My first port salut

[tashad]

I made this using the recipe in 200 Easy Homemade Cheese, and have followed the washing instructions except that instead of washing every other day for the entire time I've slowed to every 3 or 4 days for the last couple of weeks.  Yesterday, I noticed that there were a few spots that seemed like the rind was loose, as though there was an air bubble or small pocket of liquidy cheese underneath.  I made a little cut into one spot and sure enough, the cheese in that spot had the consistency of pudding.  The wheel as a whole is not as soft as I had imagined it would be at this point, but I'm going from a book, so... I had seen references to slip skin before, so I started searching around the forum to see if that is actually what was happening, and if it's fatal to the cheese.  It seems like slip skin seems to be largely associated with geo, which I didn't add (it wasn't called for in the recipe and I wasn't aware that it's often used along with b. linens), and haven't seen any signs of.  It still seemed that slip skin is the most likely diagnosis though.  So, based on a number of threads I moved it farther down in the wine cooler where the temp is a few degrees lower, and cracked the lid on the container just a tiny bit to lower the humidity a little.  This morning, there's a big crack in it.  Today marks 6 weeks since I made it, and I had hoped to leave it another couple of weeks before cutting into it (unless my impatience got the better of me.) So my question is where should I go from here?  Can I continue to age this as is for another couple of weeks?  Leave it as is in its container and move to the regular fridge where it's colder?  Cut and wrap and move to the fridge?  The first picture is from 3 or 4 days ago, second pic is this morning.  There is a whiff of garbage or something like that when I open the container, but less so when I get right up close to the cheese and smell it.  I tasted a bit of the pudding ooze, and it tasted good.  Ha!  I know I'm getting braver about cheese when I smell that and still go ahead and taste it.  The paste that I tasted didn't have that smell at all though.  Should I be concerned about that smell?

[Gregore]

Very nice looking cheese .   You did have goe naturally on it and that raised the ph at the surface and then the b linens took over , you may have noticed that at about day 5 or so it got really slimy .... That was geo.

I would do something to cover the crack like butter or lard and then age out a little more  ,

 it should be in the regular fridge and wrapped . I would think that another week or so , but it is hard to,say for sure as you do not mention the cheeses size and this could effect the aging time.

When you do cut it , do so right in half and if it is not ready yet put back together and wrap  and age out a little more .  Or just enjoy the more tart center with a creamy gooey outside

[tashad]

Thanks Gregore.  It's now wrapped and in the fridge.  Not checking on it every day or two will make it easier to refrain from cutting it for a little longer.   I had another tiny taste when the soft spot oozed a bit more, and now I'm even more eager for it. 

It started its life as 12L of milk, and is about 7.5" in diameter by about 1.25"

[Boofer]

Beautiful color on that cheese, Tasha. I've pulled a cracked cheese back together by vacuum-sealing it. When I do that, the rind is dry.

The recommendation to move it to the colder fridge is good to slow down the ripening and allow the rest of the cheese to catch up. The cracked rind possibly resulted when the humidity in your minicave (ripening container) was too low. Of course you are taking good notes for your next effort.

What did you wrap it with? Cheese paper, foil, parchment paper, plastic wrap?

-Boofer-

[tashad]

Thanks Boofer !  It's wrapped in my newly acquired soft cheese wrapping paper from Glengarry.  I've been reading through all the old posts in the washed rind section, and noticed that my paper looks just like what you used to wrap your taleggio.  I'm taking notes, and trying to remember to take pictures more often than I have in the past.  Based on the tiny tastes I've had so far, I am definitely going to want to make this again.  From what I've read recently, I think attempts at taleggio and reblochon are in my not too distant future as well. And maybe a caraway esrom...  I wasn't very adventurous with cheese before, and have hardly ever had any washed rind types.  But between the pictures and descriptions of taste and texture that I've seen on the forum here, and then the taste of this one, I've become almost convinced that these are going to be my most favorite cheeses.  The cheese that's been missing all my life.

