Has my cheese neglect been taste abusive?

[Tiarella]

   So I've been busy with a number of other farm activities and not even making cheese since I sold many of my goats. (I'll be restocked this next year....just switching breeds)  I had about 10 wheels aging and I knew they were developing furry coats and when I thought of it I'd feel resolve to find some serious time to brush and/or wash them all down.  Another part of me, maybe the lazier part of me, thought that in spite of the fact that I knew the converted freezer was too humid, that the cheeses might evolve through a blue suede shoes stage of adolescence and turn into responsible adult cheeses. 

Fast forward many weeks and I finally ruthlessly found time to take each cheese outside and stand in the light sleet with a cheese in one hand and a bamboo scrub brush in the other, being careful to stand upwind of the cheese being brushed, and do a brisk little rind maintenance.  There seems to be less blue mold and more gray.  Some white Mycodore shows on some wheels, some furry gray stuff and a hint of something darker.  All in all, quite furry little things although not as bad as my cats and not likely to contribute much to the dust bunny population under furniture since the cheeses aren't aging near any furniture.

I'll attach some photos and I'd love to hear what you think.  These are all basic tommes with a variety of culture choices.  The oldest is almost 8 months old and they range from there to about 2 months old.  Another question is of course......should I try one?  The oldest of course.    I also have some 3 month old Caerphilly wheels that have clean rinds and I might open one of those soon.  (they are aging in my wine fridge where it's too dry currently)

[mjr522]

If nothing else, I think they look pretty cool.

I'm always for trying things...if you're worried about flavor, just have something to drink near by...if you're worried about getting sick, just try it when you don't have any other obligations that day (or the next)  ...

And, be sure to report how it goes.

[Tiarella]

Thank you, Mike.  I think I'll open the 8 month old one after it regrows a bit of rind.  It kind of looms naked right now.  I did open a 3 month old Caerphilly tonight.  It tastes great....a nice sharp but lively flavor.....not sharp  with that heavy, strong style....this feels light in some way.Lots of tiny bubbles in it and I ate. Lot of it so we'll see how my tummy does with it.   

[H-K-J]

MsT they look scary
Myself the only cheese I am used to having a fur coat is my blues
Knowing the time you take to make and take care of your cheeses and animals I don't know how you come up with the time for anything else.
You deserve a huge Cheese,
continue on and let us know how and what your creations are like.

H-K-J

[Tiarella]

Thank you H-K-J!  I think most of the scary looking cheeses may turn out yummy but I'm suspecting that the rind will need to be trimmed away.  I hope to have a way to control the moisture in the small chest freezer they're aging in but it may be a losing battle.  The condenser coils must wrap around it (concealed within the sides of course) at the top of the sides in a swath that is about 10" because there is a constant line of dripping moisture there.  Humidity seems to be at about 99%.  Not what I was hoping for.  I don't have the funding for a new freezer but I'd like to get one sometime when I can.  I think an upright frost-free will have less moisture.  (the "frost-free" part being the important part).   

[Boofer]

The title of this thread is definitely a hook. 

I didn't think you were so fond of the mycodore-enhanced rinds.

-Boofer-

[linuxboy]

Hmm, provocative thread titles. Cue in buzzfeed...

"10 weird tricks for better rind color"
"You won't believe the rind neglect from these famous cheesemakers"
"5 signs your cheese neglect is getting out of hand."
"Watch affineurs expose shocking cheese neglect"
"8 ways to overcome taste abuse in places you'd never expect"

I got nothing useful to add here. Just trolling.

[Tiarella]

The title of this thread is definitely a hook. 

I didn't think you were so fond of the mycodore-enhanced rinds.

-Boofer-

Hey Boofmeister!  So happy to see you!     I actually AM fond of Mycodore rinds......I just had that one that resisted all attempts to control it.  It was rather like a fast growing shag carpet and I was starting to wonder if Agent Orange had a place in affinage and then I discovered washing it in cider vinegar whacked it for a whole week and then I finally opened it.  It was an incredible tasting cheese and I've been adding Mycodore to many of my makes since but alas, without as luxuriant a growth curve. 

About the title of this thread.....I think I could have done better as Pav has shown us in his post.  I plead tiredness.  I'll do better next time.   

