Well it is nothing to really feel silly about as I have done similar things many times, especially when one is not concentrating , due to familiarity,
It is always best to check with your recipe as you go along making our your cheese log so by cross checking you eliminate mistakes.......it is so easy to get sidetracked and once your concentration goes you are in trouble.
I onced found I had ommited to add the Roqueforte culture at the adding culture stage before the addition of rennet so I had to add it at the milling stage when adding the salt. I made up a solution in a hand spray and sprayed the curds with that and there was no difference in the subsequent veining.
I made a three gallon Gouda a couple of days ago and was interupted a few times and never followed the recipe for times on raising the temp to 100F and the duration ofd washing the curds by diluting the whey.......
it will be interesting to see how it turns out.
I have already discovered that the curds behaved differently and I had to pre press the curds in the mould as they would not all fit in. Also the pressing times and weights were altered somewhat and pressing went over two days.
I shall photograph the curd block later as it is now airdrying after the extended brine bath of overnight. I used a Nescafe coffee tin with the bottom cut out using this as a follower.....okay if you drink Nescafe as �7 odd a tin but expensice if you don't. They do make nice sized moulds for up to three gallons of milk, the reason my curds didn't fit was the extra cream used.
It's up already on the hard cheese but here it is again.....
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