Tetilla cheese question

[Kiwi-family]

We fell in love with Tetilla cheese whilst in Galicia. As we make cheese at home ourselves, we thought we'd just google a recipe on our return and do our best to replicate it (minus the special shape of course). How naive. I can find recipes that use the cheese, but nothing on how to make it. Does anyone know OR if you happen to wander past a cheesemaker and have the time to stop, could you ask? (cheeky of me, yes?) What about the moulds? Can they be bought anywhere?
We had thought we might have to return to walk SJPP to Astorga so that we would have completed the "whole" route - but it looks like we might have to keep going to find a cheesemaker. And then we might as well go to Santiago if we get that close.......and there's always Finisterre and Muxia!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, kiwi-family,

First, I wanted to say I enjoyed your blog a lot. My daughter and husband are thinking about bringing a small child on the camino, and I told them that if your whole crew could make it with such a wonderful experience, it would be a breeze with just one!

I have a Spanish friend who makes goat cheese, so your post piqued my curiosity. I've written to him to ask and will let you know if I hear anything, but I did find something on the internet:

http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php?topic=3872.0

Embedded in one of the posts was this recipe:

http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php? ... ttach=8201

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Abbeydore]

this may help:
http://www.cheesefromspain.com/CFS/1509Tetilla_I.htm

&
http://www.cheesemakers-choice.com/inde ... 58&lang=EN
http://www.cheesemakers-choice.com/inde ... 36&lang=EN
http://www.ingredientsgourmet.com/artic ... %20CHEESE/

I'm sure you can find a local wood turner in NZ to make the mold using birch wood.

or just buy it @ Takanini
http://www.souschef.co.nz/index.php?rou ... ath=117_75

Buen Camino
David
:lol: I'm from Papakura :lol:

 

[Tia Valeria]

We sympathise with you. Our favourite cheese was 'Queso fresco de pais'. The nearest we can get ti it is to add lemon jiuce to full cream milk and heat slowly until it curdles and starts to bond together. Then strain, lightly salt and press to shape. It is near, but not quite, the Spanish version and I usually let the milk settle so that I use the cream and about 500ml max milk to 1 squeezed lemon. (It works quicker with 1 lemon but 1/2 a lemon is sufficient.)
Our local cheese stall holder told me how to do it. Next time we have a market here I'll see if he knows about your cheese and can give a hint on making it too.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

http://www.queixotetilla.org/?page_id=50

While I don't see a step by step manufacturing process, this cheese site is dedicated to tetilla cheese.

 

[Tia Valeria]

I asked about the cheese and this is the result:-
Our cheese man doesn't make any cheese himself but says that rennet and lemon juice both make the curd. Our discussion decided that you can start the curd with either, then as it forms add more rennet (plus the salt at this stage if wanted/needed) to give a thicker/denser curd. For a form use a large size plastic, food grade, funnel with a stop to keep the curd from forcing down the spout. Press down well. If the stopper is not to tight excess whey will drain off. Once set tap the cheese out. He said do not be afraid to experiment. I found that our queso fresco did not keep very well even in the fridge, but this might.
If you try it do let us know how you get on please.

 

[Tia Valeria]

In addition to the ideas above there is a website with details about temperatures etc and washing the curd. It is in Spanish http://www.queixotetilla.org/?page_id=374 and is the official cheese type. It is a protected name/origen.
It translates as:-


The elaboration of the Tetilla cheese with protected designation of origin, follow these steps:

COW BREEDS HOLSTEIN, PARDO ALPINA AND RUBIA GALLEGA, AND CROSSINGS OF THESE RACES
milking: product in its entirety, without colostrums, conservative, or drugs

MILK
less than 18 degrees indicate acidity, calcium chloride can only be added
collection and transport of not more than 2 milkings

COAGULATION
with animal rennet extract
lactic ferments: Streptococcus lactis, Streptococcus cremoris
temperature: 28 - 32 ° C / ripening time: greater 20 - less 40 minutes

CUTTING
particle size of a pea

WASH
with natural water, to lower acidity of curd up to 4th and 6th indicate

ANNEALING
washing of curd with natural water at 2 ° C higher temperature the fruit set

MOLDING
shape: conical, concave - convex
weight: 0.5 - 1.5 Kgs
dimensions: height greater than RADIUS and less than the diameter. 90-150 mm

