Author Topic: First (approx) Stilton!  (Read 16183 times)

Offline Tiarella

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #60 on: February 07, 2013, 09:34:29 PM »
You deserve a cheese for perseverance in the face of cheese ugliness!!!!   :o  Seriously, it looks so bad but I believe it will be a lovely tasting cheese that is a jewel of many meals and snacks for you and your family/friends!!  I'm so glad it's working out for you and that you're going to reap the rewards of your patience!   ;D

AndreasMergner

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #61 on: February 08, 2013, 01:26:27 AM »
Ha ha!  Thanks?  :)

I'm just wondering when I can core into it and give it a real taste.  I'd say now, but I just poked a bunch of holes in it and I feel like I should get my money's worth out of them...so to speak.  I could not stop smelling my hands after I was done with this cheese (this just sounds wrong).   I wanted to cut into it so badly! 

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #62 on: February 08, 2013, 01:30:52 AM »
If you just pierced it there won't be any blue veins in it for a while.  You're going to have to wait a month or so before it's worth testing.  In the meantime, why don't you drill a bunch of holes in that mold so you can do a follow up.  I think the lack of holes to allow the curd to drain may have been your problem.  Both ends were dry but the center was saturated.
« Last Edit: February 08, 2013, 05:35:52 AM by Al Lewis »
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AndreasMergner

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #63 on: February 08, 2013, 02:56:17 AM »
Al, this is my second piercing.  I don't think I can wait a month!  Ha ha.  I can always put the plug back.  I can always put the plug back.  ;)

The end of the cheese was just as fragile.  I wonder if I should have dried it longer....or maybe the curd was too cold when I molded it?  I hear what you are saying about the holes, but there are hardly any holes in the Stilton molds I've seen.  The mold I'm using is just stainless steel sheet rolled up into a cylinder using about 3 layers of the sheet.  I can't really drill it since it is three layers and I wanted to have it be adjustable in diameter. 

AndreasMergner

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #64 on: February 08, 2013, 03:13:17 AM »
I'm thinking it is going to take a while to go through 4 lbs of Stilton.  My wife won't eat it....although I may have to have a cheese party if I continue my collection.  I won't need to make another one for a while.  I was thinking of trying a Tomme or an Alpine style cheese next.  I still have my Cams and my Reblochon containers taking up most of the room in my cave fridge along with the Stilton.  I really don't have  room for another make right now.

Offline Tiarella

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #65 on: February 08, 2013, 04:32:23 PM »
Hey, can you freeze Stilton?  Is it nice in salad dressings, etc?  Or maybe you can barter some?  That IS a lot of cheese. 

I can SO totally relate to the running out of aging room issue.  I filled my wine fridge immediately and then the weather turned cooler and I took over the workshop room of the basement and keep it around 55 by opening and closing a window.  I have had up to 15 containers full of cheeses in there.  When it gets warm I'm kind of screwed because I'll be running out of room to age cheese at the same time of having a lot more milk to turn into cheese!  I'll have to figure something out and I'm not yet sure what options I might have.  I do have a small freezer I could turn into a clumsy to handle aging space. 
« Last Edit: February 10, 2013, 01:01:32 PM by Tiarella »

AndreasMergner

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #66 on: February 08, 2013, 10:24:56 PM »
Stilton would probably be nice in salad dressings like most blues.  I will likely vac bag most of it and put it in the fridge.  I do 4 gallon makes because I have a 4.5 gallon pot and I figure it takes the same amount of time to make 1 or 4 gallons, so why not go for 4?  :)  I would love to barter, but don't know anyone I can barter with!  I would really like to get some bees...that would be a great trade.  I may just give some out as gifts or serve it at a party or 3. 

