Author Topic: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?  (Read 16513 times)

bbracken677

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #30 on: February 12, 2013, 04:27:52 AM »

I thought the humidty for the cams had to be around 80% so have kept the lid off slightly. Now that youve said it should be 90% also I will close the lid up. When my blues were in their this container held 90% no problems with a wet cloth in the bottom.


I keep my RH for cams at 95% or a tad higher...and have never had any problems with PC growing well. I have heard that 90% is also good, but since I have had success at 95 I just repeat the process that works for me. When growing molds you really need a high humidity.

Shalloy

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #31 on: February 13, 2013, 09:47:07 AM »
ok thats good to know. I sprayed them with some PC slurry last night so hopefully they will start to bloom soon.

Shalloy

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #32 on: February 16, 2013, 09:49:04 PM »
Well here is what they look like after a week. I sprayed a PC slurry on them twice. Is this PC mould spores or just regular mould?

Also they smell sort of sour like sour cream. Is this normal? Or the result of all my stuff ups with this cheese? If there going to taste sour Id rather ditch them now and make some more.

Thanks once again


bbracken677

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #33 on: February 17, 2013, 12:36:58 PM »
It kinda looks like PC to me, but normally I get a more even growth. That is probably due to the fact I add the PC culture directly to the make, as opposed to spraying on a slurry. I think you are fine. A sour cream smell is not the worst smell you could be smelling at this point   :)

I would suggest patting/lightly smearing the PC with your hands as you flip them daily to help spread the growth. You will be able to "feel" the aging process further along as they begin to soften. In about 4 weeks your paste should be just about right for a try.   

Best of luck with the make. My first cam make was quite a learning experience even though they did not turn out as tasty as I would have liked. Since the first make I have had nothing but success, primarily due to the learnings from the first, combined with the information I gained from the forum posts from the outstanding cheeseheads here on the forum.

Most important learnings I had were regarding moisture control in the cheese (flocculation) and aging (humidity control and temp).

Shalloy

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #34 on: February 17, 2013, 10:12:43 PM »
Thanks mate. I did add Pc to the make as well but may have killed it when I accidentally raised my temperature up to 45C. so thought I should spray some on as well.


Shalloy

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #35 on: February 18, 2013, 08:50:01 PM »
As well as the white mould Ive now noticed some blue mould on the surface of the cheese. Is this normal to appear on a camembert? I have them in my cheese cave with some blues but they are both in seperate maturation boxes. Could the blue mould have caused some slight cross contamination?

If so should I just rub it off each time it develops?

bbracken677

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #36 on: February 18, 2013, 09:23:25 PM »
Quite possible it is cross contamination... Blue can be very persistent. 

As long as the blue isnt more aggressive than the PC you should be fine. I am not sure how to properly address that, since if you just rub it, you will likely spread the blue. If you try to kill the blue, you would likely also kill the PC.

I think the PC is normally more aggressive than blue and should contain the contamination but it bears keeping an eye on. I have had cams in my cave, in their own container, and havent had problems with cross contamination, other than a couple of very small spots that soon disappeared. With my blues, I tend to get a PC type growth on them after the blue begins to die off, but then I think that is kinda normal.

Perhaps someone else has a good answer?

Shalloy

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #37 on: February 18, 2013, 11:27:47 PM »
I must admit the blue spots are very faint and certainly not as aggresive as the PC mould spores which I rubbed in with my finger last night and spread across the cheese as much as possible.

Will keep an eye on it as you suggest and see how it goes.  Thanks for the tip.

bbracken677

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #38 on: February 18, 2013, 11:32:40 PM »
One thing though...Every other cheese I have in my cave does develop some blue at some point or other. I have to stay on top of them constantly or else I wind up with some totally wild rinds.  :)

Shalloy

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #39 on: February 19, 2013, 09:41:25 AM »
Here are some pics of the blue mould on my cams. But as you can see they are also starting to get a healthy growth of PC as well.

Do you think this blue mould is nothing to worry about?


Shalloy

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #40 on: February 20, 2013, 07:58:21 AM »
Bump...Anyone??

bbracken677

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #41 on: February 20, 2013, 12:46:33 PM »
It looks just a tad dry to me, but then that could just be the pictures.  If they are a bit dry and the PC is struggling, perhaps give it a light misting of distilled water or very weak saline solution.

I dont think you have anything to worry about yet. Wait and see how the PC develops, since it should take over and rule the cheese    :)

george

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #42 on: February 20, 2013, 01:18:00 PM »
It looks like the PC is going to have a hard time as it is (looks way too dry to me, too).  Meself, I'd spray it with more PC at this point.

Shalloy

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #43 on: February 20, 2013, 08:43:26 PM »
I actually thought it felt dry too. I have a wet paper towel in the bottom of the container and the lid is closed. Humidity is around 90% and temperature 10C.
I still have some PC slurry in a spray bottle in the fridge but its about 10 days old. Will it still be okay to use?

Also should I be replacing the wet cloth from time to time? I soaked it in a salt water solution first.

bbracken677

  • Guest
Re: Do I need calcium chloride if using skim and cream?
« Reply #44 on: February 20, 2013, 09:43:35 PM »
I have very little experience with slurries, but personally, I would just try spraying some distilled pure water on them to moisten the surface a bit and see how that works.