The Blues ain't about feeling bad....

[Flound]

...they're about making delicious cheese.

With that in mind, I've embarked on my first Stilton-esque, co-opted from the good Dr. Hamm's adaption of Pav's make.

Stilton(esque) 1 - 14/03/24

12L Farmers Homo 3.25% M.F.
500ml Farmers Blend Cream 10% M.F.
2.3ml CaCl in 60ml solution
2.6ml single strength calf rennet in 60ml solution
4 cubes mesophilic Arom B
Blue mold from castello blue cheese

10:30 milk, cream, ice cubes put into double boiler, warming to room temperature. Temp 11.4C
11:10 temp 15.2C pH 6.9
11:20 temp 15.6C pH 6.9
11:27 added CaCl solution, drop of milk went in by oopsie. Temp 16.4C
12:08 temp 19.0C heating until 30.0C pH 6.8
12:38 temp 23.0C pH 6.8
12:54 temp 26.4C pH 6.7
13:30 temp 30.0C pH 6.7 blue mold added
13:55 temp 30.8C pH 6.7
14:43 temp 31.0C pH 6.6
15:08 temp 34.0C Not sure on temp spike, pH 6.5, still dropping. Edit, burner got turned on low setting. Cooled bath from 38C to manageable 32C, oooops.
15:44 temp 33.5C pH 6.5 flickered to 6.4, adding rennet solution. Floc time started 15:45ish
15:57 floc at 11:30m 4x floc multiplier - cut curd at 16:32 - temp 33.4C
16:32 cut curd into 2.5cm, finished at 16:37, started stirring temp 32.6C
17:06 started 30 mins occasional stir temp 32.4C
17:13 stirred temp 32.2C
17:36 poured off whey, transferred to lined colander, will let drain/build up acidity over night.
17:58 finished above process, heating whey for ricotta.

I'm excited for this one....blues are one of most favourite cheeses, especially with steak.

[JeffHamm]

Very cool Flound!  I've not tried making ricotta from a blue.  You might want to use it up very quickly.  But then, maybe blue ricotta will be a great discovery?  Anyway, check out H-J-K's threads on his blue makes.  Do the smoothing as soon as you see blue mould developing.  I've found (in my two makes) that if you only smooth after the 5 days, if the blue mould has gone into overdrive it doesn't smooth well, and the mould gets too far ahead of the rest of the cheese.  So, check daily, when you see blue mould smooth it, and that will slow the blue mould progression to keep things on the proper time schedule. 

- Jeff

[Flound]

Its funny you mentioned the ricotta. Bill, formerly of Fred fame, wanted to bring some to her co-worker, who loves my ricotta.

She seem surprised when I said it might not be a good idea.

"It's not that I don't want her to have any, but this is ricotta made from a type of blue cheese. I'm not sure if 92C is gonna kill the Penicillium roqueforti or turn it into Super Bacteria, but perhaps Barb might not be the guinea pig on this one. Besides, she might not like her ricotta spouting mould after two days." (I used p. roqueforti in the statement, all pontificatey cheese like)

[JeffHamm]

Yah, it might kill it off, but I'm not sure.  And P.Roc. is a mould, not a bacteria, so it would be a super mould rather than a super bacteria.  B.Linens is a bacteria.  It doesn't need any more super powers though.

- Jeff

[Flound]

Pfft, Bill's never gonna know.

She was swooning with desire when penicillium roqueforti rolled off my tongue.

[Flound]

Back at it this morning! Gotta love blizzard, stay at home days....

9:45 roughly 16hrs draining overnight, milled into smaller pieces, about 0.75-1.0cm, but some pieces smaller.
10:00 packed into mould, no pressing, first of four 15 minute flips, placed egg crate above warm water in pot (38C)
10:16 flipped, inverted mould on top of follower.
10:30 flipped, follower on top, no weight
10:45 flipped, inverted mould on top of follower. Weight 1490g

Just about to start a series of four 30 minute flips at the eleventh hour.

[Matthewcraig]

Looking good some really nice crevasis in there should produce some nice blue veins, may I ask how big the mould is that you used

[Flound]

Looking good some really nice crevasis in there should produce some nice blue veins, may I ask how big the mould is that you used

It would be a 7.5" Tomme.

[JeffHamm]

That's looking good! 

- Jeff

[Flound]

That's looking good! 

- Jeff

You are my greatest inspiration, my friend. Indeed, your example has served a noble purpose.

[Al Lewis]

That's one good looking blue you have there.  Great job!

[Flound]

So it's been almost exactly four days of being in the mould, and Viola, bless her heart, there were traces of blue mould stating to grow.

Into a freshly sanitized ripening box, and into the cave. I'm assuming there's far too little growth to start smoothing.

I'm tickled blue.

[H-K-J]

Yup wait till tomorrow, the blue on my latest Stilton wasn't there at all on day 4 but on day 5 BOOM!! there it was 

[Flound]

Yup wait till tomorrow, the blue on my latest Stilton wasn't there at all on day 4 but on day 5 BOOM!! there it was 

It'll be as Captain Blue of the H.K.J.S. Roqueforti commands. Tomorrow we look for more blue sign.

[JeffHamm]

Yah, it can come on fast and furious, so keep an eye on it.  The blue will still develop a bit inside when you smooth, then when you pierce it will flourish.  The thing is you want the timing to be right, and too blue too soon is not the ideal.  You need the paste and curds to do some maturing first, then you want the blue to kick in later to evolve it into luxury.  This looks like a good make, so I think you'll be very pleased with the end result.

- Jeff