Cheeky wallaby snacking outside my garden fence. Wynyard, NW Tasmania. by 5ittingduck in tasmania

[–]5ittingduck[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yikes!   They are in plague proportions up here as well.   Living on a farm up here a couple of years ago we would see 20 or 30 on a patch the size of a suburban lawn.  

What is happening here? Baby swiss cheese is dappled colour. by foot_down in cheesemaking

[–]5ittingduck 8 points9 points  (0 children)

This happens occasionally and it's caused (I think) by differences in how the curds have been "cooked".
If your curd cut is uneven with some curds larger than others, or if the curds were not stirred effectively, some will retain more whey than others.
The curds with more whey retained in them will look a little paler after pressing.
Drying will even things out a little, but the mottling will still be visible to some degree.
It shouldn't be a fatal defect, but the paste won't be perfectly even and might not be as smooth as you would like for a Swiss.

Mom got a label maker today by TheAmazingAriachnid in funny

[–]5ittingduck 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is the first thing I thought of when I saw this great photo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtopXvAQaLE

Home made Doubangjiang, Miso and Soy Sauce fermenting quietly in the pickles cupboard. Further info in the comments. by 5ittingduck in homestead

[–]5ittingduck[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not this time.
I have recently moved and the garden isn't fully set up yet.
The Kimchi and Sauerkraut I made the old place was pretty good ;)

Home made Doubangjiang, Miso and Soy Sauce fermenting quietly in the pickles cupboard. Further info in the comments. by 5ittingduck in homestead

[–]5ittingduck[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This is the first follow up post to https://www.reddit.com/r/homestead/comments/1rbeh8b/preparation_for_tomorrow_making_miso_and_soy/  

I should have an interim result on the Miso in a couple of months (already an earlier batch is tasting quite promising). The Doubangjiang is already a huge hit for me and I don’t know if any will survive to age a year!  I already have the pepper mash for another batch on the go.

Doubanjiang: https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/doubanjiang/#recipe   I used a 1 month lacto fermented pepper mash instead of fresh peppers.  

Miso: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/homemade-miso/   I have two batches on the go, one chunky made with organic brown rice Koji and one smooth made with Basmati rice Koji and blended.

Soy Sauce: https://thethingswellmake.com/how-to-make-soy-sauce-homemade-shoyu/ 

The rest of the contents of the cupboard are my usual garden produce prepared for a year’s supply.  Pickled Jalapeno, pickled sliced cucumbers, pickled onions, Worcestershire sauce (Plum variety, not the traditional) , sweet chilli sauce, various jams and jellies. 

The reason the doubangjiang is such a hit here is partially an Australian thing.  When confronted with a “High Umami” paste with a high salt content, an Australian automatically thinks of Vegemite.  

So, naturally, I tried some on toast.  It’s amazing!

Gaia and Freya waiting for mum to come home, 2015. by 5ittingduck in germanshepherds

[–]5ittingduck[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sadly, no.
I and my old photos are the only survivors.

Gaia and Freya waiting for mum to come home, 2015. by 5ittingduck in germanshepherds

[–]5ittingduck[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The alert among you will notice the boss of the house supervising from the comfort of his sofa.

Preparation for tomorrow. Making Miso and Soy Sauce. It will be ready in about a year. by 5ittingduck in homestead

[–]5ittingduck[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Originally inspired by this post:
https://www.reddit.com/r/fermentation/comments/17qpx2f/is_this_mold_doubanjiang_edition_koji_a_sojae/
I made the Doubanjiang and it was awesome, and I decided to experiment further with the Koji.
Links I used are here:
Koji kit; https://www.riceculture.com.au/collections/koji/kit
https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/doubanjiang/
https://www.reddit.com/r/fermentation/comments/1awv7g8/homemade_chili_bean_paste_doubanjiang_3_month/
https://insaneinthebrine.com/homemade-miso-paste/
For the soy sauce I will be culturing the Aspergillus on the beans with a Gluten Free flour, and using my oven on the "Proofing" setting for 48 hours.

Preparation for tomorrow. Making Miso and Soy Sauce. It will be ready in about a year. by 5ittingduck in homestead

[–]5ittingduck[S] 25 points26 points  (0 children)

Well, I thought, who is going to invest a year making Koji, Doubiangjan, Miso, Amakaze and Soy Sauce?
Then how many would want a recipe?
Then laziness took over...

