Camembert and Geo

[ksk2175]

In the various recipes for Camembert that I've come across, about 50% of them add Geo Candidum to the mix ,albeit in very small dosage. Many of them state it's optional.  Is there a general consensus on the benefits of adding it versus not?  How much does it affect the flavor?

Thanks for your opinions...

[Fritz]

I've made 2 batches ofcamembert with geo and two without so far .... I'm going to go back to adding geo.
It seems to cream the center better and not get too overripe on the surface... Rather seems to stabilize the PC from going to ammonia too quickly...  I use pasteurized full milk from my own cow for cams.

Hope that helps
.

[Gregore]

With a reblochon the geo is raising the ph on the surface of the cheese so the B linens can get a better start ,

I would guess that it also helps in a cam to some degree.

Here is some interesting reading

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC93228/?report=classic

[AnnDee]

I did camembert without geo before and they end up with a slip skin, so I think maybe geo help prevent that somehow.

[ksk2175]

With a reblochon the geo is raising the ph on the surface of the cheese so the B linens can get a better start ,

I would guess that it also helps in a cam to some degree.

Here is some interesting reading

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC93228/?report=classic

Thanks for the link ... interesting ...

[ksk2175]

Last time I made cams, the PC to Geo ratio was not as far apart as I think it needed to be so the cams were really Geo heavy.  I decided on my #2 attempt to make sure to correct that ratio and not over-do it with the Geo.  I used 1/8tsp of PC and a very small skewer tip of Geo.  We'll See how this batch turns out ...

[Fritz]

We (I) look forward to your results... I use about 1:64 tsp geo and about 1/2 tsp PC per 3.5 gal batch.

[awakephd]

Interesting - 1/2 tsp of PC is about 10 times more than I use! I use 1/32 tsp of PC in a 2-gallon batch, along with 1/64 tsp of geo. I've not felt any need for more PC, but now I wonder what would happen if I used more ...

[ksk2175]

Interesting - 1/2 tsp of PC is about 10 times more than I use! I use 1/32 tsp of PC in a 2-gallon batch, along with 1/64 tsp of geo. I've not felt any need for more PC, but now I wonder what would happen if I used more ...

I will let you all know how my ratio turns out ... so far... when I tuned my new cams over last night, they were sticky but felt a different sticky than last time when I was very Geo heavy and PC light.  Sorry, that is about as descriptive as I can get ... differently sticky ...   

[awakephd]

Clearly we need to invent a new vocabulary! Maybe we can create variations of "sticky" - sticky vs. shticky vs. stichy, for example. Clearly, just by the sound, shticky is a gummier, goopier stickiness, while stichy is much drier.

[ksk2175]

Then mine are currently stichy. 

[Fritz]

Is that more "honey" sticky or "pine sap" kinda sticky? Because mine feel more like the "clammy handshake" sticky.... Lol

Ya' just checked the Choozit PC neige sticker...says 1/8 tsp per 6L/ 1.5 gallons... My pot is closer to 4 gal so my no read recipe is a thin 1\2 tsp ... Seems to work well with my cows milk this time of year...

[ksk2175]

Is that more "honey" sticky or "pine sap" kinda sticky? Because mine feel more like the "clammy handshake" sticky.... Lol

Ya' just checked the Choozit PC neige sticker...says 1/8 tsp per 6L/ 1.5 gallons... My pot is closer to 4 gal so my no read recipe is a thin 1\2 tsp ... Seems to work well with my cows milk this time of year...

So many descriptions of sticky.... last night they felt more like the touch of a large inflated latex rubber ball... kind of a dry/sticky.  lol