Author Topic: Mr. Blue the Second  (Read 4880 times)

sashap

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Mr. Blue the Second
« on: October 06, 2015, 04:42:12 PM »
After the success with my first blue I started the second. I hope for the best so I'll post updates on the go (not waiting some weeks to see if it's worth posting or not).

I strictly followed the recipe from H-K-J's blog and now it's at room temp for the first stage. Today in the morning I saw some blue signs, but I wasn't sure. Now, after 9 hours it's clearly and definitely blue! The smell this time is amazing! It smells like blue cheese from the start. Last time the smell was not too pleasant, but in the end it turned out to be very tasty. I cannot imagine what it will be like now!

This time I used a wonderful caciotta mold that I got for my birthday (the same day I started the cheese) and the cheese has a nice round shape.
I used 6l of raw caw's milk, 200ml of 35%cream, PR of the PV strain, MM101 as starter.
I had a bad start, the milk wouldn't coagulate at first and the flocculation time was over 30 minutes. I don't know what the problem is, I'll experiment with the variables to bring down this time (last time it was 40 minutes(!) and the cheese was wonderful, so I won't worry too much). I made a camembert earlier and the floc time was 5 minutes, so I can blame only the milk. But we'll see.

I left the milk disappointed and went with my wife to the steak house to celebrate. When we got home three hours later the curds were formed and it was the right time to laddle and drain them. The final drained cheese weights 915g (~2lb).

(Sorry for the bad quality of the photos, in real life it looks better)

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #1 on: October 06, 2015, 06:24:42 PM »
Have you smoothed that yet?
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sashap

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2015, 04:34:08 AM »
Have you smoothed that yet?
No, not yet. Today's the big day.

sashap

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2015, 06:16:15 AM »
Ok, we're ready for the next stage. After five days at room temp the blue has the party going, so I decided to smooth it and move to the fridge. I plan to keep it at 10-11 degrees, 90%+ humidity for as long as my will will allow it. I hope for something around 50 days. It will not be difficult, in November we plan to go on vacation for two weeks, so there will be no one to touch Mr. Blue (I assume I'll come back with the question "what to with Mr Blue while I'm on vacation?", but that's for another time).

Here are the before and after photos.

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #4 on: October 08, 2015, 02:00:15 PM »
You may have a problem with moisture if you don't air them.  I typically take mine out of the cave for an hour a day to let them air out and keep the rind dry and in tact. ;)
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sashap

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #5 on: October 08, 2015, 06:25:50 PM »
You may have a problem with moisture if you don't air them.  I typically take mine out of the cave for an hour a day to let them air out and keep the rind dry and in tact. ;)
I do the same, everyday. If I keep the container closed the moisture is too high, you are right. When I'll go on vacation I will leave the container opened and hope for the best.

-Alex
« Last Edit: October 10, 2015, 07:24:45 AM by Alex P. »

sashap

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2015, 10:36:50 AM »
I think I have a problem. There's a strong ammonia smell in the container, though I take it out for 30-60 minutes everyday. Today the smell is still present after 60 minutes out of the fridge. My previous cheese had the same smell, but after some minutes out it would disappear and was replaced with a pleasant blue cheese smell. This one has a pungent smell even after the aeration. Should I leave it out for more time?

Offline Gregore

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #7 on: October 12, 2015, 02:08:27 PM »
Ammonia is heavier than air so you might want to put the cheese on the lid and use the box part for a cover , the gas can escape easier this way.

Also by November when you go away it should be fine to wrap it in foil and put into the cold fridge, that should slow everything down for the time you are away.


Just so you know
Foil will stop the blue growth , proper breathable cheese wrap will allow some growth .  If you think your cheese is close to done use the foil , if it has a long way to go use the wrap.

sashap

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #8 on: October 12, 2015, 03:25:08 PM »
Ammonia is heavier than air so you might want to put the cheese on the lid and use the box part for a cover , the gas can escape easier this way.
Thanks for the hints, I knew that already and put the cheese on the lid. But the smell is still present. I'm afraid it's permanent...

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #9 on: October 12, 2015, 04:54:26 PM »
I simply cover mine in butter muslin while in the cave.  It held the mold in check from spreading and allowed them to air in the cave.  The ammonia smell does go away eventually and then you get that great blue smell!! ;D
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sashap

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #10 on: October 13, 2015, 06:52:26 AM »
I hope so! I couldn't eat it if it would smell like this in the end... Even with my love for them, I would let it go.

-Alex

Offline Gregore

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2015, 02:40:51 PM »
When it reaches the point that you think the blue has done what you want it to do and you want to just age it out , you should wrap it in foil and move it to the fridge , this will slow down the blues on the surface and allow the cheese to age without getting overly blue .

sashap

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #12 on: October 15, 2015, 08:04:14 AM »
I think I over reacted. In the last three days I allowed it to sit outside for more than an hour and the unpleasant smell seems to fade out. I was comparing it with my only previous experience, but this time I used more spores to inoculate the cheese and I held it at room temp for more time, so I think the PR is going faster and producing more ammonia. The surface mold is growing slowly, so I think I'll let it grow for another 2-3 weeks, then we'll see. I followed the advices on my other thread and learned my lesson. Pierced it last week, made more but smaller holes. I hope to deliver oxygen to all the veins inside, so that the blue feels comfortable.

Next month we are going to Hong Kong for two weeks, I must think of a good way to leave the cheese. Either wrap it or move to cooler temp to slow down the blue (maybe both).

-Alex

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #13 on: October 18, 2015, 03:46:35 PM »
Today's the updates day. I took a photo of Mr Blue during today's "aeration walk". The blue is developing nicely. The smell is strong when I open the lid, but it fades out in 30-40 minutes and I feel a nice blue cheese smell. I think we'll be ok after all. Today we ate the last piece of my previous blue, after awhile the veining became more and more blue. I will age this one more.

Here's the photo (in real life there's more blue, on the photo it seems white)

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: Mr. Blue the Second
« Reply #14 on: October 18, 2015, 04:18:08 PM »
You may want to try a little larger cheese next time. If it's a Stiltonesque you're going for they come out much better with size.  Stilton's made in England use 24 pounds of curd.  I did an 8 pound one and it came out great. ;)
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