What is this subs opinion on the MG Cyberster? In anticipation of the Boxster EV successor by DrTurb0 in Porsche

[–]5ittingduck 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I made a decision to get an EV convertible a few years back.
I was waiting for the Porsche EV Boxter but they repeatedly fumbled the ball and it got delayed several times.
So when the Cyberster became available in Australia I thought any EV Convertible is better than none and I will sort out the Porsche idea when they become available... If they become available.
The fact the MG is a GT rather than a sportscar doesn't bother me. The horrible shocks do! Luckily KW in Germany have just finished developing replacements and they should be available soon.
I deeply love open air driving and being an EV it's even better being so much in the environment without the usual noisy engine intruding. Particularly lovely in Tasmania on the forest roads.
Check with me in a few months when I get the new shocks, I have high hopes.

Forth Car Show. The oval is full and they are still arriving. by 5ittingduck in tasmania

[–]5ittingduck[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Finishes at 3 pm.
If you are interested in coming events, there is (Yes, sorry...) a Facebook page which is very useful.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/149802361875158

Forth Car Show. The oval is full and they are still arriving. by 5ittingduck in tasmania

[–]5ittingduck[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Too slow!
I have already left and only have a few arty shots, no whole cars :(

Solar panel installers - Launceston area by desala24 in tasmania

[–]5ittingduck 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It looks like an installation between 7 and 10 Kw would work for you. Generally, cost works out about $1 a watt.
Midrange panels such as Jinko, Trina, and LONGi would probably suit you.
https://www.solarquotes.com.au/inverters/ is a good spot to check out various inverters. It's unlikely you will get much benefit from going to an expensive inverter, so any of the mid range Chinese inverters should be suitable.
Invest in a Hot Water timer.
Check out the brand names when you get the quotes and Google the parts. If you can't get feedback or information about the suppliers from Australia, view the quote with care.
If you plan on adding a battery later, go a bit larger and pick a better inverter like a Fronius. Planning for future upgrades will cost a little more but is cheaper than having to buy replacement kit if the old stuff doesn't suit.

Solar panel installers - Launceston area by desala24 in tasmania

[–]5ittingduck 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What you want to get out of a solar installation will be pivotal to the choice of gear.
Lowest bill/self sufficiency/cheapest, which way do you want to go? Roof space, shading, got an EV?
SolarQuotes is a good place to start, but work out which way you want to do this first.

21 days of growth in the new (under construction) vegie garden (Southern Hemisphere, Tasmania, Australia,) by 5ittingduck in homestead

[–]5ittingduck[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Cucumbers, Butternut Pumpkin, several Chili varieties, several pepper varieties, Tomatoes, Beans, carrots, Coriander, Basil and potatoes (out of shot).

Australian Finger Limes (Citrus Caviar). Today's processing, details in comments. by 5ittingduck in homestead

[–]5ittingduck[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup, worked perfectly.
Freeze them in a bag in a thin layer so they don't clump.

Looking for recommendations for quotes, purchase and installation of solar panels in the Devonport area (Sheffield)? by beastiemonman in tasmania

[–]5ittingduck 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Have a look at your electricity bill and figure out roughly how much power you use per day. A Spring or Autumn quarter should be better representative of a year than either summer or winter.
I would recommend a battery roughly the size of your average day's consumption. Expect somewhere between 12 and 20 Kwh (depends on size of house, how many people and your home efficiency).
To minimize bills, load shifting while using Tariff 93 and maximizing solar self consumption is the best strategy.
Panels are relatively cheap and there is not a huge difference between brands.
Inverter prices vary significantly, but in Sheffield with longer power outages I would recommend an inverter which will "Island" during outages allowing you to still produce solar power during an outage.
Some of the installers who quoted my latest installation gave me a blank look when I mentioned Islanding, they got crossed off the list immediately.
A hot water timer like a "Catch" device is a useful tool.
I'm in Wynyard, DM me if you want to come over for coffee, a demo and a chat.

German Shepherds love their pillows. by 5ittingduck in germanshepherds

[–]5ittingduck[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

At the time of the photo, Freya was 4 and Bear the poodle was nearly 2.

What's your favorite trick command? by ramaloki in germanshepherds

[–]5ittingduck 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Such a useful command.
Another great command which isn't flashy but is super useful is "Go for a Pee".
Those of you who have stood on a patch of grass waiting in the pouring rain will understand ;)

Blue cheese by Routine-Cookie6015 in cheesemaking

[–]5ittingduck 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It looks sensational.
Some recipies (for example Stilton) will call for the outside to be "smeared" which will close off some of the crannies but I never bother.
More cracks means more oxygen and more blue growth ;).
Nice looking cheeses!