Author Topic: suggestions?  (Read 1360 times)

jmason

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suggestions?
« on: May 22, 2015, 03:55:02 AM »
I am looking to find a decent everyday melting cheese that doesn't take too long to age and yet has a decent flavor.  So far I am kind of leaning towards trying a tilsit, although maybe one of the chorter aged and lighter pressed cheddered types might be worth a try.  Preferably something that ages in under 6 weeks.

John

Kern

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Re: suggestions?
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2015, 04:02:01 AM »
I think six weeks pushes it on a cheddar-type cheese although a Caerphilly is said to be best at two months.  I'd take a look at a Butterkase.  There are a number of threads on this cheese scattered about the forum.  I just opened one last week at one month.  It was good but with a slight lactic bitterness at the end.  The other half is vacuum packed and will be opened in late June.  Hopefully, the bitterness will have passed into a distant memory.

qdog1955

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Re: suggestions?
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2015, 10:56:31 AM »
Probably sound like a broken record----try a fresh cheese---Queso Fresco----ready in a day----melts well----can add almost any thing to it----true, you can only keep it a week or two----but when in a hurry, it's great, especially with hot peppers-----New England cheese site has a pretty good recipe.
Qdog

Stinky

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Re: suggestions?
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2015, 12:58:12 PM »
You could also try a fast ripening DG, but I'd suggest getting a bit more experience before trying that.

Tilsit may be a bit of a learning experience, what with it being a smeared rind cheese.

Offline H-K-J

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Re: suggestions?
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2015, 01:40:50 PM »
You can't beat a good and easy 6 week old Caerphilly, done right, perfect, done not so right? Perfect.
I have some in the cave that is over 6 months old, yum yum! Not as good as a 6 month old cheddar, mind you,
But, you gotta remember it's not made or aged like a cheddar.
MBH loves Caerphilly even at 3 weeks, she uses it in grilled cheese sandwiches and just loves it in her mac and cheese. I think, you can't beat a properly aged cheddar, Caerphilly is a very close second 8)
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Offline awakephd

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Re: suggestions?
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2015, 04:28:46 PM »
There is a Lancashire recipe floating around this forum that is very good at 6 weeks. I confess that I haven't tried to melt it on something like a grilled cheese sandwhich, but it worked very well in an omelet the other day (along with some 5-month old swiss and 12-month old parmesan).
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jmason

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Re: suggestions?
« Reply #6 on: May 22, 2015, 04:32:20 PM »
Thanks guys!  Some good suggestions.  Not too worried about trying new molds, yeasts and bacteria.  I have good micro training and am actually thinking of doing some isolations from store bought cheeses.  My camemberts are getting pretty decent.  My blue is coming along and showing promise.  The Neufchatel, although I am getting to like it, is probably not true to the style and at least in my experience is not that easy a cheese to do, really I find it more challenging than the cams.  My biggest issue is with curing space at the moment.  I am often maxing out my wine fridge trying to keep up with camemberts as I am eating 4+ oz a day of them and really digging them.  Hopefully this will soon be remedied if I can find a decent price on a small chest freezer to convert. 

John

jmason

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Re: suggestions?
« Reply #7 on: May 24, 2015, 03:17:37 PM »
Well guys, I made a cheese.  Kind of based on the caerphilly and lancashire  recipes.  Came out of the mold this morning and into the room temp/drying box.  It all went pretty well, and was not very difficult, so far.  It was nice to move onto a new style of cheese making and try cheddering.  With the comfort level that I had during the make it is also a affirmation that reading, learning about fundamentals and the whys and hows of different cheese making styles really pays off.  A nod to the forum creator(s) who laid the forum out based on these fundamental make styles, it really makes sense. 

I will post the make in the appropriate forum after the morning bread baking and other chores are done and I have a chance to review my notes  in my "journal de fromage".  From some of the past threads I read on these 2 styles I think this will keep me happy until I can get a larger cave version 2.0.  Thanks again to all who answered my original post, the suggestions and advice were very helpful.

One question, or maybe 2.  Would a light salt rub be beneficial in helping to develop a protective rind?  Would a lard/muslin bandage be appropriate/beneficial for this cheese which I am planning to age 6-8 weeks, subject of course to what I observe during the aging?  Thanks all, AC4allU

John
« Last Edit: May 25, 2015, 02:50:24 PM by jmason »

Stinky

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Re: suggestions?
« Reply #8 on: May 24, 2015, 03:36:59 PM »
I'd start out with just trying a natural rind. Or you could olive oil it.

Kern

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Re: suggestions?
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2015, 02:21:26 AM »
I agree with Stinky.  Since you are short aging it just turn it every other day and look for mold.  If you seen any wipe it off with a mixture of 1 cup of water, 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of vinegar.  Depending upon your cave you may have to do this every three of four days.  After about 4 weeks the rind should be developed enough so that mold can't get a good grip and the washings can be stretched out. 

I've got a two month old Cheshire that I rub with olive oil about every ten days.  This works also.