Wishing You a Gouda 2014!

Far be it from me to air my own personal dirty laundry, but I must admit I am quite pleased to see the end of 2013. Aside from a few really awesome occasions, (Clemmy, garden, Danielle, and Ashia, I am peering your way) 2013 was a pretty tough year on a few levels. Some big disappointments, and some sadness (especially toward the end of the year)  But! Bring on 2014!

During my brewing hiatus, while Clementine and I were finding our way toward one another, I took up cheesemaking. Far cheaper than extract brewing, plus almost instant gratification (no waiting at least 3 weeks to try the end result), this hobby was a perfect time-and-belly-filler for me. Sadly, I have failed miserably at the simplest recipes, like mozzarella (I just cannot getting the right kneading down) and feta (granted, my culture for this one is expired. The curds never set up quite right). However, I do make brilliant creme fraiche, ricotta, sour cream, and mascarpone. So, I decided (aided by the fact that I used a chunk of my HBX credit on a cheese press) to try my first hard aged cheese: Gouda (using the two gallon version of this recipe). Here are some Action Shots:

The ingredients

The first press

All curds in! The second press.

Post pressing

In the brine

A warning for the cave

 

The (almost) finished product

The whole thing is now in the cheese/mead/beer cave, aging away for up to 6 months. Next up? A Cotswold!

Bon apetit, and Happy New Year!