Author Topic: First Cantal - a bit craggy!  (Read 8003 times)

Kirkbybil

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #15 on: October 28, 2013, 08:42:56 PM »
Yep, I've really got the bug. I know people seem to recommend getting one recipe right and sticking to it but I like all kinds of cheese so I just have to give them a go.

I make notes and sterilise everything just like the books say but I have little understanding of the chemistry, have never checked PH, so I just follow the instructions and I find if the timings work out right, the cheese seems to work out right as well.  My first few makes (the ones that were disgusting) all took forever to set, like 4 hours for my Cheddar!) and I had no idea what a clean break looked like so my chances of success were slim and they were taking so long I took some shortcuts to catch up so looking back there's no shock they were not good. Once I understood the importance of the correct amount of rennet, learned about floc times and realised that accuracy of temperature was pretty important, things seemed to work better (surprise, surprise).

I will post updates as the Fourme progresses, first pics attached. I was aiming for 4 x four pounders. I ended up with 4 x 4.25ilbs and a bonus cheese of another 4.5lbs which is great, but I ran out of 4" moulds as you can see.

This will be my third Fourme make. The first two were a little different insofar as the first was softer and more creamy, the second was firmer like I think it should be, the flavours were similar and very, very nice so I hope I stay lucky and these work out as well.






 

« Last Edit: November 09, 2013, 03:32:26 PM by Kirkbybil »

Kirkbybil

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #16 on: November 09, 2013, 03:34:36 PM »
Here's a pic of the Fourme d'Ambert at 14 days old (1 day make, 2 days drying, then 11 days in the ripening container in the cave at 50F and around 80-90%RH).

Just like my last two Fourmes, the blue started to appear at 10 days, exactly as the recipe predicted!   

Can anyone tell me if I should I start a new thread for this Cheese or keep the update here?

Geodyne

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #17 on: November 09, 2013, 09:04:02 PM »
I quite like it when the updates are in the same thread as the make. It gives one a chance to see what became of the cheese. :)

Offline H-K-J

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #18 on: November 09, 2013, 09:36:39 PM »
I agree, keep it here 8)
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Kirkbybil

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #19 on: November 10, 2013, 11:24:26 AM »
That's the reason for my question though, it's not the same cheese as the Original make (or the topic title) which was a Cantal. Will anyone looking for info on a Fourme spot it here? 

I don't really mind, just trying to understand the correct/best way of using the forum.

Offline H-K-J

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #20 on: November 10, 2013, 02:56:36 PM »
OK since it is a different cheese I think it would be appropriate to start a new thread with a new title in the correct board.
didn't understand this was another make and not the one in the title :-[
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Offline Boofer

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #21 on: November 10, 2013, 03:56:22 PM »
OK since it is a different cheese I think it would be appropriate to start a new thread with a new title in the correct board.
didn't understand this was another make and not the one in the title :-[
Let's see, Cantal...Fourme d'Ambert...yeah, seems different to me too! ::)

Definitely need to have the cheese styles in their right places. ;)

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Geodyne

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #22 on: November 10, 2013, 07:41:19 PM »
Oops, ignore my misplaced, knee-jerk response!  :-[

It's definitely easier to find cheese makes when they have their name in the title.

Kirkbybil

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #23 on: November 10, 2013, 09:33:39 PM »

Okay, moved the Fourme thread to here:

http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php?topic=12164.0;topicseen

I'll keep updating the Cantal here.

 

Kirkbybil

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #24 on: November 13, 2013, 11:50:15 PM »
Just looked at my Cantal, which seems to have started to develop some surface mould. Not sure what it is, it's in my 'cave' with emmentals, parmesans, Fourmes (in ripening containers) etc.

When I've read about bandaged cheeses I've seen them seemingly left to develop surface mould but I'm not sure what this is, whether I should just leave it be or if I should rub/wash it off?

Any thoughts anyone please?

Kirkbybil

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #25 on: November 24, 2013, 07:56:05 PM »
Any one have any thoughts on this please?

My Cantal had a lot more mould growing, I wasn't sure what to do but, as it all seemed to be on the surface of the ghee, I wiped it off with a little brine and it comes off very easily.

However, as you can see from the second pic, it clearly has some mould under (or within) the ghee.

Does anyone have any advice?  Should I use leave it to get covered in mould or should I treat it like having mould under a wax and strip it down and re-bandage which I don't really want to have to do as it would be a big hassle and seem to defeat the object.

« Last Edit: November 24, 2013, 08:02:50 PM by Kirkbybil »

WovenMeadows

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #26 on: November 28, 2013, 12:55:34 AM »
I would just leave it, mold on hard cheeses doesn't seem to effect the cheese too much. It's possible some blue molds will work their way into the "crags" you first mentioned. But I think at this point let the molds go and do what they will, rather than try to maintain a pristine rind.

High Altitude

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #27 on: January 02, 2014, 07:05:53 PM »
Whatever became of this one?  Would love to see the inner paste and get tasting notes  :D!

Kirkbybil

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Re: First Cantal - a bit craggy!
« Reply #28 on: January 07, 2014, 08:04:13 PM »
Here's an update as requested with picture- The Cantal is now 12 weeks old and still maturing.

I tasted it around two weeks ago by cutting through the ghee and the muslin and using a thin sharp knife as a trier. It tasted good - like a mild cheddar - but I really want this one to age out to see if it develops a strong flavour.
 
As I made so much cheese for Xmas (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,12310.msg94918.html#msg94918) I didn't really need this one so I have left it in my cave to continue ageing.

As you can see, it is developing a mould, although it's like picking up a lump of butter as it is covered in a layer of ghee, so the mould, I assume, is just on the service of the ghee.

I will probably leave it another month or so before I try it again to see how the flavour is progressing.