Cheesepaste question

[Anderoo]

Despite having fished since I was 4 years old, I've never used cheesepaste. I'm going to give it a bash at the weekend and I've got what looks like a decent recipe from the web (puff pastry with mature cheddar and danish blue, lovely) but my question is, can this be frozen and refrozen etc? I'd like to make a good old lump of it and be able to keep thawing it, using what I need and refreezing it. Will this ruin it, or maybe make it better?

[Alan Stubbs]

Despite having fished since I was 4 years old, I've never used cheesepaste. I'm going to give it a bash at the weekend and I've got what looks like a decent recipe from the web (puff pastry with mature cheddar and danish blue, lovely) but my question is, can this be frozen and refrozen etc? I'd like to make a good old lump of it and be able to keep thawing it, using what I need and refreezing it. Will this ruin it, or maybe make it better?

 

It freezes well, although I prefer to keep mine in the fridge for a few days before use and make only as much as I need, rather than freeze it in batches.

 

Anyway, there's something therapeutic about the making of the stuff!

[gozzer]

Despite having fished since I was 4 years old, I've never used cheesepaste. I'm going to give it a bash at the weekend and I've got what looks like a decent recipe from the web (puff pastry with mature cheddar and danish blue, lovely) but my question is, can this be frozen and refrozen etc? I'd like to make a good old lump of it and be able to keep thawing it, using what I need and refreezing it. Will this ruin it, or maybe make it better?

 

One of my favourite baits Anderoo, Iv'e never frozen it though. Ive used it a few weeks old though,(my mates tell me they can smell where I'm fishing from 100yds down wind). If I'm pushed for time I usually get those cheese slices in a pack, individually wrapped and they keep for ages.Years ago we used to use different stuff for different water temps. If it was really cold, we'd use cheese triangles, because they were soft, in hot weather the old cracker barrel because it stayed firm enough to stay on the hook. Now i just make a paste the usual way using any cheese I can scrounge from the fridge. The smellier the better.

One word of advise, mould the paste to just fit the hook, usually a pear drop shape. I've had great days with just a big lump of cheese paste as the only bait I've taken, roach, barbel as well as chub. Give it a go you'll be surprised.

[Tom Vahey]

No problem to freeze it. Best to keep it well wrapped in cling film, foil or air tight container especially if you leave it in the fridge afterwards or it will get mouldy.

[Anderoo]

Thanks for the replies folks!

 

The river I'll be fishing sees very little angling pressure - do you see this as a problem using cheesepaste, or is it an 'instant' bait?

 

(In case you're wondering why I'm using a new bait on a new river in pretty tough weather - I like a challenge!)

[Andy Nellist]

Cheesepaste is an instant bait

 

It's important that you use shortcrust pastry not puff pastry.

 

If you have a food mixer its very easy to make. Put 300 grams of danish blue into the mixer and using the whisk attachment beat it till the cheese is a smooth paste which will take 5-10 minutes. Add 500 grams of short crust pastry and mix the two together thoroughly using the K beater for about 2 minutes. This will make a really smooth paste that is just strong enough to cast but is soft enough that it always falls off during the retrieve.

[Anderoo]

Bugger, got the wrong pastry. Back to co-op this evening then! Thanks Andy.

[Tony U]

I've found puff pastry mix works just as well, I also add some Sensas (or such like cheese flavour in the squirty bottle), to the mix and I usually dye it orange or yellow.

Ive heard garlic flavouring also works but I have not tried it, (I think a sea food flavour would also work buy I don't think my marriage would last).

 

Tony

Edited January 26, 2006 by Tony U

[gozzer]

Bugger, got the wrong pastry. Back to co-op this evening then! Thanks Andy.

 

I don't want to put down anyones recipes for cheese paste, what ever your confident is a big plus in angling. However, I have been using cheese for about 40 years now, and have never used any type of flour. Just white bread and cheese mixed. Two slices of bread with thick cheese inside, and knead them together well, some times it helps to steam the "sandwich" over a pan of boiling water first, this makes the kneading easier. I like to trot with cheese,two or three hookbait size pieces thrown in every couple of swims down.

[Anderoo]

Hmmm, maybe I'll try a couple of different recipes. The reason I was planning to use pastry mix instead of bread is that (apparently) the bread mix can go very hard in cold water, and make it difficult to hook anything. This is just internet hearsay though...