tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4994999018635654816.post-55776610174456891602007-09-26T11:19:00.000-05:002007-09-26T11:23:35.022-05:00<a href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_mk2VRTFzy8c/RvqHcLweXFI/AAAAAAAAAAo/qntlOaKI1mA/s1600-h/DSC00654%5B1%5D.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5114549245094812754" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_mk2VRTFzy8c/RvqHcLweXFI/AAAAAAAAAAo/qntlOaKI1mA/s200/DSC00654%5B1%5D.jpg" border="0" /></a>When thinking about cheesemaking today, I realized that it was more about the cheesemaking practices I have learned rather than the actual cheese. Today started out slower than most because the pasteurizer was acting up and we ended up receiving the milk about 45 minutes later than usual. But as the day went on, that wasn't the only thing that took longer than expected.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Today was a good example of how with cheesemaking everything isn't always the same and you have to plan for the unexpected. The starter that we were using was made from yesterday's milk that Gary inoculated with a culture. The problem was it was taking longer to reach the needed pH. </div><br /><div></div><div>Gary explained the ways to make the starter pH react the way you want, which was really good to learn. The Babcock dairy plant is also home to the Center for Dairy Research lab, which often brings companies in to conduct a wide range of experiments relating to dairy products. Today there was an international group working with CDR and during their down times they gathered around our vat to see some hands on cheesemaking. </div><br /><div></div><div>Many of these people didn't have a cheesemaking background and really wanted to get their hands in the vat. So Gary asked one of the gentleman to help cut the vat as I washed up some things at the sink. As I looked over my shoulder all I could think was ... did he sanitize his hands?? </div><br /><div></div><div>I knew at this point all the times Gary had reminded me to sanitize my hands really was starting to hit home. After the vat was cut, the gentleman proceeded to stick his hand directly in the vat and feel the curd. All I could do was cringe of the thought of a dirty hand in the vat. Now I knew exactly how Gary felt when I started and why it was such a big deal! </div><br /><div></div><div>After this Gary politely told the onlookers they were more than welcome to feel the cheese as long as their hands were sanitized. As the day went along and we had put the curd into the forms on the pressing table Gary noted the cheese pH was taking longer to drop than expected. So we flipped the cheese multiple times, sprayed the cheese with hot water and covered them back up. </div><br /><div></div><div>Like Gary said, once in awhile with cheesemaking it's a waiting game and it takes longer than expected. Finally the cheese was the right pH and we could put them into the brine tank and another day is complete! </div>Kara Kastenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04239927445325539548noreply@blogger.com