Home in the sunshine

The silver cabin is what I call the new cabin in which I sleep. It is four years old, whereas the other cabins and the converted truck were constructed about 12 years ago; before I lived here. 

This photo is taken from the steps up to the study at lunchtime today: another beautiful sunny one. Bean has been making the most of it and my washing is drying fast. Bean is lying, totally hidden, on the guest cabin deck (thumbnail). 

It is from the new cabin that I ventured out the night before last to rescue the forgotten sourdough loaves.

Just over a year ago I took Blippers around Chez Liz. For those of you who missed it, the tour started here and continued each following day to here. I'm happy to clarify anything that doesn't make sense.

It is Sunday, so it is Cheeseday. I am midway through making a Romano, which is a type of Parmesan, and my second of that ilk. 

This cheese requires 1 hour and 20 minutes of constant gentle stirring while the curds heat up slowly and are then maintained at 48C. The extra shows the curds nicely reduced in size at the end of this time, in an ocean of whey.

Once thus 'cooked' the curds are put into a mould which is now being pressed at 10kg for three hours, after which I'll turn the cheese over and press it at 20kg for 12 hours, then turn it again and press it for another 12 hours. 

Then the wheel is soaked in brine for 24 hours before it air dries for a day. Following that it goes into the cheese cave and will be waxed in a couple of weeks' time once a rind has developed.

It will be ready to cut into in 10 months' time at the earliest. Like Parmesan it should be full of flavour and be suitable for grating.