LONG week, this has been. Between work driving me (more) insane, and city workers showing up to "cover up" the fact they haven't done their damn jobs the past 4 years, it's been a zoo. (Oh, I didn't mention that? Well, our creek floods. When I bought the place, I was told that *somebody* (I thought county) mowed it and kept it dredged. I even signed a ROW agreement for them to maintain it. They mowed it 2x, then disappeared. I've been here 6 years....and the creek is SO overgrown and full of crap it isn't funny. SG called, and called, AND called...and yesterday some dudes from the City showed up. 4 hours later, a crew showed up....walked down there, and came back and claimed it was a beaver damn. Yup. They knocked it over, and that should take care of things. Only...the "dam" was on the property to the LEFT of us, which....would have caused the creek to DRY UP, not flood. And it still doesn't explain the lack of mowing......)
Anyway. Cheese looks good, but SG can keep the "Cheese-maker" title. I HATE it. The doing is easy - gently heat 2 gallons of milk (water bath; good thing I have a lot of large stock pots!), add starters, then rennet, hold close to 86* for 45 minutes, cut the curds...then the damn tedium sets in. Stir the cut curds with a whisk for 30 minutes, let rest 5, then raise the temp to 104* over the space of 45 minutes, STIRRING constantly so that "the curds don't meld". :blech: Then strain off the whey, line your mold with cheesecloth, press at 15 pounds for 15 minutes, turn, repeat, turn, repeat, turn and press at 30 pounds for 6 hours, then brine the damn thing for 6. :whew: He can keep it - I've got better things to do than stare at a pot of curdled milk for 3 hours! :lol: I'm going to get him to make some chevre and feta this weekend. (Oh - he just told me that he's going to make Motzzerella. :yum!:
The resulting cheese smells good, though - and looks great. Haven't tasted it yet...that'll be tomorrow.
We overpaid SG's CC, so they sent a check. I was told to put it in my account and go buy mats for the doe area. :whee: I hope they'll fit in the Jeep! :grin:
Himself's doing OK. He made an 80 on his History test, but a 70 on his Science. He refused to study....so I need to specify a period to study before the test. Early days....we've got time to bring the grades up.
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