Toma Valmonte

[Alex]

A month ago I've made it accordingly to Debi's recipe.
The starters were 1/3 yogurt and 2/3 buttermilk. I attach pics of the unmoulded cheese and 4 weeks old right after smearing (three times a week). It looks like a slight B-linens is developing on the rind. The cheese (about 1 kg) is ageing at 10-12 deg C and 90-95% RH. From now on I'll do the smearing twice a week for another 4 weeks. See you then again

[mtncheesemaker]

That is gorgeous, Alex! Will look forward to the next update.
Pam

[Alex]

Thanks Pam, I'm very optimistic about this cheese, I am ready to be surprized as I not realy know how this cheese should come out.

[DeejayDebi]

It looks great Alex but there are no B. Linens in Toma Valmont. There is however a mesophilic Type B culture. This cheese gets better and beter with age. I had a piece the other day 2 months later than the first cut and it was outstanding!

[Alex]

I know Debi, I didn't use B-linens in the process. Fresh saturated salt brine and a clean nail brush. May be some late guests in my fridge . As usual, I used buttermilk as Meso. I really want to be surprised. I think I am going toward a some stinky one.

[DeejayDebi]

Ah okay you confused me - not hard to do. It does have a strong smell like an aged provalone or parmesanand just as satisfying IMHO. I think this is one of my best re-creations. The guys at work ate it like they never ate cheese before.

The Mahon is also a big winner at 6 months even though the advertizements say 3 months. Unfortunately I have to try to rebuild that recipe I never posted it here just pictures, and I lost the recipe in the puter crash. 

Let me know how you like it.

[Alex]

Now you confused ME! The smell is going toward a Limburger. What about the texture? Mine is like Gouda for now by outside feeling. The rind is of-course natural washed/smeared.

[DeejayDebi]

Limberger? Mine are Not that pungent. More like a mix between young swiss and an aged parmensan but not until about a month. The texture is like an young swiss, very firm but not dry or hard. It has firm bite but not rubbery. Kind of reminds me of biting a fresh pear but not juicey. Boy that was a bad description. Wish I could judt hand you a chunk.

[Alex]

As I like unripe pears, I can understand what you mean. I am thinking about a Limburger because I had one earlier in the same cave, so this might be the reason for the orange color of the rind and the smell. I still do not know how strong that will be. The texture is much different from a mix between young Swiss and an aged Parmesan. May be I didn't use enough rennet. Floc was 19 min (too high), multiplied by 4, total time to cutting 76 min. Some disorder during heating, not quite linear, 35 min from about 30, to 36.5 deg C and 15 min to 44 deg C. Finally, it seems that I wasn't generous with the pressing weight either. I am sure the cheese will be eaten and hope to improve on next batch. I'll keep updating and thanks for suggesting the chunk, I wish we could exchange some.

[Alex]

Ah okay you confused me - not hard to do. It does have a strong smell like an aged provalone or parmesanand just as satisfying IMHO. I think this is one of my best re-creations. The guys at work ate it like they never ate cheese before.

The Mahon is also a big winner at 6 months even though the advertizements say 3 months. Unfortunately I have to try to rebuild that recipe I never posted it here just pictures, and I lost the recipe in the puter crash. 

Let me know how you like it.

I have the production procedure for Mahon, I can't remember whether it is from you or from the net. I have your Roncal recipe and I am a sort of confused. Why adding Lipase to ewe's milk? Brining a 1 gallon batch for 48 hours in med brine? It should be far away to much. Almost always I use a rule of thumb that proved itself, 2-1/2 to 3 hours per 500 grams of cheese in heavy brine. That method gives good result in final salt content.

[DeejayDebi]

As far as the texture of the Toma I think it changes a lot with time. Started out first day soft like a havarti but within a few days changed to firm like a swiss. I bagged it after a month it developed a great rind in a very short time.

I thought I posted the Mahon maybe in the wrong place. I wasn't crazy about it at firs but it ages into a great cheese after about 6 months.

I beleieve te Roncal was a straight copy from the DOP registration with a few research paper bits added in. I believe the lipase came from the research papers I don't remember. Maybe that was with cows milk? The brining was definately from the DOP instruction. I haven't made that one yet. I think Salior was looking for it.

[elmangomez]

Hi Debi,

Sorry but this is a bit off-topic. I have been reading the forum, books and all.... I have not yet made my first chesse, but I have been learning. I am already a big fan of yours.

A lot of your recipes are the exact cheeses I want to make. I do have one question. When you specify the types of Mesophillic cultures and variations, where do you mainly buy yours? It seems as different on-line stores call their cultures with different reference codes.

For example, on the meshophillic, cheesemaking.com only has Mesophillic DS. dairyconnection.com has a ton of mesophillics, however they do not seem to list some that you use on several of your recipes.

Anyway, a million thanks from a fan.

[DeejayDebi]

Hello elman and welcome. Thank you for the kind words.

I get all of my cultures from one of three places.
 
Dairy Connections (most of them) Here
Danlac Here  
or
Glengarry Here

any one of these places are very helpful and will bend over backward to help answer any quetions you have. I get everything from them unless it's an emergency. I will try to find the threads and see if I can add the bacterial names of the cultures for you. Maybe this weekend.

[elmangomez]

Thank you Debi!!

[DeejayDebi]

Your most welcome!