Gouda

Here my first attempt of making some Gouda. I fetched 10 gallons of cows milk at the nearby farm and used it raw. I had just purchased bigger pot (40 qts) so I could manage this volume.
My mother was visiting from Holland and memories from here youth came floating up. Her mother used to make cheese for in the 1930's to be sold by her husband who sold milk and related products, delivering these with a pony cart.
I assume the cheese she made must have been a Gouda style. The milk she used must have been straight from the cows because, according to my mother, it was not warmed up. The milk was poured in a large wooden vat and besides being from wood, it would have been too large to be put on the kerosene heaters they used to cook on. My mother did not remember what kind of starter she used, but I imaging she made her own.


cutting the curd horizontally


cutting the curd vertically


initial cut curds


cooking the curd and stirring it


draining of one third of the whey


I have replenished the whey with warm water to wash the curd


the curd


some more cooking and stirring


drained curd and whey


and again, drained curd and whey


the curd in the cheesecloth in the form


and pressing. Notice the whey running from the draining spout.


The curd cutting tools. These are all home made, a long stainless steel blade for the horizontal cutting, a stainless steel 90 degree bend blade for the vertical cutting and a large stainless steel wisk.


pressing with some weight


and some more weight added


the cheese between turnings


the cheeses after pressing




the cheese in the brine


aging


with some Tommes