Author Topic: My 5th Semi Lactic  (Read 9693 times)

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #15 on: September 21, 2012, 07:16:52 PM »
The geo gives it a good mushromy flavour, and they can be tangy and fresh if eaten early.  Has similar aging problems as with cams, as in slipskin and rinds getting too thick, all which are related to aging conditions.  I'm not the best one for geting this part of it, but I'm learning.  These are very easy and quick makes though.  Just a few minutes each day really, so you can make them quite regularly and work on them. Now that I have a special box for small cheeses like this I might work on these a bit more.

- Jeff

bbracken677

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #16 on: September 21, 2012, 08:03:58 PM »
Awesome!  I learned quite a bit with my cams...I feel like I have the aging bit down pat. I used a traditional approach with the handling of the curds (dont cut or stir... ladle straight into the forms for draining) so I am sure I will give these another make once my current ones ripen up. I will probably leave the ingredients alone, except that I may tone down on quantities and work for a longer ripening phase.

iratherfly

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #17 on: September 21, 2012, 09:13:08 PM »
Has similar aging problems as with cams, as in slipskin and rinds getting too thick, all which are related to aging conditions.

Well, unlike cams, semi lactics always seem more drained than they really are. You really have to over-do it with draining to taper off that excess humidity and prevent issues.

I suspect that using that needlepoint grid has something to do with it.  This cheese really needs air and these grids have no air traveling from onebox to another because the plastic is extruded as closed boxes of similar height and because the ratio between plastic covering the surface and air spacing is too small. Furthermore, those grid openings are so small to allow water/whey droplets to naturally drop through them. Droplets get stuck and rather than falling to the bottom of your aging box and humidifying it, they get absorbed in the rind, giving you thicker rind and ammonia.  You need a VERY OPEN mesh for these gentle bloomy lactics. It will really improve the results, speed up drying and give you more control.

Here are some closeups I took of cheesemaking draining and ripening mats.  Notice the ratio of plastic Vs. air and the overall grid opening size. More importantly, notice how the "criss" and "cross" are set on two different levels? This allows air to flow in both directions -even if the cheese is set on a hard surface. Also makes it easier for droplets to escape.

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #18 on: September 21, 2012, 11:25:57 PM »
Hi iratherfly.

Yah, I've not been all that happy with the small grid needle point mats.  The moisture doesn't drain all that well, even with the cheeses up on chopsticks (so the matts are not sitting directly on the bottom of the box, but create a smooth surface over a series of chopsticks laid out like ribs.  It's better than sitting on the bottom of the box though.  There are similar mats with larger holes though, and I'm going to be getting some of those.  They should work much better as they are similar to what you've shown.

- Jeff

iratherfly

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #19 on: September 22, 2012, 12:37:23 AM »
As long as they are not flat.  These needlepoint plastics are usually a single moulding. The ripening mats are criss-cross of extruded polypropylene which are welded at the attachment points and this creates that open two-tier structure so the air is not blocked at any direction.

Why not get just normal ripening mats?  They are inexpensive and you know they do the job well.

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #20 on: September 22, 2012, 02:33:07 AM »
Nobody sells ripening mats here (as far as I can tell).  But I see what you mean by the raised connections, built as a lattice.  Hmmm, will have to think about this.  Currently, the small hole ones just clog a lot as the surface tension of the fluid just holds wet in place.  At least the larger holed mats won't do that. 

- Jeff

iratherfly

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #21 on: September 22, 2012, 03:06:24 AM »
You know I ship to New Zealand, right? PM me if you want details/price.

