It's very, very early in the morning. My husband Dan and I got up just after 4:00 a.m; he is headed to the parlor to milk the cows. I am going to make the last batch of Brother Laurent for the year.
It takes 60-90 minutes to fill the stainless vat; cultures that acidify the milk and create the cheese's unique properties are added.
After adding rennet to coagulate the milk, the curd is cut into small squares.
***(paranoid moment) Double checked the packets of culture I used to make sure I dumped in the right ones. (This involved a garbage can dive). I only make this cheese twice a year, and all these damn ingredient packets look the same, just with different codes in small writing.
Are you laughing at me???
Are you laughing at me???
The same thing - or different? All different cultures!
The packets used to be color-coded, but now there's a conspiracy against sleep-deprived cheesemakers.
I heard this week that caffeine can make you hallucinate. Just saying.
***Break for breakfast. Dan is making Spanish omelets.
After the whey is drained away, the curds are piled up on the sides of the tank, and the moulds are filled.
A bit tippy, but essentially completed for the day.
There's a make of Madison, and one more day of Tommes, then back to blue cheeses for the next 10 months. I look forward to the comfort of repetition!
The packets used to be color-coded, but now there's a conspiracy against sleep-deprived cheesemakers.
I heard this week that caffeine can make you hallucinate. Just saying.
***Break for breakfast. Dan is making Spanish omelets.
After the whey is drained away, the curds are piled up on the sides of the tank, and the moulds are filled.
A bit tippy, but essentially completed for the day.
There's a make of Madison, and one more day of Tommes, then back to blue cheeses for the next 10 months. I look forward to the comfort of repetition!
