Cheese!

About a thousand years ago (well actually only about 30 years ago) I tried my hand at making a hard cheese following a recipe in Tournaments Illluminated or some such SCA publication. It was edible but I didn't have anything that could pass for a cheese press or any cheese starter or even a decent thermometer! Needless to say it was an experiment that wasn't repeated.

Fast forward a goodly number of years... 

At Pennsic one of our camp mates brought the cheese she had made which put the bee in my bonnet to try my hand again at cheesemaking. About a month ago on my visit to the brewing store I bought all the accouterments to make hard cheese along with a copy of Home Cheesemaking and some milk from the market. Five hours later I was in possession of a young 2lb farmhouse cheese as well as a small dish of ricotta cheese. I let the cheese dry for about 5 days, then waxed it and put it up to age for a while. Yesterday evening we cut into the cheese and were delighted by its favor. It was very remeniscent of a Wensleydale in color, texture and flavor. I made a second cheese to the same recipe about 2 weeks ago and will be interested to see how it has turned out. 

Stay tuned.