2 Parmesan Cheese: The Final Chapter

I go through phases.  Many moons ago, I went through a "let's make my own cheese" phase.  I successfully made microwave mozzarella and ricotta a few times and went straight to making Farmhouse Cheddar (Part 1 , Part 2 & The Final Chapter) and Parmesan Cheese.

A couple of my eagle eye readers emailed me and asked, "What about the Parmesan Cheese?  How did it turn out?"

Well, dear readers, I neglected my little disc of cheese.  I took it out of the wine cooler, sniffed it, and yes, it did smell like Parmesan cheese.

Gave it a brisk scrub of salted water and held a knife to its heart.  I poised the hammer to the end of the knife and got ready to "crack the Parm..."

*tap* *tap*

One small chunk flew ... I don't know where it landed.  Then I saw a small hairline crack.

*tap* *tap*

The crack grew larger.

My heart is beginning to pound.

*tap*

It split in two!

I take a peek and this is what I find ...

A solid rind.  I checked the humidity of my wine cooler.  It was 57% and needed to be around 80-85%.

I guess it dried out....

*sigh*  

This cheese is not good for grating and sprinkling on top of my favorite foods.  Instead, it's only good for throwing into a soup or two.

I take a look at my Farmhouse Cheddar, which I made and sampled two years ago.  I waxed the cut end and let it sit in my wine cooler to age into a sharp white cheddar.

I cut into it and this is what I find ~ I take a *sniff *

Oh, my!  It IS SHARP! 

I peel off the wax and break off a small piece.  My mouth involuntarily puckered ~ it's plenty sharp, I tell ya!

I use my microplane grater and grate the entire wheel of cheese and ready it for the freezer.

I have some white cheddar recipes that I know will be great with this cheese.  I will definitely make this cheese again. 

After I get through this next phase .... which I think might be crackers ....

White Cheddar Mac N Cheese

White Cheddar Smashed Potatoes


White Cheddar Cheese Ball