Making Farmhouse Cheddar

From the time I first started making cheese, I'm wanted to try my hand at some hard cheese too...but to do that much I knew I'd need a cheese press. I finally thought to ask my wonderful father to make me one this summer as a feast gift, because while I knew my hubby could do it, he doesn't get to the shop all that much, so I could be waiting forever for one if I had asked him. LOL Besides, I love my Dad to make me things too. :)

This last visit over to my parents house we exchanged gifts, and I got my gift from Dad...the cheese press I had wanted, made out of a thick chunk of walnut one of my favorite woods (and he made me some cleats for outside when it's icy so maybe I can stay upright).

My Mom, being the wonderful mother she is, had remembered that I had mentioned I needed an apron (I had totally forgotten I said that to her, so was totally surprised that she read my mind and made me one. *giggle*) so she made me one of them and a couple pot holders. They were perfect for my dream kitchen, as they had strawberries on them which is what I want for my kitchen.

Anyway, I've been using the apron a lot since we got back from their house, but it wasn't until this last week, that I was able to use the cheese press. We had to get a weight system together before I could actually use it, which took longer than I thought it would.


I decided I wanted to make Farmhouse cheddar for my first hard cheese because the recipe I had sounded easy and used yogurt instead of a store bought culture like some hard cheeses use. I put my press on the side of the sink...(another reason I wanted the sink installed, cause I knew it would be hard get it to sit right by the other sink) and then I got the cheese made, and drained and put the curds into my cheese press.


I put the top plastic plunger part on the curds and folded the extra cheese cloth all up onto it, so it wouldn't soak up lots of the whey that drained out and...


...then placed the top board on the press and the weights on top of it. Then I left it for 24 hours to drain and press together ending up with what you see in the top photo. It looked really neat to me...but then I'm not used to hard cheeses yet. :)


I then wrapped it in the cheese cloth and put it in the fridge to dry out for a few days before I waxed it to get it ready to age it. (I need practice waxing it...it doesn't look so good, but hopefully it will work ok.) I did cut the circle up so we could open one part of it and try it, without bothering the rest...that way if it really needs to age more, the rest of it can. :)

The bad part about hard cheese is you have to age it for so long! Three months is a long time to wait to find out if you want to try a recipe again. I guess along about Valentines day we can open the cheese up and see if it's editable...it's going to be a long winter of waiting I think. *giggle*

Now I just need to find a cheap wine cooler or dorm fridge, that I can use for a cheese refrigerator (or cave). Not sure how quickly I'll be able to afford one of them, but hopefully someday I can have a good place to age cheese. As it is now, it will have to go into my fridge, which won't be at the correct temp...but hopefully it will be close enough to work. In my dreams we will be able to have a root cellar built, and make a little room off it for cheese...but...I won't hold my breath on that one. LOL

Needless to say, I won't be able to make as much hard cheese as I'd like, since I don't have room to age much right now, but to be able to make any is a dream come true, thanks to the gift of Love my Daddy made me this year. (Not to mention the one my Mom made me, that I can use while I'm making cheese!) Thanks so much Mom & Dad, I love your gifts...and I love you!!