Shazah

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #22 on: September 22, 2012, 03:36:53 AM »
I see Jeff has adapted well to our '#8 wire mentality'.  ;D

What that means is because we don't always get the latest and greatest here, we try and make do with something that will work, just about as well.  It comes from a saying that our farmers, who build their fences from #8 wire, can make just about anything from it.  I guess not literally, but they keep their old tractors and cars running on motors that may have all sorts holding them together lol

I guess I shouldn't tell you Yoav that I have used sterilized weed matting, and curtain netting in the past.  I thought updating to needlepoint matting was getting more sofisticated >:D

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #23 on: September 22, 2012, 06:48:44 AM »
Hmmmm, you know, some #8 wire, overlaid in a grid, would probably do the trick!  A coat or two of shellack, and voila!  Cheese rack. :)

- Jeff

Shazah

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #24 on: September 22, 2012, 09:52:21 AM »
I now declare you a fair dinkum Kiwi.

iratherfly

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #25 on: September 22, 2012, 06:46:30 PM »
I guess I shouldn't tell you Yoav that I have used sterilized weed matting, and curtain netting in the past. 
:-X :-X :-X *SHOCKING* I am speechless!

Seriously, who hasn't done some crude hacks for cheesemaking equipment? Raise your hands! It's not like I haven't starilized plastic mesh potato/onion/orange bags in the past and stretched that net over a light diffuser to make a cheese ripening rack. I used cutting boards to build a cheese press. I used a Turkey roaster to make cheese vat. Made followers out of plates, jam jars and tin cans, ...and don't think for a second that I didn't go through some needlepoint knitting mats myself. It's just that when you get the right mat, or mould, or culture ...and it's cheap, simple and works perfectly the first time you use it you look back at what you did and go; "why did I have to go through all of that?" Know what I mean?

But seriously, tell me what you Kiwis can't get and I'll make sure it is available to you. It's really no big deal for me

margaretsmall

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #26 on: September 22, 2012, 09:32:04 PM »
I know it's off topic, but I can't resist telling my no. 8 fencing wire story. In 1993 we went on a 4WD bus trip to the Kimberley, and on the way back from the Mitchell Falls (a horrendous road, about as remote as you can get without falling off the edge of Australia, but a magic spot) the bull bar had shaken loose and something important (the fuel tank maybe?) was attached and hence in danger. No problem, our bus driver, who had lived in the area for years pulled up and told the blokes to go over to a rubbish dump which wasn't visible from the road (tracks had been put in for mineral exploration, and this was their remains) to find some no. 8 fencing wire. Which they did, he wired up the bull bar and off we went. After we got back to the campground and unloaded the tents etc he pulled out a portable welder and welded up the bull bar and all was well. Afterwards I told him that I was disappointed that he didn't have fencing wire with him since he seemed to have everything else. 'Oh I did' he said with a laugh, ' but it was under the tents and I couldn't be bothered unpacking them all to get it'. We do indeed use it for everything.
Back to the cheese.
Margaret

iratherfly

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #27 on: September 23, 2012, 04:13:34 AM »
haha  :P
Good one Margaret!

JeffHamm

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #28 on: October 14, 2012, 02:08:04 AM »
Hi,

Tried the first of these today.  The PC was quite slow growing, and there is still a ring around the bottom face that is a bare, however, it's time.  Never moved these into the colder fridge as the PC never fully covered, and it was only recently that the faces were even close to covered.  So, as can be seen, the rind is a touch thicker than might be ideal.  You can see where the geo was going mad early on in the slip skin that's showing.  However, all that aside, this has a wonderful flavour.  The paste is very creamy, not chalky or grainy, and there's a nice taste of mushroom from the geo.  There was a bit of contamination from blue, but it adds a nice addition as it is not overpowering or overbearing in its presence.  My father-in-law really liked it, and my wife and 5 year old daughter also give it a thumbs up, so I'm very pleased (or maybe not, as I would be happy to eat the 2nd one myself! :) )

- Jeff

iratherfly

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Re: My 5th Semi Lactic
« Reply #29 on: October 14, 2012, 02:46:27 AM »
This is why you need to transfer to the fridge Jeff; The geo slows down and the PC keeps growing so the rind thins and you get a good foothold of PC without the skin slippage.  Looks nice though. Crottins are usually not covered in white like Camemberts. The white coverage is dusty and spotty, not thick and snowy.