[Gregore]

Reblochon is abosolutly my favorite cheese .

A cheese 4 you just for liking washed rinds

[tashad]

Thanks for the cheese, Gregore!

[tashad]

Well,  I couldn't resist any longer, and had to cut it.  I think it's not quite ready, but I'm ready to eat it so it's portioned up and mostly vacuum packed.  I took a page from Boofer's book and scrubbed the b. linens coating off.  It looked nice, but I want my family to eat it and there's no way any of them would even taste it with that smelly, smelly skin on it.  It had a bit right out of the fridge, and it was pretty tasty, even the rind.  The rest of the wedge is coming up to room temp for my eating enjoyment in a little while.

[Boofer]

Congrats, Tasha! Looks like the crack healed up pretty well.

When you began this post, the cheese was six weeks old and that was two weeks ago. Perhaps that semi-firm core could have ripened more if you'd wrapped and moved the cheese to the colder fridge a little earlier?

How does it appeal to your senses?

I ask that instead of "how does it taste?" because it seems like a cheese should market itself through:

• eye appeal...Does it look soft, inviting and creamy? Does it have eyes/holes?
• a delightful bouquet...Is it a washed rind with a slight stench to the nostrils?
• texture...Parmesan should be hard; Epoisses should be spoonable.
• taste...Is it sweet & creamy from grassfed animals? Does it have a complex flavor...with a meaty tone or a bite?

Have a cheese for your efforts. Good effort!

-Boofer-

[Duntov]

There is a whiff of garbage or something like that when I open the container, but less so when I get right up close to the cheese and smell it.  I tasted a bit of the pudding ooze, and it tasted good.  Ha!  I know I'm getting braver about cheese when I smell that and still go ahead and taste it. 

AC4U for bravery!  A good cheese is in the smell of the beholder.

[Fritz]

Nice wheel, Tashad!
Seeing a cheese opened up here on the forms with pictures ... is always a good thing 

A cheese  for you ... Keep em coming !

F

[tashad]

Thanks for the cheeses!

I know it's not quite how it *should* be.  Most of it is still semi-firm, and during the time that it was wrapped and in the cold fridge the softness didn't seem to move in towards the center at all.  The soft oozy part just under the rind tastes incredible.  It's kind of salty and not at all acidic, definitely more of an umami kind of flavor.  The firmer inner portion is a bit grainy, and has a bit of an acidic tang to it.  It's definitely a washed rind with a bit of a stench (more like feet now than garbage, thankfully), but not so much that it puts me off from eating the rind.  I bought a wedge of Saint Paulin not long before making this one, and I expected (hoped) it would be more like that than it is.  But, having said all that, I like it and will eat it.  My dad and step mom have been visiting for the last few days, and had no preconceived ideas of what the cheese would be like, and they absolutely loved it.  Devoured the wedge that I put out last night, and happily took a big chunk home with them today.

I'm going to attempt another washed rind again very soon; now that I'm armed with more knowledge, a bit of experience, and my new PH meter and copy of Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking.  

I do have a question though.  How does one know that it's time to move it to the fridge?  The recipe I was using doesn't mention moving it to a colder fridge at all.

[Boofer]

I'm going to attempt another washed rind again very soon; now that I'm armed with more knowledge, a bit of experience, and my new PH meter and copy of Mastering Artisan Cheesemaking.  

Yay!!! That's the spirit!

Seems like you got validation with this cheese from your dad and step-mom. Have a cheese. 

If a cheese seems like the rind is ripening a little too quick and that the core might not ripen before the whole thing just oozes away, then I'll wrap it and move it to the colder fridge to slow down the rind development and give the core more opportunity to ripen.

One of the key issues with some washed rind, schmier-ripened, and PC-ripened cheeses is form factor. How thick is the cheese wheel (?) compared to the width? If a cheese is too thick, ripening will be impaired. This early effort made with Kadova moulds was almost too thick, but getting the Reblochon moulds made all the difference.

-Boofer-