Re: Re: Pressing - was Clabber Time

[Guest guest]

At 07:36 PM 11/13/04 -0000, you wrote:

>

> My clabber takes considerably less time than 4 days, it is firm and

> cuttable without rennent in a couple of days and is pleasant tasing

> in a multitude of food uses.

Firm and cuttable. Huh. I'm assuming that's after draining.

Anyone have a nice homemade version of a press? Using easily-available

household items, like ... bricks?

I've been meaning to get around to trying to truly press clabber and other

cheeses but have been vaguely intimidated by the concept, having never done

it before. Should I press WHILE draining, or AFTER draining? Etc.

etc. etc. And how much can I really compress this stuff? I've thought

of (literally) plopping a brick on top of the draining clabber in the

cheesecloth-lined colander, but that probably would work only to a point

.... the colander being round and the brick being rectangular, an' all.

Any tricks or contraption-tips appreciated. TIA.

MFJ

I wanna live! I wanna experience the Universe! And I wanna eat pie!

~Urgo

[Guest guest]

I use cheese molds and have been considering buying free weights of 10 lbs. each. With the top on the mold pressing down and a round indention in it, you can put a small glass in the center of it and place weights on top.

Don't laugh, but I use gallon bottles I know are certain weights with liquid in them. It's a balancing act, but I never thought of bricks. Would have to know how much each brick weighs. Normally, you add enough weight to equal up to 50 lbs. for some cheese. That's why I thought of the weights.

A colander wouldn't work. To wide. Need to press the curds in a confined space like a cheese mold or something equally round (or square) with holes in it for the whey to drain off.

K.C.

Re: Re: Pressing - was Clabber Time

At 07:36 PM 11/13/04 -0000, you wrote:> > My clabber takes considerably less time than 4 days, it is firm and > cuttable without rennent in a couple of days and is pleasant tasing > in a multitude of food uses.Firm and cuttable. Huh. I'm assuming that's after draining.Anyone have a nice homemade version of a press? Using easily-availablehousehold items, like ... bricks? ;)I've been meaning to get around to trying to truly press clabber and othercheeses but have been vaguely intimidated by the concept, having never doneit before. Should I press WHILE draining, or AFTER draining? Etc.etc. etc. And how much can I really compress this stuff? I've thoughtof (literally) plopping a brick on top of the draining clabber in thecheesecloth-lined colander, but that probably would work only to a point... the colander being round and the brick being rectangular, an' all. :)Any tricks or contraption-tips appreciated. TIA.MFJI wanna live! I wanna experience the Universe! And I wanna eat pie!~UrgoPLEASE BE KIND AND TRIM YOUR POSTS WHEN REPLYING!Visit our Raw Dairy Files for a wealth of information!http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RawDairy/files/

[Guest guest]

Hi K.C. and MFJ,

Also, I think if you go to the library and check out the Little House

on the Praerie books by Ingalls Wilder, there are descriptions in

there of homemade cheese presses. They did a good job. I am

specifically thinking of the book called Little House in the Big Woods.

D.

On Nov 13, 2004, at 10:52 PM, RawDairy wrote:

>

> Message: 15

> Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2004 17:13:53 -0700

>

> Subject: Re: Re: Pressing - was Clabber Time

>

> I use cheese molds and have been considering buying free weights of 10

> lbs. each. With the top on the mold pressing down and a round

> indention in it, you can put a small glass in the center of it and

> place weights on top.

>

> Don't laugh, but I use gallon bottles I know are certain weights with

> liquid in them. It's a balancing act, but I never thought of bricks.

> Would have to know how much each brick weighs. Normally, you add

> enough weight to equal up to 50 lbs. for some cheese. That's why I

> thought of the weights.

>

> A colander wouldn't work. To wide. Need to press the curds in a

> confined space like a cheese mold or something equally round (or

> square) with holes in it for the whey to drain off.

>

> K.C.

[Guest guest]

Belated thanks, you two, for the suggestions.

, I've one-upped - I just ordered the Little House books - all of

them. Plus the cookbook. LOL.

At 08:13 AM 11/14/04 -0600, you wrote:

>Hi K.C. and MFJ,

>Also, I think if you go to the library and check out the Little House on

>the Praerie books by Ingalls Wilder, there are descriptions in there

>of homemade cheese presses. They did a good job. I am specifically

>thinking of the book called Little House in the Big Woods.

> D.

>

>

>On Nov 13, 2004, at 10:52 PM, RawDairy wrote:

>

>>

>>Message: 15

>> Date: Sat, 13 Nov 2004 17:13:53 -0700

>>

>>Subject: Re: Re: Pressing - was Clabber Time

>>

>>I use cheese molds and have been considering buying free weights of 10

>>lbs. each. With the top on the mold pressing down and a round indention

>>in it, you can put a small glass in the center of it and place weights on

>>top.

>>

>>Don't laugh, but I use gallon bottles I know are certain weights with

>>liquid in them. It's a balancing act, but I never thought of bricks.

>>Would have to know how much each brick weighs. Normally, you add enough

>>weight to equal up to 50 lbs. for some cheese. That's why I thought of

>>the weights.

>>

>>A colander wouldn't work. To wide. Need to press the curds in a

>>confined space like a cheese mold or something equally round (or square)

>>with holes in it for the whey to drain off.

>>

>>K.C.

>>

>

MFJ

I wanna live! I wanna experience the Universe! And I wanna eat pie!

~Urgo