[Tiarella]

Hmm, provocative thread titles. Cue in buzzfeed...

"10 weird tricks for better rind color"
"You won't believe the rind neglect from these famous cheesemakers"
"5 signs your cheese neglect is getting out of hand."
"Watch affineurs expose shocking cheese neglect"
"8 ways to overcome taste abuse in places you'd never expect"

I got nothing useful to add here. Just trolling.

Hey Pav, I like those! 
and:
"8 signs that someone in your neighborhood has been arrested for cheese neglect"
"How to successfully age cheese without losing sleep"
"Can your dust bunnies be the answer to successful cheese affinage?"
"New colorful intergalactic cheese cultures will make you the hit at your next cheese party"
"How to know when you're too cheesy" 
"Cheese like you're never seen it before"
"Pope chooses holy cheese for communion wafers"
"DIY colander using petrified Swiss cheese"

Actually, I have a question for you.....as always.   

I opened a Caerphilly last night (make was on 9-28-13) and the texture has LOTS of tiny holes.  Made me a bit fearful of why but being an adventuresome stupid sort of person I tasted it anyway.  First thoughts were light, pleasantly acidic  (like I posted earlier) and then an hour later there were a crazy number of taste nuances that were doing some soft shoe dancing across my taste buds and I ate a lot of the cheese.  (no gastric disasters so I've figured it's not dangerous) The holes are so many that it's like eating hardened froth almost......at least it seemed like that after eating some gouda at a friend's house this afternoon.  (tea and cheese at a nearby fellow forum member's farm)  Definitely a contrast.  I'll attach photos and let me know what you think.  I think I'll attach a couple of the frost patterns that formed when the water on our front deck froze this afternoon.  (and what do frost patterns have to do with cheese?  Well, I can work it in, just give me a moment.  Let's see......if I slipped on the frost and injured myself I wouldn't be able to make cheese for a while. Does that count as a tie-in?)

Culture details on the Caerphilly make:  MA4001, MD88 (I've been liking what this seem to add),  bit of Thermo B (I knew I wanted to age this one out), Geo 17 and Mycodore.  I hoped for a long aged natural rind but it was in a too dry cooler and never really got much on the rind except a dusting of white. 

[ArnaudForestier]

Just came across this, Tiarella.  Cheese to you, I think these look amazing.  I can only hope my mycodore tommes come out so well.  Beautiful.

I see your bamboo brush - came to this on a search, as I know you mentioned the brush elsewhere as well - and you also mention surgeon's brushes.  Can you tell me where you sourced these?  I like the bamboo, seems perfect.  Thanks!

[Tiarella]

Just came across this, Tiarella.  Cheese to you, I think these look amazing.  I can only hope my mycodore tommes come out so well.  Beautiful.

I see your bamboo brush - came to this on a search, as I know you mentioned the brush elsewhere as well - and you also mention surgeon's brushes.  Can you tell me where you sourced these?  I like the bamboo, seems perfect.  Thanks!

The bamboo ones I got at the local food coop and the surgeon's brushes come from Lee Valley.  www.leevalley.com I think it is.

I think my tommes would be coming out better if the cave humidity were under control, if I'd used yeasts on the rinds for protection and if I weren't too busy or lazy to take better care of them.  I think i'll be cutting off a fair thickness of rind to avoid the musty taste on these.  I hope the rest tastes good, though!

[ArnaudForestier]

Thanks, Tiarella.  I have to say, your tommes look like so many that I've seen.  Like another member here told me, "a cheese of neglect" as a very positive thing.  Have you tried any of them?

I am so used to worrying every detail to death, I'm actually glad to be making a cheese that will force me to leave it alone.

[Tiarella]

Oh, I'm going to try one soon.......Just hoped to let them regrow something before I did.  I'm getting a desiccant pillow from perfect-cheese.com to put on top of my cave cube (also from them) and hopefully dry my chest freezer out a bit.  I may also play with some cider washing on a couple of rinds.  It's all going to be cheese so I'm not too stuck on what I do to them......but if you'll join me in the crossing of fingers and knocking on wood it might help!   

[ArnaudForestier]

I'll join you in that, Tiarella!

I've got the cave cube as well, with another one on the way.  I love John's stuff!  Thanks for the heads up, I would never have known.