Author Topic: TK's Cheese #006 - Fourme d'Ambert #1  (Read 4790 times)

justsomeguy

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TK's Cheese #006 - Fourme d'Ambert #1
« on: October 19, 2009, 01:21:34 AM »
Hi all,

This is my 6th cheese, but this is the first I have posted here.

Fourme d'Ambert is a lightly pressed blue cheese that seemed like a good place to start.  The other blues seem quite a bit more complicated.  The recipe is from 200 Easy Homemade Cheese Recipes, which I highly recommend.  The other reason I like this recipe is that it is traditionally made in a 4" mold, which is all I have at the moment.

I don't have any pictures right out of the press, but here it is at 2 weeks.  Should be ready to eat at Thanksgiving.  I make small 2 gallon batches, so this is a 2 pound cheese from a 4" mold.  It's about 4" tall.



Sailor Con Queso

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Re: TK's Cheese #006 - Fourme d'Ambert #1
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2009, 02:54:32 AM »
Your blue looks fantastic. Nice work. She also has a recipe for Castle Blue that is really nice.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: TK's Cheese #006 - Fourme d'Ambert #1
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2009, 04:11:18 AM »
Nice job Guy! That is really taking off!

justsomeguy

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Re: TK's Cheese #006 - Fourme d'Ambert #1
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2009, 03:20:07 AM »
Thanks for the encouragement.  My goal is to have a cave full of spectacular blues.

She also has a recipe for Castle Blue that is really nice.

The Castle Blue looks great, but I wonder where the white mold comes from.  The recipe doesn't call for any P. Candidum and the P. Roqueforti is quite aggressive.  Is the white mold important to the favor?

Has anyone tried the Bleu du Queyras from the same book (pg 148)?

TK

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: TK's Cheese #006 - Fourme d'Ambert #1
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2009, 05:02:54 AM »
The Castle Blue looks great, but I wonder where the white mold comes from. The recipe doesn't call for any P. Candidum. Has anyone tried the Bleu du Queyras from the same book (pg 148)?

I have a Bleu du Queyras from her recipe aging right now. Will use it to make Flan au Bleu du Queyras (page 150) for a Neuvo Beaujolais party in mid-November. Here is a picture of my Bleu du Queyras

My Castle Blue is covered in blue (turning tan) and has no white mold after 6 weeks. Her recipe does not call for it, but the photo clearly shows it. Must be the French version. They put bloomy molds on everything.  ;D

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: TK's Cheese #006 - Fourme d'Ambert #1
« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2009, 12:44:34 AM »
Looks like the water in Hawaii Sailor. Much more tempting than the muddy greens. Very pretty.

justsomeguy

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Re: TK's Cheese #006 - Fourme d'Ambert #1
« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2009, 03:54:10 AM »
I have a Bleu du Queyras from her recipe aging right now. Will use it to make Flan au Bleu du Queyras (page 150) for a Neuvo Beaujolais party in mid-November. Here is a picture of my Bleu du Queyras

My Castle Blue is covered in blue (turning tan) and has no white mold after 6 weeks. Her recipe does not call for it, but the photo clearly shows it. Must be the French version. They put bloomy molds on everything.  ;D

Thanks Sailor.  Your Bleu du Queyras looks great.  I'm anxious to give it a try.  The Castle Blue too.

But I think I'm going to make another Fourme d'Ambert this weekend.  It will fit in my cave with the existing ripening container.  That will be an Xmas cheese.

Then I need to think about a way to increase the capacity of the ripening container.  Definitely something square to match the shape of the cave and then some kind of shelves.

Or maybe it's time that the entire cave goes blue.  I wonder if I can maintain the humidity...

justsomeguy

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Re: TK's Cheese #006 - Fourme d'Ambert #1
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2009, 04:07:46 AM »
Should be ready to eat at Thanksgiving.

This cheese was ready for Thanksgiving!  It survived the trip from New Mexico to Kentucky without incident.  After I trimmed off the rind, it didn't stand a chance.  I ate a third myself  >:D  The rind never did turn tan.  It looked the same at 53 days as it did at 14 days.

It was a bit crumbly, but not tangy like my Farmhouse Cheddar.  I'm still trying to get a handle on the acid.  I've got my fingers crossed that Santa will leave a pH meter under the tree.  I really like this cheese, so I'd like to make it again after I get a meter.  Any suggestions on pH targets for this type of cheese?  I have the collection of CHR Hansen Tech Brochures.  Any thoughts about what this cheese is similar to in regard to pH?

Thanks,
TK