PRESSING
minimum time 3 hours
variable pressure according to pressing time

SALTY
in brine, concentration 17 ° - 18 ° Baumé. Immersion time under 24 hours

MATURATION
minimum time of 7 days after salting
tipping practices and cleanings
quality control
labelling
CHEESE TETILLA D.O.P.
shape: conical concave - convex
weight. 0.5-1.5 Kg
dimensions: height greater than the radio and smaller than the diameter of the base. 90-150 mm
Bark: appreciable, thin and elastic. less 3 mm. natural straw yellow
Paste: soft, creamy and uniform, with a few eyes. white - ivory, beige
Scent: soft, slightly acid
flavor: milk, buttery, slightly acidic and salty soft
percentage matter fat on dry extract: 45% minimum
percentage of dry extract: min 45%
pH of the finished product: 5.0 - 5.5

 

[Kiwi-family]

WOW - you guys are great.
We are still building up our post-camino-trip supplies of feta, camembert and neufchatel, but once we've got those made I'll experiment with this. Knowing the process, means that the translation above is probably adequate for giving it a go. And using a funnel is a genius idea!
I'll report back, but it will be a few weeks away. I'd love to nail it - then I'd know what to give people for Christmas!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Use Chrome to open http://www.queixotetilla.org/ and it will automatically translate.

 

[Tia Valeria]

Hola Kiwi-family.
Did you manage to make your tetilla cheese?
I am still working on the queso fresco. Just tried one with added live culture yoghurt and I am still using lemon juice. Probably the nearest so far to the Spanish cheese.
My big problem is that I can only find 'essence of rennet' for making junket rather than cheese. Would it work? and if so would I need to use more? how much more?
My recipe says 1/2 teaspoon of rennet to 2lts of milk. Comments made to the website which sells the book and this rennet say that they only got a few curds and a cheese maker told them they had the wrong rennet!!
Any help gratefully received

 

[Kiwi-family]

Two things are holding me back right now - not having any Streptococcus lactis or Streptococcus cremoris, and not having built a press yet.
As far as rennet goes, we buy it at our local supermarket (for a fraction of the price that cheese suppliers sell it for) and have had no trouble with it.
On the other hand, I have had NO success with lemon juice and I've tried half a dozen times now. I add more and more and more and it still doesn't work, so I throw in a pinch of tartaric acid or a drop of vinegar and the curds separate immediately! The resulting cheese is VERY lemony!!!!!

 

[Tia Valeria]

Thank you. Can I assume you are using 1/4 teaspoon of rennet to 1 litre of milk. If not how much do you use please.
My recipes use 50ml of lemon juice to 1 litre of milk, but in practise I simply use the juice from the whole lemon (after making Tarta de Santiago with the zest).
This seems to work well where the curd has to develop. Another recipe uses cider/white wine vinegar, but it leaves a taste. Personally I prefer the lemon.
I think junket rennet is weaker than cheese rennet, maybe I need to buy some and try adding it until the curd does start to form, or try the tartaric acid with it.

If all else fails we'll have the genuine Spanish cheese to look forward to later this year.

 

[Kiwi-family]

It would seem we use less rennet than you - only a drop per litre. (we mix it in with some water to distribute it more evenly - 5 drops in 1/4 Cup water for 5l milk)
Do you leave the renneted milk UNDISTURBED for about 12 hours? Do you heat it? (we bring ours to 65 degrees F/ 20 Celsius)
Something else that might make a difference - we add a little buttermilk too (1/4 C plus 1 tablespoon per 5 liters of milk) before adding the rennet, while the milk is heating....
Our rennet is RENCO brand "for junket, icecream and the home cheese maker"

We get the little bottle in the green box for a couple of dollars from the supermarket.

Would you mind sharing your Tarta de Santiago recipe?

 

[Tia Valeria]

The only rennet available here (UK) seems to be vegetarian or even a GM style rennet. I am still trying to find genuine original style rennet. However I will try the vegetarian sort after my next visit to town.

The cheese made with lemon juice and a little yoghurt is good. That was heated to 34C and left overnight. The other recipe is heated to 90C and left for 30 minutes to make Ricotta.

I will PM you about Tarta de Santiago recipe.