Tomme Cheese Making Recipe

[ArnaudForestier]

Never be sanguine:  It's the cheese way, it seems.

I noticed today on the sampled wheel, just a few, fairly bright yellow spots of mold, or what seem like mold, in what is otherwise a brown to russet and earth rind.  I cannot call this bright orange, but truly yellow:



(overall effect heightened, just a bit, otherwise it couldn't be seen)

The rind is overall much more mushroom/earth/rust colored, and the yellow spots - about 3, very widely spaced - are not quite this neon:

 

(Closer to real appearance). 

But they are there, and do not comport with the rest of the rind's coloration.  This is bad, yes?

[linuxboy]

Looks like Fuligo. Common slime mold often called dog vomit mold or dog vomit fungus. Remove physically, wash over, should take care of it.

[ArnaudForestier]

Oh, sure, make the decision difficult for me, Pav.  I had thought it was something disgusting to worry about. ;D

Thanks.

[linuxboy]

Actually, it's perfectly edible. :o  :o  :o

[ArnaudForestier]

NOW you tell me.  I could have smeared those little treats on some bat's-breath bread I made.

[Boofer]

dog vomit mold or dog vomit fungus

Actually, it's perfectly edible.

Really!??

NOW you tell me.  I could have smeared those little treats on some bat's-breath bread I made.

Oh please, sir, may I have some more?

Does that qualify as part of the morge?

-Boofer-

[linuxboy]

Yep, might not be appetizing, but edible. No, you don't want that as part of the morge. Morge should be heavily proteolytic b linens, micrococci, and yeast/mold helpers.

[iratherfly]

Actually, it looked to me a bit like natural cellulose. This is something that is common in milk that comes from cows of some breeds with very rich and healthy diets. (Often you can see this in French Savoie Tommes like Tomme de Savoie or Tomme Crayeuse Etc.) It is regularly mistaken for mold even y experienced fromagiers. The bright yellowish/greenish color send people into danger panic but its actually a sign of good quality milk.  I may be wrong (I can't tell the true color based on these photos) but it's a possibility to look at. Otherwise, it's probably that dog puke Pav was mentioning...

[ArnaudForestier]

Iratherfly, I'd like to think so, but it came on only after a month+ of affinage.  It's probably hard to see, but it's also quite bright, almost neon, in character.  I was actually talking with a local cheesemaker, and he said to shine a blacklight on it...unfortunately, by the time that suggestion was given, the accursed spots were already excised. 

I haven't seen a return, since doing the excisions/vinegar and salt.  I do think Pav called it perfectly. 

Off topic - but this is weird timing.  My son had a science fair at school, and there was a pretty cool rocketry club (doing some serious rocketry - had no idea "civies" could get that large, that sophisticated).  The guy that runs it is Pavel, from the Czech Republic.  And on their most sophisticated rocket, they're able to record data.  On board that rocket, they are placing....slime molds.  To see how they react to that kind of acceleration.  Pav and Pavel, raising the topic of slime molds over the last few days.   8)

[Boofer]

So it is rocket science.

And along those lines....   Sorry, waaay off-topic.

-Boofer-

[ArnaudForestier]

Lol...oh, Boof, sometimes, our peculiarities, as a species, bring me to roll.  ;D
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(And sometimes I despair we'll ever make it another millennium).   :o

[OudeKaas]

Finally got some pics of my goat's-milk tomme rind-in-progress, even it they are a bit sketchy:





As you can see, predominantly crumbly white mold (Geo?) has come up, with the occasional tiny spot of orange (linens?). I'm getting concerned, though, that the rind is growing too slowly. I've been following lb's recommended dunking/wiping schedule for about 3 weeks now, and what you see is all that has developed. I can feel that the cheeses are getting less springy and feel tougher/firmer, so I'm worried that they may be getting too dry?

FWIW, my 'cave' has been at about 53 degrees and varying between 85-95% RH. I kept it high at about 90-95% for the first two weeks or so of the regimen, then let it come down to about 85-90%.

So, here is an update on these at ~70 days in. While the broad top and bottom of the cheeses have seen a sequence of white and then orange mold grow and die back, the sides have stubbornly remained mold-free, despite my persistent efforts. You can clearly see the naked chese surface most of the way around these edges. I must say I am very worried about these being too dry - they are quite firm to the touch and seem to have shrunk somewhat in the process.

[ArnaudForestier]

Brand, mine have similarly tightened up, but I expect this - am actually glad for it, to be honest.  I'm so new, so can't be authoritative, but have to say, I think your tomme looks really wonderful.

My tomme 2, at about a month:



I learned a lot with these tommes, and next time, will want to try Pav's idea on closing the rind openings up, but overall, pretty happy.  A nice, mushroom and earth scent has developed, and is strengthening.

[linuxboy]

shine a blacklight

I prefer to not do that because

1) Unless isolated you kill off neighboring flora
2) Unless you use a high powered enough light, it may not penetrate enough to eradicate
3) It is possible you will create mutants with the UV, which might not be the best thing to do.

definitely an option. That tomme looks good. :).

[ArnaudForestier]

shine a blacklight

I prefer to not do that because

1) Unless isolated you kill off neighboring flora
2) Unless you use a high powered enough light, it may not penetrate enough to eradicate
3) It is possible you will create mutants with the UV, which might not be the best thing to do.

definitely an option. That tomme looks good. :).

Oh, I see, thanks, Pav.  The maker was in to dine at my wife's work, they talked and I got the info secondhand.  I had thought this was for confirmation/detection (bioluminescence) and not elimination.  I hear you on the advisability/efficacy of the method for getting rid of mold, and I wouldn't want to go that way, either...a sort of cudgel when my surgeon's care would be much better.

At any rate, knock on wood, it seems the few small patches of fuligo, once gone, were all I was contending with (a serious knock on wood, because I realize I'm far from out of the woods). 

Thanks for the encouraging note on the wheel.  And for the recipe, again, Pav.  Really nice to see the first pressed cheeses I've made transform like this.  :)