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LGC 044 – Waxing Cheese

28/09/2015 By Gavin Webber Leave a Comment

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  • LGC 044 – Waxing Cheese
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Waxing cheese is fairly straight forward, but Timothy asks what type of cheese can you wax.  I step through the various cheese that I wax and why, and the process I go about waxing them.  You can check out my method of waxing cheese in this video tutorial.

The cheese news is about those naughty cheesemaking criminals in Russia.

Today’s Q&A is about the following topics;

  • John asks about vacuum packing equipment for cheesemaking.
  • Emiliano asks if you can use PVC pipe as a cheese hoop.
  • Shirley asks about the difference between waxing and vacuum packing.
  • Sophie wants to know why she can’t get curds to set in Alaska.
  • Mike asks what sized mould am I using in the Farmhouse Cheddar video tutorial.
  • Murray’s has issues with holey cheese (see photo below).
Holey Cheese
What caused this holey cheese?

If you liked the show then pop over to iTunes to give it a rating and review.  I would be honoured to read your feedback.

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Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Podcast, Waxing

LGC 030 – Recipe Tips

18/08/2014 By Gavin Webber Leave a Comment

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  • LGC 030 – Recipe Tips
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During the show I talk about the importance of sticking to the recipe.

Please forgive me if I sound a little harsh, but it is very important to not vary too much from the recipe.  Otherwise, how are you going to repeat that amazing taste four months down the track especially if you deviated too much and didn’t record your changes.

This weeks new is from Tasmania.  Ian Fowler comes from a very long line of cheese makers and is making cheddar style cheeses in the Bay of Fires on the east coast.  I play an audio clip from an interview he gave on the ABC. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-22/bay-of-fires-tasmanias-smallest-cheese-company/5572612

I also answer questions about using the correct milk for the right cheese method, why you should wax your parmesan, and talk about butterfat yield from different types of cow.

Also here are the photos I promised.

 

David’s not so pressed cheddar;

 

Connies blue smelling Jarlsberg

And one that I didn’t mention, but Murray sent me a picture of a very fresh Peppercorn Cheddar

Peppercorn Cheddar by Christine and Murray

Also, if you like this podcast, and would like to help promote it as a personal favour to me, please head over to iTunes and give it a rating and a honest review.  Once you have clicked on the link, then click the “view on iTunes” button and leave a review.

This helps raise the podcast in the iTunes charts, which ranks against the likes of world famous food podcasters like Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson, and Martha Stewart to name a few.

I am really up against the heavyweights in this podcasting category, so any help would be fantastic if you have the time.

If you wish to receive the show on your portable apple device each time I release an episode, you can subscribe via iTunes. You can also subscribe via Stitcher Radio.

So, until next time curd nerds, remember to Keep Calm and Make Cheese!

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Podcast, Raw Milk, Technique, Waxing

Parmesan Technique

27/01/2013 By Gavin Webber 17 Comments

Cheese making can be daunting and confusing when you first start out.  I know that it was for me, but I found that by taking a basic cheese making course before I made any type of cheese really helped me learn enough to get started in this hobby.

I realise that many people do not have the opportunity to attend a class, so this is the main reason why I offer to answer readers questions as best I can.

Today’s question comes from Nadim in the UK, who has lots of questions about starting out on his cheese making journey, mainly about Parmesan technique.

Hi Gavin

I am Nadim from UK, I recently seen your web blog and it is extremely help for home-made cheese maker, I am a fan of cheese but when tried at home cheese making, but after looking at your blog, you have now inspired me to make it at home!, I want to try either with parmesan or cheddar, but I am stuck with few question, if you please could help me with this then I shall highly appreciate.

As this shall be my first time so i was thinking if it is possible I make cheese in small wheel, probably 300 g – 500 g..? or it has to be in minimum 1 kg wheel..?

I am currently living in share house, so i wont be able to buy wine fridge, do you think if I can store cheese in wooden box in my balcony for aging ..? or any other recommendation ..? I have read somewhere that normal kitchen fridge would not be suitable due to its lower temperature,bacteria contamination and moisture..

Also could you please tell me what would be minimum best time to try the cheese..? 9 months is bit long time, not sure if I would be patient enough to wait this long after making my first cheese!!

last but important, do I need to rotate and wipe out cheese every week even after waxing.? what if I wax it after removing from brine water and drying out..?

looking forward to hear from you soon. thanks

Nadim

Good questions Nadim.  I will answer your questions in respect to making Parmesan cheese.

