Author Topic: My Castle Blue (#1)  (Read 5239 times)

Offline Boofer

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My Castle Blue (#1)
« on: November 07, 2015, 01:25:36 PM »
Yesterday, I followed my 100th cheese with this effort. Following the recipe in 200 Easy Homemade Cheese recipes, the pH was reluctant to drop and stretched out the make for several hours. It occurred to me later that the Aroma B culture I used is a slow acidifier (like FD) and should have been assisted with a little MM100.

This may be in time for a little holiday delight. :P

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Let's ferment something!
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olikli

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2015, 02:49:57 PM »
What diameter are these and how much milk did you use? I am planning on making my first blue soon but I've been wondering about the minimum size for a veined blue.

Offline Boofer

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2015, 07:10:31 PM »
This was a 2 gallon make with creamline milk using standard Camembert moulds (as shown). 11cm x 10.7cm.

The recipe called for 3 moulds, but I decided to just use the two.

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Offline Boofer

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2015, 10:57:31 PM »
Status check at 10 days shows good blue development.

Yesterday I pierced the cheese for the first time. I expect to pierce it a second time in two weeks. Shortly after that I'll wrap it in the new blue cheese foil paper I just received from Steve Shapson.

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Let's ferment something!
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Offline Boofer

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2015, 06:18:13 PM »
I pierced the cheeses for the second time and wrapped them up. Not too sure how this will play out, but I moved them to the big colder fridge for slower affinage. I expect to check them in another 2-3 weeks.

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
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Offline Gobae

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #5 on: November 30, 2015, 01:06:45 PM »
Have you ever used the Formaticum cheese paper? (http://www.amazon.com/Formaticum-Cheese-Adhesive-Package-14-Inch/dp/B002I47P40) I was wondering if it's comparable to the blue cheese foil or if the foil is better?

Offline Gregore

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #6 on: December 01, 2015, 06:42:45 AM »
I have used the formaticum paper for cheeses that need to breath as they age , so I suspect that it would not be best for blue cheese .

Offline Gobae

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #7 on: December 01, 2015, 03:03:37 PM »
Ok, good to know; thanks!

amiriliano

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #8 on: December 01, 2015, 06:33:15 PM »
Looking good Boofer. Keep us updated. AC4U

Offline Boofer

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #9 on: December 11, 2015, 07:13:14 AM »
This morning I was in a bleu mood and decided I'd give this a go. It's been five weeks. The other one can perhaps go another five weeks.

I triered it and the core sample looked and tasted very creamy...not chalky. There was a slight tang to the palate when I first tasted this cheese. Rather nice.  :P :)

Cutting into this cheese showed a very slight blue presence.  Inside the foil wrapping the cheese grew Geo over the blue that had been so dominant. The wispy white growth extended perhaps a pencil-width from the cheese surface. It was easily tamped down.

This effort inspires me to put this little bleu on the RETRY list.

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Offline Andrew Marshallsay

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #10 on: December 11, 2015, 11:24:24 AM »
A beautiful looking cheese. You can see from the photo that it is really creamy. It's making my mouth water just looking at it.
A cheese to you for making me drool.
- Andrew

Offline Boofer

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #11 on: December 12, 2015, 06:47:31 AM »
A beautiful looking cheese. You can see from the photo that it is really creamy. It's making my mouth water just looking at it.
A cheese to you for making me drool.
Thanks for the cheese, Andrew. Happy to assist with your salivary efforts.  ;)

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

Revilo

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #12 on: January 07, 2016, 03:03:29 PM »
These look great! A cheese for you  :D

Do they still count as surface ripened (with the piercing helping with internal ripening)? And are there any guidelines for the piercing size e.g. depending on moisture content?

I have been attempting Stilton but still need to get the moisture content right. I'll have to add these to my list of cheeses to make, which somehow never seems to get shorter  :-\

Stinky

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #13 on: January 07, 2016, 03:45:56 PM »
Beautiful! +C to you.

Offline Al Lewis

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Re: My Castle Blue (#1)
« Reply #14 on: January 07, 2016, 11:12:34 PM »
Nice looking blues Boofer!!  AC4U my friend! ;D
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