Author Topic: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images  (Read 4817 times)

Offline Danbo

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Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« on: March 23, 2015, 09:16:54 AM »
Hi there,

27 February 2015 I made an Asiago with Pepper. Here are my make notes with images (PDF-format).

:-) Danbo

qdog1955

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2015, 09:48:29 AM »
Looking good.
Couple questions-----why do you think the PH meter was funkie? The marks seem to be about where mine were, except a faster drop.
How did you come up with the gram measurements for the lh-100 and t61----these recipes that call for a tad or 1/64th tsp. drive me crazy---but haven't been able to find a way to convert to grams, so I can use my scale. Are you just guessing? :)
 I have started using mother cultures for those two cultures---but haven't made up my mind yet on the mothers.
Qdog

Offline Danbo

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2015, 02:16:48 PM »
Thanks for commenting Qdoq (is it your lovely dog in the Avatar?)...

My PH-meter was fluctuating more than usual in this make and I had only a PH7-calibrationbuffer (no PH4). I guess that the measurement are OK if you had similar values. :-)

If you have a high pecision weight everything becomes a lot easier. My weight has a resolution down to 0,01 gram and weighs up to 50 grams.

Only a very small corner needs to be cut off the culture bag. This makes it easy to pour out the granulate without contaminating it with utensils/air.


Converting volume measurement into weight measurements

1. Take 5 ml (1 tsp) of culture (MM100 in this example) and weigh it. Let's assume that the result is 1,75 grams.

2. Divide the result with 5 and you will have the weight of 1 ml of MM100. The result in this example is 1 ml = 0,35 grams. Use this conversion for the rest of the bag for future makes.

Example:
A recipe calls for 1/4 tsp of Choozit MM100:
Volume: 1/4 tsp = 5 ml * 1/4 tsp = 1,25 ml
Weight: 1,25 ml * 0,35 grams = 0,44 grams

Different cultures have different desities, hense a conversion value should be established for each culture.


What about DCU? (only for the nerds): :o

The strenght of a culture can also vary from batch to batch. Therefore Danisco/Choozit made a unit called DCU - but that's quite a different story. DCU is a nice unit because it takes the strength of the culture into account.

If a recipe calls for 1 DCU then look at the culture bag. There will be a total weight (let's say 9,7 grams) and a total number of DCUs in the bag (let's say 25 DCUs). 1 DCU in this example would be 9,7 grams / 25 DCUs = 0,39 grams.

Another batch of culture could be less active and the contents of the 25 DCU bag this time weighs 11,6 grams. In this case 1 DCU will weigh 11,6 grams / 25 DCU = 0,46 grams.

If you really want to be precise then use DCUs. If you have a favorite recipe then convert to DCU - this makes it easier to be precise in the future.

Let's take an example:

A recipe calls for 1/4 tsp (1,25 ml) of MM100. We have established that 1 ml of our MM100 weighs 0,35 grams. We need 1,25 * 0,35 = 0,44 grams for the make. The culture in the 25 DCU bag weighs a 9,7 grams in total. 1 DCU is therefore 0,39 grams. Number of DCUs needed in this recipe is therefore 0,39 grams / 0,35 grams = 1,11 DCU.

At a later time we want to make this cheese again. This time we have a 125 DCU culture bag with contents weighing 57,5 grams in total. 1 DCU is therefore 0,46 grams (57,5/125). We have earlier established that the recipe calls for 1,11 DCU. Therefore we now need 1,11 DCU * 0,46 grams = 0,51 grams.


I know.... Nerdy! ;-). Remember that everything really does not need to be that precise! :-)

:-) Danbo
« Last Edit: March 23, 2015, 08:24:47 PM by Danbo »

qdog1955

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2015, 03:49:34 PM »
Danbo----Yes---that's my 120 lb. baby boy ( Blaise ) ----thanks for the info---I can make that work. I realize the measurements don't have to be exact-----but when they call for 1/64 tsp.---I mean seriously!!
 By the way,----some of the Alpine recipes I have from Sailor----he uses very small amounts of LH100 and TA61, sprinkled on top in 5 gallon makes, though I'm not exactly sure why so little. The mother cultures he uses are a different story.
Qdog

Mermaid

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2015, 04:10:38 PM »
Wow looks great and your notes are very easy to understand. Thank you!
Why did you both put the peppercorns in the middle instead of distributing in entire cheese? Does it have to do with keeping the rind solid?

Stinky

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2015, 05:31:06 PM »
Danbo, such a coincidence! We amazingly must have made the same thing on the exact same day! Wow!  ;)

Wow looks great and your notes are very easy to understand. Thank you!
Why did you both put the peppercorns in the middle instead of distributing in entire cheese? Does it have to do with keeping the rind solid?

It was in the recipe. I think the rind would be fine, but the dangerous thing is that molds take hold where they can, and the more peppercorns you have on the outside the bigger risk of scary mold. That's my guess.

Offline Danbo

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2015, 08:52:27 PM »
Qdog: 1/64 tsp is a very small amount and I agree that it's very hard to measure 0,08 ml. If it was my batch of MM100 the weight would be 0,08 * 0,35 = 0,03 g. So even with a good 0,01 g resolution scale it's stretching the limits. I'm ofter surprised how different culture amounts are from recipe to recipe...


Mermaid: Thanks a lot! :-)


Stinky: Yeah, that's really weird that we made exactly the same cheese at the same time. Cheese clairvoyance perhaps? ;-)

Stinky

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2015, 09:06:19 PM »
Stinky: Yeah, that's really weird that we made exactly the same cheese at the same time. Cheese clairvoyance perhaps? ;-)

Really must be. We posted our make notes pretty close together, too.  :o

Stinky

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2015, 07:44:04 PM »
How long are you going to age this?

Offline Danbo

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #9 on: April 02, 2015, 08:06:48 PM »
Let's age our cheeses the same period of time. They are after all born the same day... ;-)


What's your plan? 2-3 months total?


:-) Danbo

Stinky

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #10 on: April 02, 2015, 08:11:51 PM »
I'd like to age at least part of it a bit longer, maybe 4 months? But I'd be interested in cutting part of it at 2-3 months. :) In fact, 2 months might be fun to see the difference between lipase and non-lipase.

Offline Danbo

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #11 on: April 02, 2015, 08:32:10 PM »
Just let me know when you're going to cut. I think it sounds fun with 2 / 4 months... :-)

Stinky

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #12 on: April 02, 2015, 08:53:23 PM »
Will do. Same with you.  :D

Also once you start making cheese we should do another simultaneous make day.

Offline Danbo

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #13 on: April 03, 2015, 07:27:38 AM »
It's a deal! Anyone else up for the challenge? Making the same cheese across the globe? :-)

Mermaid

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Re: Asiago with pepper - make notes and images
« Reply #14 on: June 07, 2015, 10:22:46 PM »
Have you eaten/sampled this yet?