth cheese.
Reality:
This 3-gallon recipe yielded nearly 4lbs of cheese! The late season butterfat is showing here. While this is a creamy, medium-soft smooth cheese, it is decidedly more tangy than sweet. Half of this 4lb cheese wheel was resealed to continue to age and half has been sectioned into 4oz portions.
Cabra al Vino (10/3)
“The Drunken Goat”
Aging time 4-6 weeks
Tested at 7 weeks
unavailable
This wonderful recipe creates a beautiful cheese that is full of flavor. Cabra Vino has a snow white paste that is very soft and supple with a few small gas holes distributed throughout. The rind has a deep purple hue and the taste and aroma from the wine is infused throughout the cheese.
-Jim Wallace, New England Cheesemaking Company
Most cheesemaking regions have a variety of wine-soaked cheese. This one happens to be the Spanish version.
Expectation:
As above…soft, wine-y, with a creamy paste in the center.
Reality:
No paste, but softish and quite flavorful. The small gas holes are present. This cheese has been sectioned into 4 oz portions.
Alpine (10/8)
Aging time 3-6 months
Tested at 3 months
2lbs available
This recipes focus is on making an Alpine style cheese, but not following all the rules. The result will be a full fat cheese in a smaller format than traditional Alpine style cheeses and yet has an elastic texture and still retains plenty of moisture. It will also be aged for a shorter period of time and therefore milk quality will play a bigger role and aging complexity less of a role.
-Jim Wallace, New England Cheesemaking Supply Company
Expectation:
A moist, elastic mild flavor cheese, probably similar to the Gouda
Reality:
Holy moly! Literally. This is a beautiful cheese full of mechanical holes. The texture and elasticity are amazing. It tastes little like swiss in the beginning and is full of flavor. Fair warning, it does have a bit of a “goaty” finish similar to european-style Chèvre.
Hispanico (10/16)
Aging times 6 weeks-8 months
Tested at 3 months
1lb available
I forgot to get a picture. It’s white, no holes. You get it.
Like Manchego, Hispanico comes from the La Mancha region of Spain. (Yes, the same region as Don Quixote and “tipping at windmills.”)
This region is a high plateau that stretches south of the capital, Madrid, encompassing the ancient, walled city of Toledo before reaching the beautiful Sierra Morena. The Muslims who inhabited the land from the 8th through the 11th centuries dubbed it “Manya,” which meant “land without water.” Eventually, that would translate into “Mancha,” the name that is used today. Hispanico is very similar to Manchego made with 100% cows milk and is made in the same forms that were used to make the original crosshatch designs (from the plaited Esparta grass linings) which the inhabitants developed to encourage proper draining.
This is one of the most popular cheeses in Spain. This firm cheese is mild, yet tasty and aromatic. It is typically served as a table cheese, but is also appropriate for cooking.
It pairs well with Spanish red wines and cured meats, such as Chorizo and Jamon Serrano.
Made with all cows milk, it is called Hispanico cheese.
When made with all ewes milk the cheese is called Manchego.
It is called Iberico when made with a mix of cow, goat, ewe milk.-Jim Wallace New England Cheesemaking Supply Company
So, who knows what we should call an 100% goat’s milk version. I’m excited to try it, though.
Expectation:
Semi-firm, with a sweet and nutty flavor. Mild, tasty and aromatic.
Reality:
This IS a semi-firm cheese with delightful creaminess and nuttiness. It is aromatic but not mild. This will stand up to stronger flavors for pairings (red wines, currant jellies, etc).