Author Topic: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?  (Read 17068 times)

JeffHamm

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Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #30 on: February 22, 2014, 08:09:41 PM »
Hi Andreak,

It's coming along pretty well.  As you can see, a few crevices have developed some mould despite the brine wash, but it's yellowing up and it feels promising (do remember, this being my first means I have nothing to compare the feel to, so this is really just an impression based upon nothing! :) )  I really enjoyed the piece we tried, so I'm hoping this will be a tasty result. 

I don't know the ouleout make I'm afraid and I've not tried it before either (I've not even heard of it I'm afraid).  Have you started a thread on your make?  Post your make notes and photos if you haven't.  Would be interested in seeing it.

- Jeff

andreark

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Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #31 on: February 22, 2014, 10:48:58 PM »
Jeff,

I haven't started a thread on this 'unknown' cheese yet.  But I will as soon as I see some B.Lin. activity.

I haven't done any cheeses for over a year now.  I also have a  Camembert in my small 'cave'.  I love doing the 'white fuzzies'.
I think they are easy and great fun.  I will post photos of the Ouleout (if anything wonderful comes of it).

I'm crossing my fingers for your make.  If it turns out well, I will probably hijack your recipe!!!

andreark

JimSteel

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Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #32 on: February 23, 2014, 03:27:20 PM »
Looking good Jeff, better than mine at least :)

John@PC

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Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #33 on: February 23, 2014, 09:42:04 PM »
Looks great, Jeff.  I made my Munster a few days after yours and last time I took it out to wash it had one heck of a schmeir going, almost slid out of my hands. ::).   Not sure whether that was normal or not I decided to take it out of the cave to surface dry a bit more.  My son who is b. linens aroma challenged hated the smell, so it may end up being a decent cheese!  I'm out of town but will take a picture Mon. and post it on my (lobotomized) Munster thread. 

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #34 on: February 25, 2014, 07:15:50 PM »
Hmmm,

Finished the washing the other day.  Today, after a day or two no washes, it's got a blue mould bloom on the go.  Sigh.  Back to washing.  It's very humid here lately, and there's always an issue with blue mould for me.  I didn't think to take a photo.  Still, will try and keep it clean until the weekend.  I'll open this at 3 weeks (this weekend) and so the goal now is to hold it steady.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #35 on: February 27, 2014, 05:29:20 PM »
Hi,

Ok, will probably be opening this in a day or so.  Here it is this am.  Weight 618g, and measurements 15.8 x 2.7 cm, for 1.17 g/cm3.  Out of the mould it was 1.15 g/cm3, so a bit denser, but given the measurement error, within tolerances.  The rind has a good light b.linens and has yellowed up a fair bit from day one.  Fingers crossed.

- Jeff

jwalker

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Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #36 on: February 27, 2014, 07:05:23 PM »
So only three weeks and you're going to try it. :o

That's a pretty fast cheese , even faster than my Blues and Bries.

I'll be watching for the taste test , I may try one myself soon.


JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #37 on: February 27, 2014, 07:57:06 PM »
Yes, it's young at 3 weeks, and you can age it out to get much stronger for a couple months.  This is relatively small, and the one I bought was mild.  I want to see if I'm close to that one.  If the make is right, then I can try aging them out to get a stronger taste.

- Jeff

Flound

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Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #38 on: February 27, 2014, 07:59:00 PM »
Looking good, Snags.

I'm might have to try a stinky to see what Fred's tolerance levels are. I'm thinking with the complaints I got from Caerphillies 2 & 3, after a stinky, she might be more forgiving.

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #39 on: February 28, 2014, 12:07:32 AM »
Yah, this isn't too stinky yet.  If I were to age it out for a couple months, might get a bit noticeable.  Mind you, it's in the cave with another cheese that has a good b.linens rind already (the staffordshire that I washed) so it has competition. ;)

- Jeff

JimSteel

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Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #40 on: February 28, 2014, 01:39:15 AM »
Jeff, I still can't believe your are cracking it at 3 weeks.  Maybe I just think that because mine doesn't seem "ready enough" though.  Your cheese looks very nice in any case.  Do you intend to eat the rind?

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #41 on: February 28, 2014, 06:55:16 AM »
Hi Jim,

Yah, I know.  It's young, but I sort of want to catch it earlier rather than later.  I'm trying to get a feel for where it's going, as I can let it age a bit and track things.  I'll give the rind a go, though it's got some wild blues on it.  Not much I can do about that as blue mould here really takes hold.  I'm forever brushing back my hard cheeses until the rind eventually dies off and nothing will grow on them.

- Jeff

John@PC

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Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #42 on: February 28, 2014, 11:13:39 PM »
I'll give the rind a go, though it's got some wild blues on it.
  If it were me I'd venture out into the Wild Blue Yonder  ;).  It's amazing how much mine (a few days younger then yours) has such similar characteristic including the blue in the crevices (and if I'm not mistaken Jim does too).    I think I'll hold out for a few more weeks so please describe all of the taste sensations so we all can live vicariously through your experience.

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #43 on: February 28, 2014, 11:57:48 PM »
Well, cut into it.  Not bad.  The rind is, unfortunatley, contaminated with wild moulds (mostly blues and geo of some sort), which make the rind less desirable.  Edible, but tasts of mould, but with a hint of mushroom.  After trying it, I've removed the rind and had just the paste, which is cleaner tasting and nice.  The cheese is really too young to really have much washed rind flavour, but the paste is nice and soft (not gooey or runny, but it is soft).  Has a good mouth feel, and a clean flavour.  There is flavour from the rind, mostly mushroomy.  I think the general make procedure of this is good, now like with most cheeses, it's the aging that is the trick. 

- Jeff

John@PC

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Re: My 1st Muenster - or is it Munster?
« Reply #44 on: March 01, 2014, 01:28:08 AM »
The paste looks great.  Made me think about a question I had a year ago but never asked.  Is there any way to "seal" the surfaces of the wedge cut out to continue aging without a lot of crusting or mold growing on the surface of the  paste? I played around with applying plastic film to the surfaces with reasonable success but is there something better out there?  In you're case Jeff I would think you would want your Munster to age naturally for the remaining period to get full benefit from the surface mold?