Author Topic: Tomme with poor posture  (Read 2204 times)

DrChile

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Tomme with poor posture
« on: October 14, 2013, 07:10:55 PM »
My alpine tomme has scoliosis.
Is it within the range of normal for it to slump so much?

Make:

1.5 gallons milk plus 2 cups heavy cream (snowville brand - not ultra pasteurized)
Heated to 90 F
Added 2% mother culture (1% flora Danica, 1% thermo c - it's what I had available and didnt make time for another mc make)
Added calcium chloride in distiller h20
Added 1/4 tsp rennet in distilled h20
Floc time 13 minutes.  Multiplier 3.
Cut into 1/4 inch cubes, let heal 5 mins.
Stirred and increased temp to 93 F over 15 min

Drew off whey equal to approx 1/3 of the total milk amount.
Added equal amount of 135-140 degree water in 3 installments to bring temp to 100 F. It took 15 min To get to 100 F.

Placed curds in 4.5 inch mold and pressed by hand under warm whey x 10 minutes flipping once to get a good knit (note that not all my curds fit and I improvised by using another smaller mold - another topic, another time).  Then pressed at 1 psi for 15 minutes. Flipped once pressed again for 15 minutes at 1 psi.  The flipped again and pressed at 1.9 psi x 5 hrs.  Removed and now air drying. 

I've noted it (the one on the left) is still leaking/draining whey and is slumping. Did I not cook the curd long enough?  Is this normal?  The leaking is slowing down.  I made this Saturday and this am the draining whey was minimal.

Next step is a brine, then I want to try a natural rind/washing.  Went out and got untreated pine that I will cut to fit on my shelves.

Trent

DrChile

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Re: Tomme with poor posture
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2013, 09:00:36 PM »
I'm looking at it again and maybe it's hard to see the slumping...  It used to be much taller, trust me...

And as I read more in the forum, as often the case, I may have found some answers.
(Possibly should not have used the cream - less stable curd and might be the cause of the slumping?  Essentially created a Gouda style with my washing - truthfully, probably didnt remove 1/3 of the whey, but it's probably closer to the Gouda style than a washed Tomme.  And also maybe shouldnt have pressed at 1.9 psi... Oh well.)

Trent
« Last Edit: October 14, 2013, 10:51:28 PM by DrChile »

High Altitude

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Re: Tomme with poor posture
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2013, 09:07:25 PM »
I made a similar alpine tomme from Karlin's book.  Did pretty much what you did (I used 10lb, 20lb, and 20lb weights for the 3 pressing periods).  Did not use cream, just whole milk...no bulging problems.

How long did you leave it at room temp to dry?  I did 8 hours and then brined for 8 hours.  Maybe the current shape will at least firm up with the brining and not get any worse. 

Also doing the natural rind, which seems to be slow going, but at least its' going and not getting too disgusting looking.  Let us know how it goes  :D.

DrChile

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Re: Tomme with poor posture
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2013, 11:18:55 PM »
What wash recipe are you using?
I'm putting it in the brine tonight as it stopped weeping whey...

Thanks!

Trent

High Altitude

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Re: Tomme with poor posture
« Reply #4 on: October 16, 2013, 01:14:28 AM »
I am only dry brushing this make.  I have a Port Salut that I washed with b. linens and now it has ALL KINDS of funky spots growing on it.  I wash that one with a simple saltwater brine 1-2 times a week.  You could do that with the Tomme as well, I think.  But with dry brushing, the rind is much cleaner (though with some interesting colored molds slowly developing), and now has also developed some Geo (white powdery stuff) that I hear is a GOOD thing.  Much nicer than the Port Salut rind (which looks totally nasty...won't even take a picture of it!).

Let me know what you end up doing.  I just took a pic of both sides of my Tomme so you can see how it looks today, coming up on 5 weeks.  There is a kind of scary black spot that is pretty stubborn on the one side, but I just keep brushing and brushing.

Pete S

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Re: Tomme with poor posture
« Reply #5 on: October 16, 2013, 05:38:01 AM »
Quote
  Much nicer than the Port Salut rind (which looks totally nasty...won't even take a picture of it!).

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_________________________________________________ ______________________

It will probably turn out to be a great cheese.       Pete

DrChile

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Re: Tomme with poor posture
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2013, 04:44:17 PM »
After brining the slumping stopped and it firmed up.  Started my washing with 3% saline plus some wine yesterday.

Will see how it goes...

Trent