Author Topic: Chaource... ish  (Read 3968 times)

GlabrousD

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Chaource... ish
« on: March 24, 2014, 05:41:53 AM »
Hiya All,

well I followed Iratherfly's recipe and Doh! forgot to add CaCl to the milk (we only have pasteurised + homogenised so CaCl is essential here). So I ended up with a rather poor and sloppy curd and a minimal yield.

However I persevered and managed to get 1 1/2 St. Marcellin moulds out of one gallon of milk... see, I said it was a low yield :)

So I air-dried the cheeses then moved to my cave and things seem to be progressing OK... I hope.

The cheeses are covered in a soft (downy) white mould and are quite firm. They turn OK without sticking to the mat and they don't smell iffy. However the bigger of the two does have a small black spot on top.

Please would one of the more experienced Members of the Forum care to check these over and let me know if the cheeses are progressing OK... and if I need to treat the black spot?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Cheers, GD.


JeffHamm

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Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2014, 06:51:30 AM »
It's probably a good idea to pat the mould down each day.  The black spot is probably a wild blue type mould, nothing serious, but if you can clear it off with a clean toothpick or something, then I would.  The white mould should fill in the spot and then out compete anything else.  They look good!  I've not made many of these, so you may get some other advice, which is likely to be superior and based upon more hands on knowledge.

- Jeff

GlabrousD

  • Guest
Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2014, 08:59:44 AM »
Thanks very much Jeff, I'll give them a good pat down this evening.

I think the blue may have escaped from one of my other cheeses which are predominantly Penecillium Roquefort playgrounds. Hopefully it should be ready to eat in a few days so I'll be able to compare it with a shop-bought original.

I have a good friend (a French chap) who brings a selection of cheeses to our dive club on a Wednesday night - I'll run it past him for approval.

Needless to say I spend most of my time insulting him and French cheese - La Vache Qui Rit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Laughing_Cow) cheese triangles are all I need to put him in his place :)

Truth be told I love French cheese but can't bring myself to admit this to him :)

Cheers, GD.

JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2014, 07:38:47 PM »
Yah, blue can get around.  It's fine, it won't hurt them, but if you can remove it do.  I would remove it before patting down as you may be able to cover up with the long white cloud.  Pourquoi La Vache Qui Rit rit?  I remembered enough of my high school French to get that! :)  I'm just finishing up my Munster, which is a washed rind French cheese.  I didn't let it get very strong, but it is a very nice cheese when mild too.

- Jeff

GlabrousD

  • Guest
Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2014, 04:28:54 AM »
Thanks Jeff,

I patted them down but as the white mould appears to be smothering the blue I left it to its own devices.

Pourquoi La Vache Qui Rit? (Well remembered by the way) Well my French pal loves to abuse British cheese and the (relative) lack of variety compared to the French. So I remind him that whilst we have the (frankly revolting) Kraft Cheese Triangles they have their own equivalent :)

Having said that they do make a Blue Cheese Triangle which is marginally less disgusting... if you're desperate :)

Cheers, GD.

GlabrousD

  • Guest
Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2014, 02:33:19 PM »
Well the Chaource and a half have reached 20 days old and look good (to me) with a couple of blue spots but otherwise fine. They've been patted down regularly and have not been found to be carrying weapons or drugs. Didn't know that stop and search was OK for cheese, but there you go.

They feel a bit firm and don't appear to have any skin-slip... now I'm not sure when to start testing/eating.

Cheers, GD.


GlabrousD

  • Guest
Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2014, 06:17:49 AM »
Well I couldn't wait any longer so after 21 days I cut the smaller of the two cheeses open.

Absolutely no lovely runnyness inside I'm afraid despite the prolific bloom on the outside. Cold from the cave the taste was good if a bit salty... after warming up it bit the taste was worse... it's quite chalky in texture. :(

I'll try tasting again this evening when I get home but am hoping for greater things if I age the second (larger) cheese for longer.

Any suggestions as to what I might have done wrong please?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Cheers, GD.


JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #7 on: April 02, 2014, 06:33:09 AM »
Yes, definitely give the larger one more time to ripen.  It does appear you're getting some ripening near the edges as there's a bit of colour difference between the centre chalky bit and the paste as you get close to the rind.  So, it is ripening.  The larger one might not get much further, and hte larger form factor isn't in your favour to get ripening to the centre, but at the same time, you aren't suffering from it over ripening at the edges either so you can let it age more.  Just remember, it won't go "runny", or at least it shouldn't as that usually means slip-skin (gooey is good, runny is wrong : by runny I mean a liquid).  These are often eaten fresh (i.e. just after the mould blooms, or at full coverage), in which case you would have much like you do now.  They aren't like camembert or brie (just in case this is a new cheese to you). 

Now, that being said, I've only made a semi-lactic like this once or twice.  And they didn't soften, and they ran at the edges.  They were still tasty, to me, but we may like different things. 

Anyway, there are others who are much more knowledgeable about these kinds of cheeses and they will be able to give you more expert pointers.  I think your rind looks fantastic though, so you appear to have the right aging conditions.  A cheese to you for that!

- Jeff

GlabrousD

  • Guest
Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2014, 04:50:12 AM »
Thanks very much for the help and advice Jeff... and for the cheese! :)

I tried the cheese again last night both out of the fridge and later at room temperature. It is very Chaource-like though possibly a stronger taste. The rind is both thicker and more chewy but I love the rind anyhow so that's OK. We can get Chaource in the UK at US$5 and in Dubai at an eye-watering US$9 per cheese!

Thanks also for the runny/gooey distinction - of course you're correct... runny is only good in fondue. :) My French friend introduced me to Chaource and that was very gooey and delicious... almost like a St. Marcellin. It could well be that those were older and nearer to their "eat by" date. I know I've left (shop bought) Chaource in my fridge hoping for time to make it gooey and I've ended up with an ammonia-bomb. Still edible (though barely) as I refuse to throw cheese away :)

Thanks again for your help and continued support... I love this forum!

Cheers, GD.

PS. The next Chaource attempt will be with Camel milk. As normal rennet isn't very effective I'll be trying thistle rennet... could be great or vile - who knows :)



JeffHamm

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Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2014, 06:15:53 AM »
No problem.  Patting the mould down earlier in the game will help keep the rind thinner.  Did you just add PC as your mould?  Perhaps a wee smidge of Geo will help with the ripening?  Not too much or it will give you slip skin problems.   Anyway, I think you're probably pretty close, and maybe it just needs more time.

- Jeff

GlabrousD

  • Guest
Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2014, 07:20:34 AM »
Hiya Jeff,

I did add a pinch of each, PC and Geo and I'll certainly start patting the little fellas down a bit sooner next time.

Sadly time is something I'm very bad at... I want to taste everything as soon as it's made :)

Cheers, GD.

GlabrousD

  • Guest
Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #11 on: April 15, 2014, 05:27:27 AM »
Well the larger of the two Chaources has met its maker (literally). I ran out of cave space so it's been sliced in two for your amusement and entertainment and is currently being consumed every evening when I get home from work.

It's still chalky, like its little brother but with a good Chaource-like taste. Last photos below.

Cheers, GD.


JeffHamm

  • Guest
Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #12 on: April 15, 2014, 05:34:37 AM »
That looks pretty good actually.  The rind is nice and thin, and there's a bit of a nice border where the rind has softened the edges.  A cheese to you.

- Jeff

GlabrousD

  • Guest
Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #13 on: April 15, 2014, 10:20:17 AM »
Thanks very much Jeff - both for the kind words and the cheese :)

I think I'll give Brie a shot next... after I've tried your Caerphilly recipe that is.

Cheers, GD.

Matthewcraig

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Re: Chaource... ish
« Reply #14 on: April 16, 2014, 10:06:56 AM »
great looking cheese there a beautiful even rind, good luck with your brie and caerphilly