John, thanks for the info on Chaource.
I made a batch from 2 gallons fresh raw Jersey milk on 26 Oct, using Margaret Morris' recipe. Used 2 drops of rennet after milk ripened for 8 hours.
Never got a firm curd set and had to pre-drain the curds in cheesecloth as there was no hope of spooning them directly into my chevre molds. Even after draining them for 19 hours, they were still very sticky and difficult to work with. Had to use a spatula to smooth them into the molds. You can see from my photos that the curds never firmly knit together and have an uneven appearance. The yellow color in the curds is the cream that separated out during the long ripening/renneting process.
Last night we cut into one as I was getting an ammonia smell from the box yesterday. After letting the cheese sit out for an hour, the smell was gone.
The cheese was very mild, with the texture of a firm chevre. It was good, but bland. I'm going to age the rest for another 2 weeks. I don't think I'm using enough salt.
I made this cheese because it is an easy process and I love mold-ripened cheese (and pretty much any other cheese).
I would love to hear from someone who has made this cheese successfully. What was your experience with curd setting and consistency? How is this cheese supposed to taste?
Thanks,
Pam