Good Mold

My first soft, mold-ripened goat cheese is underway! The recipe is a mix of the one in Home Cheese making by Ricki Carroll and a recipe on the Fiasco Farm site. Like Fias Farm, I left mine out longer to drain. To begin the process, I spent a morning cleaning black mold out of an old fridge to use as a cheese cave. BAD MOLD. Somewhat ironic perhaps that my first cheese to find its way into the sparkling clean cave were 4 lovely little white mold covered Saint Maure cheeses (in a Crottin shape)! GOOD MOLD. I plan to try one at 2 weeks and then one at 4 and one at 5. For now they are fuzzing up nicely and I am watching them too much. My friend came by the other day as I sat staring at them on the counter in their mini tent and said, "Is this kinda like the watched pot thing?" Likely true, but my watched cheeses are molding!

1/2 gallon milk set up with whey on top

Instruments ready to begin draining in molds

Molds full. I used Chevre molds because that is what I had, but their tapered shape meant that when I flipped them they had to come out and this meant they did not keep their shape as well. 

Under their tent on the counter draining whey

They are half the size after 2 days out.

EZ Liner roll makes a nice mark and drains them well

Back under tent to get a bit more fuzzed up. I used reusable produce bag from Natural Home to protect them.

Flipped

A little more time on counter in a Ziplock 

Starting to see white mold on outside. Smells a little like yeast. I may have used too much mold...we'll see!

Into the cheese fridge. Still a little cool, so I ordered a fridge thermostat adjuster and keep opening the door for now to warm it up! 5 days old. Very covered in mold. I should have been flipping them more. Did today.

I will post the recipe...IF they are delicious.

So here is the finished cheese after 3 weeks. It was delicious and goatie and fancy tasting. But as you can see there is an issue with skin slip. (There is space between the cheese and skin and it is milky and drippy in the space when you cut it). Next time to fix this fairly common problem (especially with first timers) I will use even less Goetrichum, a bit more salt, more drying time at lower temps and be sure there is no condensation in the tupperware container during the aging period. I think I'll try again next weekend. For now I am making feta and chevre like crazy. I'll post the recipe for this cheese as soon as it comes out perfect!