Farmhouse Chive-Cheddar

Chive-Cheddar.


I saw this recipe and I thought hmmmmm..... I mean, I like chives just fine but I wondered if they'd overpower that awesome cheddary-cheesiness!! But...I had to give 'er a shot. 


Today I did! But not before making one that did *not* have chives... Call me chicken, but I just couldn't bear the thought of making a cheddar cheese and then not really enjoying it. Sooo...I hedged my bets. I now have two of the Farmhouse cheddars, colored this lovely cheddar-orange color...one with chives and one without. :)

Farmhouse Chive Cheddar at FLIP time.

And also, I tried a new "cheesecloth" thing...it's this type of perforated material that feels kinda like a plastic but I think it's a fiber like silk or something along that line. Weird but, it is wonderful! Thinner than cheesecloth and it makes a beautiful finish on the cheese! 


Anyway, I'll write more later about my newest members of my lovely little cheese family that has grown steadily over the past weeks to include:

1. Mozzerella
2. Irish Brew Cheddar
3. Crescenza
4. Caerphilly
5. Havarti (done two--so good...so so so good)
6. Coastal Blue
7. White Cheddar
8. "Just" Jack
9. American Brick Cheddar
10. Farmhouse Cheddar
11. Alpine Tomme
12. Feta
13. Jarlsberg Swiss
14. Provolone
15. Asiago (two types)
16. Taleggio
17. Farmhouse Chive Cheddar
18. American Brie

All but the Havarti, Feta and the Crescenza are down in our converted refrigerator (converted that is, into a CHEESE CAVE!!) aging as per each's need. Humidity, temperature, etc., all have to be managed. I think there's one more that I've done but right now I'm not sure which I'm leaving out!

The Feta is AWESOME. I mean, seriously great. I didn't use goat milk but cow's milk with a touch of lipase in it to add some goaty-sharpness. 

We tasted the Irish Brew and yummmmm, even though it's not time yet. The Havarti, which is ready to eat within 18 hours of making, we started on at one week old. It was so fabulous that I already made another two pound brick. :) The others are all awaiting ripening but I'll surely be writing about each one. I hope to put up a page for each cheese as they are ready to cut into!

Go CHEESE!!