Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss

[Boofer]

It's been a couple years since I made a Baby Swiss. I figured it was time to do it again.

I have a very clear idea for what my end product should be. "Madrigal" cheese is a Baby Swiss from France. We have enjoyed it for years and it stands as a sterling example for this cheese style. The paste is flexible and very sliceable. The cheese is semi-hard and nutty with a few medium-sized eyes/holes.

I followed Sailor's recipe...somewhat. :-\

This make started out with a handicap. I dosed it with half the cultures and rennet that I should have. Who knows why? ::) That made it slow to come off the blocks and start running. Slow to drop the acidity. Slow to floc. But, hey, we're not making Fast Food here...slow down.  ;)  Take a ChillPill.

I'll probably let this go for a 4-week Warm Phase. I'm not sure what I'll get for PS action. Whatever happens, I'm sure it will be fine.

-Boofer-

[shotski]

Looks great Boofer, I have not had the chance to make a Swiss yet but it is on my list of must makes. Keep us posted on how it ages, How long do you plan on ageing this baby?

[Boofer]

It'll probably be okay for the holidays...maybe New Year's. A target of between 4-6 months was my guideline. I would want this to be a youngish cheese.

-Boofer-

[JeffHamm]

Looks good Boofer.  It looks very orange, like annato's been added, but I'm thinking that's just a lighting effect?  Very dramatic!  Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

- Jeff

[Boofer]

No to the annatto, Jeff. It is pretty orange. I take quite a few pics and try to represent the object in the truest light. I try to achieve crisp, interesting photos that sometimes can be intriguing.

The orange may be from native linens that found their way while I was washing the cheese with brine. Believe me, this was one of the least orange pics I snapped. Another factor in the color is the fact that the rind has dried significantly. That darkens it quite a bit.

Turning it this morning, I see just a bit of what might be PS activity. I'm not expecting much, given the smaller amount of PS I added. For some reason, my mind was split between the dosage for a Baby Swiss and a Beaufort. In a Beaufort, you want the characteristic flavor of the propionic acid, but not the eye development, so the dosage is smaller than it should be for a Baby Swiss (or Maasdam, Jarlsberg, Emmentaler, etc.).

-Boofer-

[JeffHamm]

Those are some pretty impressive linens!  I bought some PS which are indicated to be low gass producing (so good for Beaufort).  They produced a good flavour in the one I made.  I'll make another in a couple weeks I think.  Might make a few, as a friend of mine quite likes swiss cheeses so I may attempt a make for his birthday next year.  Would be well aged by then.

Anyway, expectations are on the rise.  Well done (as always).

- Jeff

[Al Lewis]

Good luck with yours Jeff.  I can never get the holes to form.  Gave up and switched to making a smoked gouda. LOL

[hoeklijn]

Mmmm, interesting, Boofer! Just have received Choozit ALP B and I'm aiming for a Swiss one of these days...
But I took a day off tomorrow and will make what we call here Proosdij-kaas. Swiss will follow shortly. 

[Boofer]

will make what we call here Proosdij-kaas.

I tried googling that but came up with what looked to be generics. Can you characterize that cheese a bit, Herman?

I've had good success with the Alp culture.

Good luck with yours Jeff.  I can never get the holes to form.  Gave up and switched to making a smoked gouda. LOL

Al, why not try a Maasdam? I made two of them last year and they both gave me eyes and tasted wonderful. In fact, I just sampled one again recently and it still delivers good quality in taste and texture.

I've attached two Maasdam recipes.

-Boofer-

[hoeklijn]

In fact it is a Gouda-type cheese, but the difference is the use of a mix of meso and flavour building thermo, in this case Chr. Hansen CHN-19 and LHB-01. I tasted it on the event of "Kaaslust" and I loved it. With 4 months it's giving a distint flavour as if it is an old cheese, but it had the texture of a young cheese. So I got the cultures and the recipe from the cheese master and tried it today. Had about 24 liter of raw milk and after pressing had around 3180 gram of cheese. Not bad....

[Boofer]

Sounds interesting, Herman. Do you have a recipe that you would share? Or is it "just" a Gouda recipe with those cultures you quoted?

-Boofer-

[hoeklijn]

I'l post it under "washed curd"...

[Boofer]

Last Thursday marked the fourth week of the Warm Phase. I decided to vacuum seal the cheese and put it back into the the cave for continued aging. I wiped it with vinegar-salt and then let it dry a bit before sealing it up. It hasn't swelled much but I've found that doesn't always indicate the presence of eyes created.

So now I wait...for probably 4-6 months of affinage.

-Boofer-

[JeffHamm]

That's looking very nice.  Great looking rind.  Can I see some swells on the top face?  Looks like some PS action.  Hmmm, I should start thinking about some holiday cheeses as well. 

- Jeff

[Boofer]

A little alpine for the New Year.

Good texture and salt level, some small eyes...tasty!

Far less of the Propionic acid character than that in either of the two Maasdams I have made, but still good alpine taste.

-Boofer-