Parmesan style cheese 2012

Parmesan cheese is the name of a few kinds of Italian extra-hard cheeses. It is usually the cheese to go with Spaghetti and other typical Italian pasta, but it also has many other uses. Parmesan is a part of Italian national cuisine and is usually grated.Usually, Parmesan cheese is either Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese. Both cheeses are AOC. This means that the way they are made, and the region they come form are strictly regulated.Only these brands (Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano) are protected. In many parts of the world, cheese is sold as Parmesan cheese that has nothing to do with the true (Italian) Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano. Parmesan is a hard, cured, dry-salted cheese with a distinctive piquant flavour.  The cheese is renowned for its uniformity and consistency. Characteristics of Parmesan are Sharp and piquant flavor, Can be finely grated and Granular texture.

Project Participants:  Me and Blair

This was my first time making cheese. I love Parmesan cheese and after seeing some cheese making kits online I decided to make it a project.  The first step was to find some good organic milk. In addition, I needed to find low fat milk and goat’s milk that was not ultra-pasteurized.  I found a good source at whole foods.

The first step was to warm the milk to about 100 degrees and add the thermophilic starter culture, which is a cheese culture that is necessary to inoculate the milk with friendly bacteria. These bacteria serve two functions. First, they cause the milk to become more acidic aiding its coagulation. Second, the bacteria help develop the flavor of the cheese.-  Allow the milk to ripen for about an hour.

Next we dissolve the rennet, which is a complex of enzymes that coagulates the milk, causing it to separate into solids (curds). We dissolve 1 ½ tablet in cold water and pour it into the milk. Stir for about five minutes with a wire whisk. Set the milk solution for about 90 minutes and a curd should form in this time. Cut this curd into 1/4 cubes and have them sit for about 10 minutes.

Next we raised the milk's temperature to 124 degrees. Kept stirring the curds to prevent them from sticking together. Maintaining the curds at this temperature until they are small and firm (this took about 30 minutes at the most). After we drain the whey with a cheesecloth lined colander and place the curds into a cheesecloth lined mold. We pressed the cheese at 10 lbs of weight for 1/2 hour. Removed and flipped the cheese and Press it at 25 lbs for a 1/2 hour. Flipped it one last time and press it for 12 hours.

Lastly we remove the cheese from the press and float in a cold salt brine solution for 6 hours. Removed the cheese and pat dry. The cheese is placed in a refrigerator at 55 degree and 70% humidity for at least 9 months. Flip the cheese every other day for the first few weeks and then once weekly..

After 2 months I will wax the cheese and age it until its 9 months old. I will update this post when its time for the waxing step.