Fourme d'Amberg #7 (my struggle for perfection)

[Boofer]

Status update: The electric blue from last week has faded into the background and the darker blue has settled in.

The ambient temperature in its cave is 51F/10.5C and inside its minicave the humidity hovers in the 90's.

Next Wednesday will mark 2 weeks since the first piercing, and I expect to pierce for the second time then.

-Boofer-

[Al Lewis]

Looking great!

[curiouser_alice]

Boy would I love to taste this. Maybe I'll try to make some.

[Boofer]

Boy would I love to taste this. Maybe I'll try to make some.

I agree with your profile comment "homemade is better". And most of the time...less expensive and greater complexity of character. If you want some motivation, find a local cheese shop and check the pricing on a Taleggio or other fancy French or Italian cheese. You'll most likely be shocked at the $25/lb price tag. Plus which, that cheese could have been mass-produced.

Here in the forum we are a collection of aspiring cheese artisans. How do you make a great cheese? Same as getting to Carnegie Hall...practice, practice, practice. Over time, we transition from sour, crumbly efforts to sweet, creamy marvels.

-Boofer-

[Boofer]

Time to inject a little character wine into this cheese. This will mark only the second time I have injected my Fourme d'Amberg.

Here is my last effort.

-Boofer-

[GortKlaatu]

Boofer,
This is so intriguing to me. I've not injected a cheese, never eaten one, or even seen one. 

[Boofer]

One week later and time for a second injection.

I'm on a short timeline. I wanted to mature this and slice it for holiday gifting. Hopefully, ten more days will be adequate for this cheese to be cut & packaged. I could have left it at one injection, but the paste seemed dry enough to accept the second time around and still be ready in time.

-Boofer-

[Boofer]

This is about the 7th week and I decided to cut into this cheese.

The paste is moist, but not excessively wet. It sticks just a little when being sliced. The blue has modestly developed more towards the center of the cylinder. This cheese has a traditionally mild blue character and this effort reflects that. The salt level is adequate and the creaminess is perfect. Amazingly, the double injection of wine has enhanced but not devastated the cheese character. The starting character was more dry than my previous effort and so may have readily accepted the extra moisture.

All things considered, this is a true delight to share in gifting and for my own personal gustatory pleasure.

It will continue to age in the colder fridge but the blue will go no further.

-Boofer-

[Al Lewis]

I just vacuumed up my Taleggio and Bleu d'Auvergne to prevent any cross contamination in my cave while they mature a bit more. I had planned on doing another Stilton but this cheese has intrigued me.  May have to "borrow" your recipe and try one.  I have a all mold that I may be able to use for this.  What size was the mold you used buddy?  BTW  AC4U for an outstanding result!!   P.S.  Disregard on the mold.  Turns out I have the mold that they sell to form this in. 5 1/8" X 11 3/4".  LOL

[GortKlaatu]

That's a mighty pretty cheese.
AC4U

[H-K-J]

Amazing Boofer, AC4U

[Boofer]

Thanks for the cheeses, guys.

Al, that mould you mentioned is a lot wider and taller than the large Bûcheron mould I used.

Have you made any cheeses in that tall mould? What's the volume?

-Boofer-
 

[Al Lewis]

Not yet.  I bought it to make small tall blues.