Taleggio #1

[Trumpeteer]

So yesterday I embarked on the journey into washed rind cheeses, a Taleggio.

My recipe is as follows from Mary Karlin's Artisan Cheese Making at Home...

2 Gallons of Whole Unhomogenized Milk
1/4 tsp Meso Starter (MM 100)
Pinch b. Linens
1/4 tsp CaCl
1/4 tsp Rennet
Kosher Salt

Heat to 90F. Add starter and b.Linens and ripen for 1 hr. Add CaCl then Rennet, Cover and let sit for 30 minutes or until clean break. (took me nearly 40min) Cut curds into 3/4 inch pieces and let sit for 5 minutes. Gently Stir for 30 minutes, removing 2 cups of whey every ten minutes, then let sit for 10 more minutes. Fill Taleggio mold with curds and allow to drain for 12 hrs, flipping every two hours. ( I bought a second bottom plat for this mold to help with flipping) Brine in a saturated brine for 8 hours flipping once halfway through. Remove from brine and air dry for 24 hours at room temp. Place in ripening box at 50F and 90%RH flipping daily. wash with brine of 1/2 cup water with 1 tsp salt added. Discard and make fresh brine weekly. Flip and wash cheese every two days for 4-5 weeks. ( I will be washing daily only 1 side per day, alternating)


I wasn't particularly diligent about taking photos during my make but I plan on updating daily. So to start here is a photo fresh out of the brine.

[LoftyNotions]

That's a nice start, Trumpeteer. Have a cheese from me.

Are you seeing any color yet?

Larry

[Trumpeteer]

No colour what so ever,,, I can only assume I have done something wrong but for the life of me I can't figure it out,,,  I have been washing,, airing it out as well,  any ideas as to where I am going wrong?

[serano]

Trumpeteer, i started a Tallegio type the same date as you and mine is the same, no color to speak of.  I have done a few washed rinds before this and found the same thing.  Mine generally start to develop color around week 4 or 5. i just keep plugging away with washing until the linens starts to show.

I dont have/add any geo (same as your recipe), and this may slow the development of B.Linens.  It may also be the strain of linens i have, as a friend has a different brand and his develop quite quickly under the same conditions.

[Trumpeteer]

So I am finally getting a bit of orange developing in the grooves,, also though I have been developing small bits of blue as well in the grooves,, which I am having quite a bit of trouble getting rid of,, they just keep coming back,,, any suggestions to keep the blues at bay?

[Boofer]

Try to gently ease the blues out with a clean toothpick with a little brine and if that doesn't seem to be getting the job done, include a little vinegar. When you're satisfied with your cleaning, dab the grooves dry with a clean paper towel.

HTH.

-Boofer-

[Al Lewis]

  Read this.

[Trumpeteer]

So I have been using toothpicks to manage the blue growth and today I went to go wash only to find that it seems to have exploded with PC, I am really starting to feel like this is an uphill battle,, is it safe to assume same removal process as with the blue,, toothpicks and brine?   picture included below.

[Boofer]

Are you washing the cheese? That helps to keep the bad guys at bay.

-Boofer-

[Trumpeteer]

I have been washing every day alternating sides

[Trumpeteer]

So I finally deemed the taleggio to be done with it starting to ooze out of the corners,,, My biggest impression was that it was just far too salty which I am attributing to the brining rather than measured surface salting.  Otherwise it had a fairly mild B.linens flavour but overall  came out as a very lack luster make. I will try this again in the future changing the salting method..

[H-K-J]

Although I'm not a taleggio fan, this looks excellent
AC4U

[Trumpeteer]

Thank You for the cheese

[John@PC]

Really nice result and appearance.  Another cheese for your advice on nixing the brining .

[Boofer]

nixing the brining

I think that brining is acceptable, you just have to control how long the cheese is in there. My last effort was just a shade too salty, but that means next time I'll remove it a little earlier. Also, I had added extra salt on the flat surface after I put the cheese in the whey-brine. I probably don't need to do that. 

-Boofer-