Reblochons taking a strange turn?

[MarkShelton]

I suppose I spoke too soon, and I guess the b. linens is just slower to show up than I had thought.

This is one from my 6/5 batch that I had too hastily given up on. I thought since I had made it without the KL71, the b. linens wouldn't develop right, so I wrapped it in cellophane and stuck it in my second cave. I had intended on forgetting about it until after the 60 days and eating it as simply "cheese" but I peeked in on it and was pleasantly surprised.

It was actually a little darker than this, but I gave it a wash to knock down the geo which was building up and lost a little of the orange. It smells great; just as it should.

It makes me wonder, though, how long should I be washing for? I stopped washing this one for a few weeks, and it is still coming nicely.

[DeejayDebi]

Looks very nice Mark. I did the same thing my geo was going crazy and nothing much on the b. lindens so Iknocked them way down and the color started to show up finally.

[iratherfly]

I think we are all a bit too paranoid about B.Linen not growing due to Geo but the fact is that Geo prepares the surface for it and once it's ready (2-4 weeks after the geo bloom), it will come out and knock the geo out on its own naturally. (and with the help of salt from rubbing or wash). My fear was that it actually grew too fast on mine all of a sudden between week 3.5 and 5, knocking the geo out almose enturely. 2 washes of plain 3% brine with a pinch of geo brought some geo back.  Mark, I think this one gets washed between week 2 and week 4, but let your nose do the job. It looks great. Is it sticky or dry?

[MarkShelton]

It's sticky. And soft, or at least softening.

[iratherfly]

yea, i think it's the wrap.

[mtncheesemaker]

I checked mine yesterday and they are "softening" but still firmish. Next time I won't press at all. My cheeses are raw milk; I'm hoping they will be edible around 5 weeks.
Yoav, where can I watch those AOC videos you've mentioned? I've looked on the web, haven't found anything yet.
Also, thanks for the cheese paper source. I might try that for my next cams, just to compare.

[DeejayDebi]

I have been just using freezer paper all week. The description sounds about the same. Is there a big difference?

[MarkShelton]

I doubt it. The manufacturer makes it sound high tech, but I don't know that it would make worlds of difference.

[iratherfly]

I am in contact with the manufacturer. they also sent me a full sample pack. It's like a breathable wrapping paper that is loosely stuck to a layer of very thin nylon - which is the part that comes in contact with the cheese. The nylon part feels like the type of nylon that is used in delis when they cut meat or smoked fish in paper-thin slices and give it to you for tasting or use to warp it before they wrap it in paper. It's just a much thinner and more absorbant version of the commercial paper I got a while back from thecheesemaker.com and others.

Pam - I didn't press my cheese at all. I will see about finding those videos again. Need to write a query, translate it to french and then google it at the video section of Google France... It's there. But the best piece I saw was in the DVD of the Australian series Cheese Slices - what an amazing series.

[iratherfly]

Shoot, just checked on the Roblechons now. The Geo seems to be recovering... but they seem to become harder, not softer. What on earth is going on??? I feel like I made Tomme. I kept them in high humidity in the past few days thinking it's going to soften them but it did the opposite. How is this possible???

[DeejayDebi]

I set one out for about 20 minutes and cut open one of mine today and its really goopy. I didn't care much for the flavor by itself kind of blah (I like sharp hard cheeses) but I made that Tartiflette potatoe thing and it was really good! I decided it needed colot though and added some green beans. Seems to be getting redder in the freezer paper too.

[MarkShelton]

Wow! It's super orange in the middle. Did you use annatto?

[iratherfly]

The tartiflette looks yummy! I know you must have bacon or lardons hiding somewhere in your kitchen lab did you use some?

I think you missed out on the texture though. It seems "starchy", "heavy"; no eyes.  Use yeast and substitute the starter culture with one that develops eyes. Eyes usually go beyond texture and bring all kinds of aromatic and flavorful gases with them (even if they are all gone by the time you open the cheese). Without them it's a bit like drinking coke that lost its fizz.

[DeejayDebi]

Mark - no annatto. Just raw milk. My cheeses always turn orange. They are very dark yellow but I think the light makes it seem darker than it is.

Yoav - I didn't use belly bacon I used Canadian bacon (also homemade). I found recipes with both and thought the cheese would be oily enough (it was). When it was cold it had some small eyes but it melted really fast in this heat. My kitchen was about 89 degrees. It also seemed to get darker as it melted.

[iratherfly]

Hey Pam, I found one of those videos - Mark and Debi, this may be fun for you to watch too:

Le Reblochon Engagement Qualité Carrefour

My cheese is in the cave, wrapped for about 5-6 days now. Doesn't seem to get softer. I think it's an accidental Tomme. I really don't know what to think of them. They are at day 49 now.

The last one in the batch was tiny and made from whatever curd was left over. It is slightly softer than the others. I took the liberty to dunk it in Calvados (dunk, dry 8 hours, do this 3 times. Then when it awaits drying for the last time rubbed in some salt to help the rind re-grow and toughen). It is now wrapped too. Maybe my cave is too cold for them? They are at 55F-60F.

Do you guys put the wrapped ones in a humid box or just leave on the cave?