Does anyone make cheese? I want to be artisan ponce.

[VanessaParody]

Is soft cheese much easier than hard cheese? I have a lovely big cellar with storage shelves and big slate tables which is just begging for some artisan poncery.

Any info appreciated but I'm orf out now until
past-DC bedtime.

lol @ "artisan poncery"

I can't offer any advice I'm afraid, although I did watch a couple make Goats Cheese on Hugh Fearnly fafawhatshisname's programme the other week.
I'm sure the method for making it will be on his website.

soft cheese is dead easy - you use junket rennet (with the baking powder etc) and cream, drain it in a muslin and eat it starigth away. I used an Elizabeth David recipe from 'An Omlette and a Glass of Wine'

hard cheese needs years of sitting, turning etc and looks much harder

keep wine in the cellar instead

or maybe buy young cheese at a farmner's market and age it yourself?

Hmm, the goats cheese did look easy to make but 'bleurgh' to goats cheese.

I've just found a 'soft cheese making kit' for £20 online, it includes vegetarian rennet, so I'll put that on my Christmas list. (MIL will pull this face - )!

mrsb - some of the cellar is racked for wine and is pleasingly full. Including some homemade efforts .

Yes I am a cheesemaker.
How can i help?
Soft cheese is probably a good place to start.Or you can make feta cheese quite easily.I make organic goat's milk cheese.I can direct you to a few good websites ifyou like.

of of your 'affinateur'( aging room)

Oh yes, websites please. I can spend the evening looking at kit instead of MNing.

OK, so soft cheese it is. Can I make a Brie-a-like?

What cheese do you make?

We have several outbuildings with slate tables too, so I suspect a good deal of food production went on here. Will be nice to resurrect it.

I make a soft rind cheese- (it requires a special culture) and also fresh goat's cheese with a similar texture to Boursin.It can be eaten immediately or kept in the fridge to age for up to a month.
The type of cheese you make will depend essentially on your choice of cheese culture.
Have you thought of doing a day course- it is really worth it, just to get to know the process and terminology.
You can find courses here
To get basiceqipment you can look here

Basically- to start you will need a recipe
which i can give you

and some equipment:
a big stainless steel saucepan

a thermometer that goes to 100o C

some whole milk( goat , cow or sheep)

a bottle of rennet

a packet of cheese culture( look at Moorlands website- each culture makes a different kind of cheese) I use 'Neige'(
Penicillium Candidum Neige LYO 2D) for my soft rind cheese or a bottle of buttermilk

a big knife or metal spatula

some plstic moulds or cheese cloth/sieve

You will have to make up some culture to start, but after that it is straightforward and quite a soothing process.

It is also a requirement to be slightly eccentric. I have never met a sane cheese maker.

Hard cheese is a whole different ball game and I would recommend practicing soft cheese making first .Hard cheeses involve higher temperatures and closer monitoring of temperatures. You will also need to invest in a cheese press for hard cheese which can be expensive.

Here is another website for consideration
and shows the process French goat's Cheese

Thanks! I'm immersed in cheese cultures.

OMG I have just found this thread I regularly mess around in my kitchen trying to make cheese. I am going to try your recipe Cremola, I didn't know you were a cheesemaker, I am and impressed.