Author Topic: Tallegio-should I be scared?  (Read 5594 times)

mtncheesemaker

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Tallegio-should I be scared?
« on: January 25, 2010, 10:45:09 PM »
Here are a couple of pics of my first and only Tallegio, made 5 Dec.
I've been washing it with a brine. It has some B. linens, some Penicillium type mold and, of course, the ubiquitous blue. Today I noticed a couple of patches of what looks like a fungus, kind of like those weird mushroom but not really mushroom things you find in the woods in the fall, (and some books say you can eat but it's too scary).
It definitely has that fungus texture thing.
Any experience with such a thing out there?
Any comments welcome!
Pam

Bella

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Re: Tallegio-should I be scared?
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2010, 11:08:38 AM »
Hi Pam
I have made a few batches of Taleggio, and it is one of my favourites. I must admit, though, I haven't had an experience like yours. I noticed when I was last washing them that there was an odd spot of blue, but it easily scraped off (I have two blues in th same fridge, so they were probably responsible!).

The last batch I made (late December) is ready for wrapping and it is my intention to do that tomorrow. I'll take a photo or two to show you what mine look like so that you can compare, not that I'm saying mine are perfect. I would love some critical comments from anyone who knows taleggio.

You said yours were made on 5 December, so they should be close to being ready to eat.
I'm not sure whether it's the warm weather here (in Australia), but my latest batch is close to being ready to eat, and they have been in the fridge for just on one month. There was a bit of curd left over after putting it in the moulds and it turned out to be nothing better than a slice about 1cm thick. I ate that this afternoon, and it was delicious.

I'll try to post some photos tomorrow
B

mtncheesemaker

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Re: Tallegio-should I be scared?
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2010, 11:46:19 PM »
Thanks, Bella.
I went ahead and cut into the cheese today, after reading your post. Also, my notes said that it should be ready in 4-5 weeks from start date. It is actually pretty good, but I think, a little dry. (I cut the moldy rind off.) My recipe did not say anything about wrapping it (although I have loaned the book to a friend so can't say for sure).
I'm also making a Muenster right now. I'm not too sure about the process for these washed rind cheeses. Seems like I don't get a really consolidated rind surface.
I would really like to explore these cheeses as they are among my favs. Any info that you care to share about the process/aging would be greatly appreciated.
(Do you also make Tomme and Reblochon or am I thinking of someone else?)
Thanks again,
Pam

mtncheesemaker

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Re: Tallegio-should I be scared?
« Reply #3 on: January 28, 2010, 12:06:07 AM »
Bella,
I just found an old post of yours with the Tallegio info. I'll try that next time, thanks.

Bella

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Re: Tallegio-should I be scared?
« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2010, 08:01:38 AM »
Hi Pam,
here are a couple of pictures from my taleggio wrapped today (you will see a tiny bit of blue mould on the base of one of them - probably from the blue vein on the shelf below!).

I try to keep it so that the rind doesn't develop to be too smelly as my friends aren't really fussed with the smelly ones. the past is so incredibly creamy and yummy that it's always sad when the last slice comes up. The recipe I use comes from Peter dixon's website, and from memory, I don't think I have chenged much. After it is made, I put it in a regular fridge and wash it more or less according to the procedure suggested by Peter Dixon. But as I said yesterday, it seems to ripen faster than the procedure suggests.

Yes, I make reblochon and tomme, though I'm not really too fussed with the tomme. However, I do make a tomme au marc and can recommend that one. The recipes I use for these two cheeses come from Ricki Carroll's website. They both come up well, and particularly the reblochon. I cut into one on Tuesday this week, and it is really, really nice. Again, it seems to ripen earlier than the recipe suggests, so I think there must be something about this climate.

Offline DeejayDebi

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Re: Tallegio-should I be scared?
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2010, 04:17:45 AM »
Looking good Bella!

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Tallegio-should I be scared?
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2010, 04:52:54 AM »
I've not done any wrapped cheeses. Can you explain the process?

Bella

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Re: Tallegio-should I be scared?
« Reply #7 on: January 29, 2010, 05:08:03 AM »
Hi Sailor
I purchase washed rind wrappers from Ricki Carroll and just wrap the taleggio (and other washed rind cheeses) in it. The photo of the reblochon above shows the cheese sitting on the wrapper - the photo was taken just before I wrapped it.

Sailor Con Queso

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Re: Tallegio-should I be scared?
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2010, 03:44:25 AM »
What's the point of wrapping?

Bella

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Re: Tallegio-should I be scared?
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2010, 11:16:37 PM »
Hi again Sailor
I guess it's the same as for camembert, brie etc - they store better when they are wrapped, and are more presentable to give to others. Perhaps I'm missing something in your question!
B