Author Topic: My 5th Semi Lactic  (Read 9690 times)

JeffHamm

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My 5th Semi Lactic
« on: September 08, 2012, 11:47:34 PM »
Hi,

I can't believe it's been so long since I've made one of these.  Anyway, I'm just into day 2, and the curds are in the moulds.  I've decided to try splitting this into two smaller cheeses, to see how they ripen.  The others have always been just one of these moulds.  The curds should drain down to about half the height shown in the photo.  Once they are firm enough to come out of the moulds, I'll give them a quick wash with some brine with b.linens (just the once) and a decent surface salthing.  After that, it's just waiting for the pc to show up, then wrap, and move the fridge for a few weeks.  Yum.

- Jeff


Jeff’s Experimental Semi-Lactic Cam (Chaource like): Sat, Sept 8, 2012 (sunny, 19.5 C)

2 L Farmhouse creamline milk
1 ice cube buttermilk
Scrapings of mould from store bought cam (Waimata Brie)
1 drop rennet (750 IMCU) in 1 tbls water
salt

1)   Place scrapings of mould in warm water and mash about until water is a bit cloudy
2)   Warm milk to 25 C with ice cube
3)   Add mould
4)   Cover, and place in hot water cupboard (12:45 pm)
5)   After 6-8 hours at 1 drop rennet diluted in 1 tbls water (6:45 pm)
6)   Wait until curd forms and separates from whey (12-24 hours: 11:15 am next day: Sunday)
7)   Ladle curd into 2 moulds (Lots of curds.  Filled both moulds and letting drain down, still a fair amount of curds left.  Don’t seem to be draining through the moulds, but lots of whey is coming out.  Hopefully won’t lose curds during the draining!. Finished filling moulds at  11:40 am)
8)   Drain, flipping every 2-3 of hours or so until night, then drain overnight (flipped @ 1:20pm – 3:30 pm – 6:15pm – 7:05pm pm ; each cheese ½ the height of the mould at 6:15)
9)   drain until Monday am; 210g and 204g at 5:24 am, Monday).
10)   Wiped each cheese with 3% brine with b.linens solution then salt each face of the cheese (time 5:20 am, Monday)
11)   Place in cave (10 C; 210g and 204g ; Monday 5:20 am), flip daily, until mould covers the cheese
12)   Wrap and move to regular fridge and age 2 – 4 weeks.
???, Sept ??, 2012: ?:?? am/pm, first sighting of PC mould.
??, Sept ?, 2012 : good mould coverage – wrapped in foil moved to regular fridge 4 C (1 week from prev)
???, Sept ??, 2012: ???g.  Cut the cheese.    (2 weeks from prev)


Down to 1/2 mould in height by the 6:15 pm flip on Saturday.  Not losing curds, just moisture.

Monday: 5:20 am - weighed the two cheeses.  204 and 210g, for a total of 414g of semi lactic joy.  Not bad repro of last make, where I had 408g of curds at this stage.  Nice.
« Last Edit: September 09, 2012, 05:39:51 PM by JeffHamm »

bbracken677

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2012, 01:00:07 AM »
Good luck!

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2012, 06:26:10 AM »
Thanks bbracken677!  I've made this twice before and both times it turned out very nicely.  However, the first two makes I just used one mould, so the final cheese was very tall.  I decided to make two smaller cheeses this time and see how that changes things.  Have to keep the mould in check, so once it's developed I'll wrap and cool sooner rather than later.

- Jeff

iratherfly

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2012, 07:16:42 AM »
You can refrigerate it earlier (are you thinking like day 10 +/- 2 days?) This will keep the mold in check but LET IT DRY LIBERALLY as you grow initial rind on it and forgo any wrapping. The wrap will suffocate the rind and ammoniate the paste. Just put is in a box over some net or grille, elevated by your famous chopsticks. Open the top partially so it's not too moist.

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2012, 07:41:27 AM »
Hi iratherfly,

I've already got a custom box made up for these.  Had to cut some chopsticks down to length, but the cheeses have their own sections of needlepoint grid, which will then sit up on the chopstick racks.  :)

I was thinking of the box only for the cave, but you know, I could just put it in the regular fridge to slow things down.  And yes, I was figuring that they woudl go in the colder fridge around 10 days or so (after the mold shows up). 

Thanks.

- Jeff

Offline Boofer

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2012, 04:59:58 PM »
Ah, another great chopsticks adventure... ;D

They look good, Jeff. Anxious to see how these progress. I tried a Chaource once upon a time but was scared off. So I'm looking over your shoulder.

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2012, 05:42:44 PM »
Hi Boofer,

I don't think this is quite exactly chaource, though close it's just something I've put together myself.  Fairly effort free make, and so far it's worked really well (fingers and chopsticks crossed).  They don't ripen quite like cams, but they do develop a wonderful flavour.  Will see how these ones progress, with the shorter form factor.  That may make them a bit trickier.

- Jeff
« Last Edit: September 09, 2012, 07:54:55 PM by JeffHamm »

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #7 on: September 19, 2012, 06:56:48 PM »
Hi,

The mold is slow comming on, but there's been lots of geo activity.  The outer paste is very moist, and creamy.  There's a small bit of white mold in the lower left corner.  I've propped the lid open a bit to try and dry it out a bit to get coverage.  The taste of the sticky bits that get on my fingers are very nice.  This batch has a lot more moisture than previous makes, and I'm thinking the smaller size results in less drainage due to reduced curd weight pressing down.  Also, the cheese I harvested the mold from was not a solid coverage of PC, so I think this strain is much less agressive.  But the geo is fantastic.

- Jeff

bbracken677

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #8 on: September 19, 2012, 07:05:54 PM »
Looking good!  Wish I could have a taste, but transportation costs are prohibitive   ;)

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #9 on: September 20, 2012, 05:10:45 AM »
I shall just have to eat your portion for you.  It's a hard life I live! :)

The mold is comming along.  Bit more showing up.  I'm hoping it will take off now and be ready to shift into the regular fridge soon.

- Jeff

Offline Tiarella

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #10 on: September 20, 2012, 04:08:18 PM »
Hi Jeff!  I get how to assess the PC but how do you know the Geo is coming along fine?  Enquring mind wants to know.  Looking good.  I like to make these cheeses also.  Some of my favorite and Yoav has been helpful and recommending different strains of PC for different impacts and results.  Loads of fun!

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #11 on: September 20, 2012, 06:29:29 PM »
Hi Tiarella,

The outer paste is very oozy, and given the mushroomy flavour it has (I get to lick my fingers when I turn them), I'm taking that as an indication that what's happening is there's a wild geo party going on and producing the soft paste and flavours.  It's certainly not just moisture from lack of draining. 

- Jeff

bbracken677

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #12 on: September 20, 2012, 08:15:48 PM »
First time I experienced that, I thought something was bad wrong....I knew it wasn't whey draining...My response was to give it a light salting! 

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #13 on: September 21, 2012, 06:49:12 PM »
Hi,

I've propped the lid a bit wider to reduce the humidity in the minicave housing these, and that is helping to reduce the geo activity and now the PC is comming along pretty good.  It will take a bit to achieve coverage, then wrap and into cold storage for a week or two to finalise them.  Yum.

- Jeff

bbracken677

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #14 on: September 21, 2012, 06:56:31 PM »
Awesome looking!  I don't believe I have ever tried one of those...what's the flavor like?