On Friday 22 March, I planted out lettuces, rocket and brassica seedlings.  I had sown the seeds in punnets with 6 compartments.  This has worked REALLY well for the planting out process.  Definitely something to do again.

More cheese notes:

All cheeses were moved from the outside fridge back to the larder on 19 March.

Date/cheese no. 25 Feb 2013.  No 15, ready on 16 April Cheese type Leiden – p190 Debra Amrein-Boyes Milk/culture used Blue top (Dairy dale).  Aromatic mesophilic (Flora danica) culture Coagulation Rennet 1.5 hours, maintained temperature in waterbath in sink Cooking/stirring Stirred at 5 minute intervals Seasoning 1T cumin seeds boiled in 500ml water for 10 min, cooled and added to drained curds Salting 20% brine after pressing – 10.5 hours Pressing Used large 1.8kg mold. Dutch press with 1.25kg 1hr, 2.5kg 19.5 hours Ripening Dried on table 2 days (until almost dry to the touch). Moved to cave, changed freezer pad daily Waxing/rind cure Red wax 5 March Aging Outside fridge Other notes 1.091kg before brine, 1.010kg before waxing. Tasting notes

Date/cheese no. 4 March 2013.  No 16, ready on 5 June Cheese type Cheddar – p215 Debra Amrein-Boyes Milk/culture used Blue top (Dairydale).  Mesophilic culture, sat for 45 minutes. Coagulation Rennet 2 hours, maintained temperature in waterbath in sink Cooking/stirring Heated to 39°C over 30 minutes.  Stood for 1.5 hours. Seasoning NA Salting 1 T mixed in after draining curds Pressing 1.8kg mold, Dutch press with 1.25kg 1 hour, 2.5kg 3 hours, 3.75kg 14 hours Ripening Dried on table 1 day (until almost dry to the touch). Waxing/rind cure Yellow wax 5 March Aging Outisde fridge Other notes 0.935kg before waxing Tasting notes

Date/cheese no. 11 March 2013.  No 17, ready on 30 April Cheese type Gouda – p186 Debra Amrein-Boyes Milk/culture used Blue top (Cow and gate).  Aromatic mesophilic (Flora danica) culture Coagulation Rennet 1 hour, 20 minutes, maintained temperature in waterbath in sink Cooking/stirring Every 3 min, stirred approx. 20 secs Seasoning NA Salting 20% brine after pressing – overnight Pressing 1.8kg mold, Dutch press with 1.25kg 30 min, 2.5kg 9 hours Ripening Dried on table 2 days (until almost dry to the touch). Moved to cave, changed freezer pad daily Waxing/rind cure Red wax 19 March Aging Larder Other notes Tasting notes

Date/cheese no. 19 March 2013.  Nos 18 & 19, ready on  Cheese type Roquefort – p138 Debra Amrein-Boyes Milk/culture used Blue top (Dairydale).  Mesophilic culture and Penicillium roqueforti. Coagulation Rennet 2 hours, maintained temperature in waterbath in sink Molding Drained curds 30 minutes.  Used 2 x square feta molds. Added 1 scoop of curds to each and then a sprinkle of P. roqueforti culture.  Continued curds/culture/curds/culture/curds.  I pressed the curds gently into the molds with my hands after each scoop to make sure they were in the corners.  In total (for both cheeses) I used just over 1/40tsp culture. Left the curds in the moods for 2 days, turned about every 12 hours. Seasoning NA Salting Salted each side with 1/2tsp flaky sea salt. Pressing NA Ripening Moved to cheese cave with door slightly open and changed freezer pad daily.  Turned cheeses daily. Waxing/rind cure NA Aging 25 March cheeses have blue mold on the outside.  Pierced holes in the cheeses.  Returned to cave as for “Ripening”. 26 March decided to warp cheeses in foil and move to fridge.  They are moulding very quickly on the outside. 25 March Other notes Tasting notes