The wheel on the left is a 3 week old Parmesan before waxing.  The other is a Caerphilly.

 

Recipe size – If making parmesan, I would stick to using the full 8 litres of milk that the recipe asks for.  The cheese does shrink quite a bit, so you end up with about a 800 gm wheel of cheese at the end.

Maturation Temperature – It doesn’t really matter how you keep your cheese at 13°C as long as you can maintain it over the long aging period of 9 months minimum.  Some people use basements, some use insulated boxes, some just use a cupboard lined with greaseproof paper.  It doesn’t matter  how, as long as you keep the cheese at the target temperature.

Aging time – For a 1 kg wheel of Parmesan, the minimum time before trying would be 9 months.  The longer the better really.  In the last week, I tried a two-year-old Parmesan, and it was extremely tasty, much better than one aged for only a year.  If you want to make a cheese that is full of flavour and has a short maturation time, try a Caerphilly.  I highly recommend this semi-hard cheese for beginners, which is very tasty.

Waxing – If you do decide to make Parmesan, then for this sized wheel I highly recommend that you wax the cheese after 3 weeks of aging.  Normal wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano weigh about 38 kg when fully mature and are able to maintain their moisture content.  For a much smaller wheel like the one in my recipe, you need to wax the cheese so that it does not dry out whilst aging.

During the initial 3 weeks without the wax, wipe the surface with a brine solution daily to prevent/inhibit mould growth.  The cheese needs this 3 week period without wax to dry out a little, otherwise if you wax it straight after brining and air drying, it would be far too moist and whey will collect between the cheese and the wax, ruining the flavour of the Parmesan.  After waxing you do not need to do this as the wax coating prevents oxygen from reaching the cheese which does not allow the mould to develop.

Summary – Hopefully this post has been informative to all beginners as they take their first steps towards milk’s immortal!

For all readers, let me know via a comment if you would like more of these types of post.  I would love some feedback, good or otherwise.

Filed Under: Workshops Tagged With: Parmesan, Parmigiano Reggiano, Technique, Waxing

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Podcast Reviews

  • Number One Cheese Podcast
    October 14, 2023 by Gene 321 from Australia

    Inspirational, motivational, incredible knowledge of cheese history and production, a great teacher with a twist of Aussie humor and an all round nice guy who knows his cheese. I’ve been listening to Gavin for many years now and gained so much knowledge and inspiration from just listening to his podcasts. If you’re interested in cheese, Gavin is your man.

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    July 25, 2023 by Bennyssimoo from New Zealand

    Thank you Gavin. I feel like I know you as if you were my neighbor and you really got me lost in cheese now

  • Love it. Keep it up!
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    Excellent podcast. Started the home making adventure last month and have been catching up on all the past episodes and YouTube videos. it is a gold mine of shared knowledge. Thank you!

  • So funny!!!!
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    Little green cheese is so funny

  • Great podcasts
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    I’ve just started cheese making at home,Gavin ‘s podcasts are so informative. I also watch his you tube tutorials. Thanks for your great work!!

  • An excellent guide to artisan cheese!
    January 14, 2020 by N.K.13 from Australia

    I recently became aware of Gavin’s lovely YouTube channel and podcast and it’s been incredible. His competence and comprehensive explanations leave you craving more. Much like a good cheese! Cheers Gavin!

  • Perfect for Cheesemakers of all levels!
    December 3, 2018 by Viki Leeasa from Thailand

    I love that this podcast does not just have helpful tips and tricks on cheese making, but also stories and news from the cheese world, as well as nice little anecdotes from the host.A big fan from Thailand!

  • If you think you want to make cheese, listen to this!
    November 30, 2018 by paulsaw from United States

    Gavin Webber’s Little Green Cheese is By Far the best podcast I have ever heard! A truly informative and quality production!

  • Great program
    October 9, 2018 by p37dg9q14 from United States

    Very informative and enjoyable podcast. I started at episode 1 and currently listening to 25. I’ll be giving cheesemaking a go in the next week. Mike J from Oceanside CA

  • Great podcast
    September 13, 2018 by nicole_elias from Australia

    I have a long commute to and from work and have worked my way through the back catalogue of these podcasts. Enjoyed every one of them and hope for many more to come. Thanks Gavin! Keep up the great work. Cheers, Nicole

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