Tiarella, as far as the aging cave goes, I like Al's setup where he has an upright freezer and an electronic temp control on it.  The temp controls are available for about $70 on Amazon.  You could go used or new on the freezer.  I have a mini fridge and I think I picked mine up for $20 in the Summer.  You can get some deals on them then because college students are moving out of their dorms.  ;)  That said, I don't have a lot of room in mine and I took out the freezer part and cut away all the plastic out of the door (normally for drinks). 

green zebra

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #67 on: February 08, 2013, 10:56:06 PM »
Hi Al,
With your igloo freezer, now cheese cave, have you experienced any condensation on the underside of the wired shelves, causing dripping? Just wondering. I have been researching more about converting freezers into cheese caves, and this was the only drawback to using a freezer, says Gianaclis Caldwell, in her "Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking" book.
Thanks

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #68 on: February 09, 2013, 12:12:09 AM »
Yes, it happens quite a bit on the very top coil but not so much on the others.  That's why I have a constant 85-90% RH.  Probably not the thread for that though.  This would be better.  Andreas, look around buddy.  Those Johnson Controls temperature controls can be had cheaper than that.  I paid $45.00 U.S. for mine from a brewing web site.
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george

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #69 on: February 10, 2013, 11:22:33 AM »
Hey, can you freeze Stilton?  Is it nice in salad dressings, etc?
I freeze Stilton all the time - I just can't eat that much at once, even from a measly 2 gallon make.  It gets a little more crumbly (as all cheese does when frozen), and loses a little bit of the creaminess, but not much.  Still always tastes nummy.  And the easiest dip/salad dressing in the world is: crumble up some Stilton (or any blue), mix in some sour cream (less for dip, more for dressing) and start munching.   ;D

AndreasMergner

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #70 on: February 14, 2013, 07:26:50 PM »
MaryJ, good to know I can freeze it since I have so much of it!

I decided to take a core sample of it today, even though it was only 7 weeks old. 



It looked and tasted strong enough.  I cut a wedge out and then the whole thing.



Pretty nice veining.  I noticed a few spots on the inside that seem to have linens!  I must have used a blue with linens to use as a morge...and then innoculated this whole cheese.  Oh man.

The taste is actually just a slight bit strong for me to want to eat without stopping.  It is tasty, but slightly sharp./rough.  I vac bagged all but a small piece and then put one piece in the fridge and another back into the cave.  I'm wondering if the cheese will mellow out if aged a bit...while being vac bagged will prevent further PR growth.  I'm not sure if I should put it in the fridge or the cave so I did both.   :-\

Offline Schnecken Slayer

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #71 on: February 14, 2013, 07:42:49 PM »
That looks really good.

My Stilton also developed B Linens and I have never purchased any.
My B Linens probably came from the environment. Before I started cheesemaking I wondered why the cats water bowls would get a pink tinge in  the bottom if I didn't wash them weekly.... Now I know.
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Offline H-K-J

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #72 on: February 14, 2013, 09:30:41 PM »
It sounds perfect to me, do you think the BL add some other flavoring? (good or bad)
A cheese to you :D The veining look awesome,

Quote
I'm wondering if the cheese will mellow out if aged a bit...while being vac bagged will prevent further PR growth

On the last one I made I bagged and put it back in my ageing cool box/cave, left it for a month longer, when I cut it the next time the blue bite wasn't there, just a nice strong blue taste (we like it that way) also the cheddar flavor came on stronger (just the way we like it) It actually improved in flavor much closer to what I have been working toward
we just cut a large piece the other day, the wife is in love with it, now says it went from good to better to OMG! it is now 6 months old and has never seen the freezer, I just keep bagging and storing it in the bottom drawer of the fridge,
OH did I mention I just love a good blue :P 
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BobE102330

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #73 on: February 14, 2013, 10:05:06 PM »
Looks great - you'll be blued out shortly.   I got a bit tired of mine about halfway through (I know H-K-J, it's heresy but I was the only one eating a 4 pound cheese)  Just went to get some more last night and it was past edible.   :(   It also was in the coldest spot in the fridge, made in October.  Live and learn - small cheeses if they don't age well.  Or take some when I visit my Dad.

Try a milder PR next time.  I'll check when I get home but I should be able to share some when we meet at the milk store to try your Camembert in a couple weeks.  I just can't remember what strain I bought.  I cultured my PR for the first two makes from a Danish blue. 


Offline H-K-J

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Re: First (approx) Stilton!
« Reply #74 on: February 14, 2013, 10:22:16 PM »
I am speechless (sniff sniff :'()
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