tomme and mold?

[mtncheesemaker]

I made my first tomme cheese 11/14 using a recipe I found from Linuxboy. It's been aging in a rubbermaid type box at 48-50F. It had a little cat fur looking mold in the beginning which I rubbed with salt. Now it is growing blue mold with what looks like a little P. candidum.
I'm not really sure what this cheese is supposed to turn out like. From pictures it looks like it develops a moldy natural rind. Mine has an open type exterior, not solid as in a cheddar.
Should I let the blue mold grow?
Any comments appreciated.
Pam
(I'll post a picture when my battery recharges.)

[linuxboy]

By open type exterior, do you mean that there are cracks or folds in the rind? Tomme should ideally be fairly smooth and form a uniform rind. Not the end of the world unless there are cracks. Point is the mold should be on the outside.

I inoculate with some mycodore and mycoderm, and usually can see colonies of candidum, b linens, wild blues, Kluyveromyces, etc. I don't usually get m. mihei. The rind is for protection and flavor.

Edit: I do inoculate the milk, and also wash with a 3% brine to control the rind flora growth. After 3-4 weeks, the washing is really only to keep things in check. I like the molds and yeasts to contribute some flavor and smell, but not so much as to be too earthy.

In your case, I would salt or wash the rind to spread the blue and candidum around, and let them do their thing.

[mtncheesemaker]

Thanks for that suggestion. I'll give it a try.
How do you get a smooth rind if you don't press the cheese?
Here's a snap of mold! Fascinating stuff.
Pam

[linuxboy]

I press using a weight equal to the weight of the cheese, usually 5-10 lbs. It's enough to form a smooth rind. I'd rub that cheese with salt or start washing it with a brine.

[Alex]

I made a 10 liters goats milk Tomme in a 6" hoop, pressed with 3.6 kg for 30 minutes, the same flipped, 11.3 kg for 90 minutes and again the same flipped.
I used as starters 1/3 buttermilk and 2/3 yogurt and some b.linens added to the milk. I washed the cheese with brine 3 times a week for 3 weeks, twice a week for 4 weeks, once a week for another 8 weeks and then I opened it.

[Boofer]

Looks great. How does it taste? Texture?

-Boofer-

[mtncheesemaker]

Nice looking cheese, Alex.
I'll try washing this with a brine solution and see what happens. This is one that I don't know where I'm headed, so I'll just go along and see.
Linuxboy, I think the recipe I used was yours. I don't think it had inoculants in it, so I didn't use any. I'll see if I can find it again.
Haven't tasted it yet, Boofer. The texture is kind of open, sort of like a blue. It smells milky. I think it will be good.
Thanks,
Pam

[Alex]

Looks great. How does it taste? Texture?

-Boofer-

The texture is a little bit dry, I think it's visible on the pic. The taste is very good with some sharpness like a good goat milk cheese should be. I think I make cheese better than I describe their characteristics

[DeejayDebi]

Aw Alex what can I say that I haven't said before? Just a very lovely cheese!
You are the man!

[Missy Greene]

Hi Tomme Makers,
 I am new here and am just now looking at these posts as my first Goat milk tomme is in the form being pressed with my weights that finally have found a new use.....thanks for all the tips so far. Alex your cheese looks beautiful.
 Missy in Maine

[Alex]

Thanks Missy,

My cheese has a natural rind regularly washed with saturated salt brine. I think next time I'll start with a light brine for 2-3 weeks and then change to a medium brine for "the rest of it's life " (about 8 months in total). Washing with the saturated brine might be part of the cause for dryness as well as my cave wasn't humid enough, and that for sure.

[Missy Greene]

Ok folks, I have a question.  I have followed the recipe here as well am using Margaret Morris' book.. her recipe is for a huge batch, 25 gal.
 In her washing solution she uses Mycodore .1 dose, Geo15 .1 dose, and optional B linens .2 dose.  Now this may seem elementary, BUT , no where can I find out what a "dose" is equal to, so I can't do the math! anyway, can someone advise???
 Also have my first St.Maure goat cheeses draining..this is what we do in Maine when the kids have school vacation!
 Happy New Year everyone, we are in for a whopper of a storm.
 Best, MIssy

[Alex]

Happy New Year to you and to everyone,

A certain amount of an ingredient is defined as one dose. There are packages of different sizes containing 1, 2, 5, etc. doses. You have to weigh that certain package considering the dosage designated on the envelope and use 0.1 (10%)/dose from it. I hope I was clear and good luck with the process.

[Missy Greene]

thanks for the info...we'll keep you posted. think I'll make another one today.. I have so much milk these days. my cave is the office right now....50degrees brrrrrr!
 Missy