Little Green Cheese

Cheese making at home with Gavin Webber the Cheeseman

My First Fan Film and Other Cheese Channels

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Crazy, I know, but cheese making is sometimes so complex, that the only real way to teach someone to make it other than a face to face class is via video. It truly is the teaching medium that I prefer and I love making cheese and cheese making videos to share with you all. So let’s take that to the next level and allow me to share some new cheesemaking resources from other cheese makers around the globe.

Fan Film

I’ve been actively making cheese making videos now for about 8 years and just love the process of making the cheese and sharing it with the world. Over this time, my videography has improved as well as my level of skill in home cheese making, so I believe that not only do I make a mean looking and tasting cheese, usually on my first attempt, I also make fairly good video tutorials for free via YouTube.

So call me tickled pink when a fellow cheese lover from the UK released this cheese video which is more like a big thank you for all the work I put into the cheesemaking community. Have a look at aga’s fan film here (don’t forget to share it if you like it).

Don’t you think it is absolutely brilliant? It had my family and me in fits of laughter and I was humbled and flattered to be part of this amazing community of cheese makers. Well done aga!

More Cheese Channels

Of late and other than my own cheese channel, a few more cheese making channels have popped up that I now actively follow. They are made with passion by their creators who have their own individual flair that I enjoy.

Lisa from Cheese52, from the USA. Her channel is relatively new, but the production quality is good and the recipes are easy to follow. I like the way that she approaches local cheesemakers in her area to ask if she can replicate their recipes.

I especially liked the recipe for Drunken Cow Cheese where she sources the grape must from a local winery to marinate her cheese. You can watch that video below.

Although a small selection, these channels are informative and entertaining and worth following as they grow to become fully fledged cheese making resources. Well done to both Jobe and Lisa for your amazing videos!

Have I missed any dedicated cheese making channels on YouTube? Let me know in the comments below and drop a link so I can add it to the next cheese making resource post.

As always curd nerds, don’t forget to Keep Calm & Make Cheese!

Nearly 100K Subscribers On YouTube Giveaway!

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Yes, Curd Nerds.  I’ve nearly reached a massive milestone over on my YouTube Cheese Making Channel Cheeseman.tv

For those who haven’t entered the giveaway for a Hard Cheese Kit valued at AUD$101.50, then you can enter using the button below. The giveaway ends on 6th June 2018 at 2359 hrs Australian Eastern Time.  The more you share, the more entries that you receive in the draw.  Best of cheesy luck!

Enter the Giveaway here!

What is the Best Cow’s Milk to use for Cheese Making?

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Cow’s milk is processed in many ways, so what is the best cow’s milk to use for cheese making at home?  I get asked this question all the time on Ask the Cheeseman, my YouTube Q&A show.

No Access to a Farm?

Well, because many don’t have access to the farm gate for the ultimate in raw milk, I have produced a video tutorial explaining what cow’s milk is easily obtainable from major supermarkets and is okay for cheese making.


When in Doubt, Add Calcium Chloride

Don’t forget that if you know the milk has been pasteurised then please remember to add the equivalent amount of Calcium Chloride as you do Rennet to the milk.  This will encourage better coagulation of the milk into curds and whey.

So just to recap for cow’s milk;

  • Pasteurised/Homogenised milk with a fat content of at least 3.25% is okay.
  • Pasteurised/Unhomogenised milk is much better with a fat content of at least 3.25% or higher.
  • UHT or Ultra-pasteurised milk will not set a curd, and
  • Skimmed milk is useless for making cheese.
  • Lite milk Pasteurised/Homogenised with a fat content of about 1.5 to 2% fat is okay to augment your milk if your recipe calls for lower fat e.g. Parmesan.
  • Half and Half, which is usually about 10% fat is too high for cheese making.

For cream;

  • Thickened cream contains thickeners or gelatine which affects curd set
  • Double cream with ~51% fat is too thick and difficult to incorporate back into the milk
  • Single Pure cream that has about 45% fat and is pourable, should be perfect for cheese making if your recipe calls for additional cream.

I Can Get Access to Farm Milk!

Well, that’s fantastic.  Just make sure that you can trust the quality of the milk and that you can transport it home at 4°C/39.2°F.  Use it within 2 days from milking for the best result.  If you are not sure about the milk quality then be sure to pasteurise your own raw milk using the Low Temperature/Long Hold method which you can learn about at Dairy Technologist.

What do you think?

Let me know what you think is the best cow’s milk to use for cheese making at home.

Do you have a favourite brand or dairy that you source your milk from?

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