Christmas Blue (Stiltonesque)

[Al Lewis]

Made a 4 pound blue for a friend for Christmas.  Used the molds I identified in another thread.  Flipped the cheese in the molds in a 70° F room for 6 days and then smoothed it and sat it out to form the rind.  We'll see how it develops.  I flip it every day.  Once the rind develops it's into the cave with a daily airing for an hour or two.  Used the usual recipe from New England Cheesemaking.  Using this method the ends tend to form the rind first as they are fully exposed to the air.  It's now 7 days old.

[Gregore]

Looks great for 7 days , keep us posted on how it comes out .

[OzzieCheese]

Ahh Al,  Finally back into the Blues.  As always, it looks lovely

--Mal

[awakephd]

Wow, that is impressive development for only 7 days! Definitely worthy of AC4U.

[Al Lewis]

Thanks guys.  The blue showed up on the fifth day.

[Al Lewis]

Okay, at the ten day mark and time for the cave.  Rind has developed nicely.  Liking the progress of this make.   I may pierce early on this one to give it plenty of time to develop its veining. 

[H-K-J]

Hi Al
Looking excellent
I have been trying to get back into making cheese, I need to make another blue.
we also need to make another Caerphilly, and we are down to our last piece of cheddar out of brie and and DANG.
So many cheeses so little time
AC4U gotta love the blues

[Al Lewis]

Just took another shot of this one today.  Rind is progressing nicely due to the daily airings for 1-2 hours.  Something you came up with H-J-K.  Will pierce this today I think.

[OzzieCheese]

Oh that looks wonderful Al ! AC fore Ye  ! I've got to step up my aging practice for my blues as the last one got a bad case of B.L. and turned it a bit stinky.. Inside is wonderful but the outside is ok but, the wife banned it to the outside fridge.  I let the rind get too moist and it was too late to try and dry it and I wasn't going to scrape it - that would have been disrespectful to the cheese.

-- Mal

[Al Lewis]

This one's getting a wee bit too dry so it's back in the cave for a few days.

[Al Lewis]

Took this out and pierced it again tonight.  Looking good.

[Stinky]

Mm, looks nice!

[Al Lewis]

Thanks! 

[OzzieCheese]

What lovely looking cheese - the rind is exactly what I would expect a Stilton  - By Al - to look like.  Very Noice

-- Mal

[Al Lewis]

Thanks Mal and Merry Christmas!!  Okay, I pierced this one again yesterday.  Piercing schedule/technique I use is this.  Once the rind has formed pierce with a 1/8" 3 mm stainless steel needle/pin, a large thermometer probe works well, from top to bottom every inch.  Start with a hole in the center and work your way out in a wagon wheel pattern.  Next day pierce sides at alternating up 30° angles and the next row down 30° angles.  One row every inch 25 mm. Go completely around the wheel in this pattern stopping just short of the center.  Wait four days and repeat.  The original wholes should be closed up by this time but don't worry if they're not.  This one is displaying good veining but needs time to mature.