Author Topic: Culture for Camembert using store bought cheese?  (Read 1620 times)

orion113

  • Guest
Culture for Camembert using store bought cheese?
« on: May 16, 2013, 09:05:58 PM »
Still pretty new to the game and I do not have a good collection of cultures yet.  I would like to try and make Camembert and am wondering if I can just buy a piece of it and use some of the rind, maybe dissolved in some warm milk, for the culture?  If so, is this all the culture I would need?  By that I mean in addition to the store bought cheese rind, I would only need the milk, Ca Cl, rennet, and salt for the completion?  Seems like too easy of a short cut but, rather than wait for more cultures to arrive, I could possibly try this Saturday.  I do have some meseophillic and buttermilk cultures from New England Cheese Supply, if those may be needed.  Any tips and tricks on this would be appreciated. ;D

bbracken677

  • Guest
Re: Culture for Camembert using store bought cheese?
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2013, 09:11:41 PM »
I would think the meso and the rind mix would work. I have made blue cheese from an existing cheese before. I know others have used the rinds to make their pc/geo rinds, so yes, it should work.  I believe I used distilled water instead of milk though.

You might consider spraying the rind mix (morge?) on the cheeses after they come out of the forms.  With the meso if you are making a 1 gallon make 1/8th tsp should do the trick, or 1/4 tsp for a 2 gallon make.


orion113

  • Guest
Re: Culture for Camembert using store bought cheese?
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2013, 09:24:32 PM »
Excellent, looks like it is worth a try, eh?