# Do you buy in bulk or direct from the creamery ??



## phlogustus (Jan 7, 2016)

Where do you get your cheese?  Do you buy online and have it shipped? 

These are a couple producers I am looking at in my region. If you all have good sources of cheese you think I should look into please post links.

http://www.watongacheesefactory.com/products.html

http://www.kansastravel.org/almacreamery.htm


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 7, 2016)

Shipping cost more than the Cheese. If you can buy local, go for it. Yes, you may not get a ten year aged Double Gloucester from a 16th Century English Farm featuring Spring Pastured Jersey's, but if you are happy with the local selection, you will save a ton of money...JJ


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## darwin101 (Jan 7, 2016)

So far I just watch the local grocery stores for sales.  Usually around $3 per pound .


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## one eyed jack (Jan 8, 2016)

I dream about being able to get really fine cheeses.  (Selection in the grocery stores around here is abysmal), but have learned that what Chef Jimmmy J says about shipping costs is correct.  So;  I just suck it up and buy what I can find in the local stores.

Smoking improves even the poor stuff I can get locally.


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## chef jimmyj (Jan 8, 2016)

I feel the pain. Had a Cheese monger in PA. But in NJ there is nobody close and the prices are crazy high...JJ


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## one eyed jack (Jan 8, 2016)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> I feel the pain. Had a Cheese monger in PA. But in NJ there is nobody close and the prices are crazy high...JJ


Many years ago, while living "way out there" in the West Virginia wilds, we had a co-op that got great cheese, at good prices, from somewhere.  Just doesn't seem like it ought to be this hard.

Out of curiosity;  I went to the "Tillamook" site and saw a banner that offered free shipping on orders of $75.00 or more.  Not ready to buy that much, and I can't find that banner now, but it was food for thought.  Group buy might work if a guy had a bud or two interested in cheese.


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## phlogustus (Jan 13, 2016)

I took the wife with me yesterday to the high end grocery store and started looking at the prices of the very broad variety of cheeses they had in the special cheese and anti pasta case.  They had  probably close to 40 cheese types there. Not one was in the 5$ per pound range. Most were in the 15$ and up range and they had little chunks cut off that were priced in the 6-10 range. I went shopping at some of our local immigrant markets and found what I thought was a good deal at 3$ per pound cheese imported through Chicago. Turned out the labels were in the wrong place and it was 6$ per pound. All the same I bought 3 pounds of three varieties of white cheese. SO I have started my collection in anticipation of a stockpile to smoke.


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## one eyed jack (Jan 13, 2016)

Phlogustus said:


> I took the wife with me yesterday to the high end grocery store and started looking at the prices of the very broad variety of cheeses they had in the special cheese and anti pasta case.  They had  probably close to 40 cheese types there. Not one was in the 5$ per pound range. Most were in the 15$ and up range and they had little chunks cut off that were priced in the 6-10 range. I went shopping at some of our local immigrant markets and found what I thought was a good deal at 3$ per pound cheese imported through Chicago. Turned out the labels were in the wrong place and it was 6$ per pound. All the same I bought 3 pounds of three varieties of white cheese. SO I have started my collection in anticipation of a stockpile to smoke.


Good idea.  We have several small markets around here, owned and operated by Mexican folks.  I am going to check them out.

Thanks for the tip.


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## diamondmarco (Jan 14, 2016)

With as much skill and experience we all have in making excellent BBQ and smoked things I'm surprised none of you have made your own cheese. It's no harder than doing ribs right. If you have to you can even use store bought milk, though if you start on this journey you might find a way to get milk from a dairy. Trust me, a homemade cheese made with the care and attention we all show for fine meats is a life changing event. Like making your own bacon. The cost savings are similar too.

Spending 43 years in Europe made having good cheese an integral part of my life and not finding equivalent sources here, I decided to do something about it. I've added cheese-making to my list of thing to become proficient at.

You can too.


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## phlogustus (Feb 1, 2016)

I found a solid source for low cost cheese. The commissary on base had a multiple varieties in 2-4 pound blocks for 3$ a pound.


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## phlogustus (Feb 1, 2016)

Well time to smoke what I have in the fridge.  I collected  cabot extra sharp, Tillamook sharp white, mild cheddar , Monterey, Swiss, one block of generic pepper jack, one pound of Mexican queso blanco  , one block of Syrian white cheese, two chunks of mozzarella, 3/4 pound Kansas made white chedder and one nugget of New York horseradish chedder.













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## one eyed jack (Feb 1, 2016)

Great looking spread of cheese.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Good to hear that you've found a good source for inexpensive cheese.


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## phlogustus (Feb 1, 2016)

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Well here are the results from a three hour smoke. The cheese all took a nice color. Some of it melted into the grates a bit.  Outside temp was 46 with a cold north wind.  Smoker temp was 77 after 30 minutes, 85 at 2 hour, 88 at 2,5 hour and 90 when I pulled it.  I used about one row of hickory pellets in the amazn pellet smoker. I had the side pellet feeder open 1 inch and the top vent all the way open.

 All the cheese is in the refrigerator and I will vacuum pack it tomorrow.


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## one eyed jack (Feb 2, 2016)

Looking good.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





   I had some "slump" back in my early days of cheese smoking.  It's bound to happen if the smoker temps go much above 80*.


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