Author Topic: Morbier Madness  (Read 7473 times)

Brie

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #15 on: September 22, 2010, 05:12:01 AM »
Thanks, Francois--so the b.linens don't need to be replaced in the brine? That would be great news as it is quite expensive. And do you actually store the rag in the brine?

FRANCOIS

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #16 on: September 22, 2010, 10:59:03 AM »
Yes, they are expensice AND you get better results by keeping it.  I don't store the rag no, we sue new ones every time.

stoneyridge

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #17 on: October 04, 2010, 06:52:35 PM »
You should keep the same bucket of wash through the whole make.  That is the traditional way of doing it. 

Thanks.  I'm really having fun with this one.  It doesn't seem to be developing much of a rind so far, and it's been 2 weeks.  I'm thinking it will take longer because so much of the ash drained out with the whey, coating much of the outside of the cheese.  Otherwise, it seems to be doing good so far. Thanks again for the tips - I had only made a small amount of the wash, but have made more and will use the same wash for the remainder of the aging.
Diane

Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #18 on: October 04, 2010, 07:18:19 PM »
One thing that has been working really well for me this year is to mix a small batch of  the b. Linens and keep it in a small spray bottle that used to hold salad dressing or butter. It has a very fine mist and I keep it in a zip lock bag in the fridge and just spritz the cheese every day for the first week and every few days the second week and I only use a lite pinch of the b. linens per batch of cheese.

ConnieG

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #19 on: October 05, 2010, 03:45:32 PM »
After reading this post, I wanted to know more about the Morbier cheese and found this article interesting: http://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/11/travel/fare-of-the-country-morbier-cheese-with-a-dash-of-ash.html

Those here who keep dairy animals could keep the tradition of an evening and morning division.  I wonder what would happen if one half were more creamy and the other more skim?

Brie

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #20 on: November 26, 2010, 02:20:40 AM »
Here's my latest Morbier at about 12 weeks--much better due to the advice of Francois and Yoav (and Deb, as always). This was extremely creamy. I washed rind every other day for 8 weeks with salt brine which included a dash of b linens. I also let them breathe with top off of container at room temp every other day for half an hour.

Offline DeejayDebi

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Connecticut
  • Posts: 5,820
  • Cheeses: 106
    • Deejays Smoke Pit and DSP Forums
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #21 on: November 26, 2010, 06:54:48 PM »
That looks great Brie - but then your cheeses are always beautiful!

iratherfly

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #22 on: November 26, 2010, 10:33:35 PM »
Oh yea, look at that! Making me hungry yet again!

Did you do the black paste brush method? (you can still do less ash next time around)

I can't see the rind. I assume you pulled lots of natural B.Linen and then it got covered with natural geo?

Beautiful!
« Last Edit: November 27, 2010, 12:01:43 AM by iratherfly »

Brie

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #23 on: November 26, 2010, 11:37:25 PM »
Perhaps you can see the rind better in this pic, Yoav--and yes, I did follow your direction to make a paste of the ash for the middle--oh my just a tad too much, but it did not forage into the rest of the cheese.

iratherfly

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #24 on: November 27, 2010, 12:16:22 AM »
Oh yes, the rind looks much thicker on this one. The color is kind of nutty and I can see a bit of the curd knotting pattern on it. Cool!

There is this technique that an affineur I like taught me: He uses a sponge that has a gentle type of scrubber on one side ($0.99 at home depot...) to wash the rind. The scrubbing side makes microscopic scratches. These scratches first and foremost try to heal and build up a more protective rind fast thus the rind gets thicker. (Much like the salt rubbing technique). In washed rind cheese the scratching has another purpose: these scratches will up with a bit more of the bacterial wash than the surface (like a ditch on the side of the road during rain). The surface dries out first (like the road) and what's in the scratch (the "ditch") takes a bit longer to dry out. As it does, it leaves all the sediment of minerals and bacteria in it, (like the dirt that washed off the road onto the ditch). All this dry bacterial wash and salt helps creating more active live bacterial activity - faster, thicker. You can really see it and feel it in the cheese. Try it.

Your paste texture by the way looks really nice and creamy!

susanky

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #25 on: November 27, 2010, 01:50:35 AM »
Scrubbing technique sounds interesting.  But I can't picture what type of sponge you mean.  Is it the one that has a rough green scrubbie side?  Seems like that would be too rough.  If it is not too much trouble... a picture?  Thanks for sharing.  I doubt I'll try this one anytime soon.  But it is going on my list!

Beautiful cheese Brie!  Something to aspire to.
Susan

Brie

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #26 on: November 27, 2010, 03:38:06 AM »
I am thinking of using a hard toothpaste brush..

iratherfly

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #27 on: November 27, 2010, 05:30:05 AM »
Susan, here is a picture. I got this at Home Depot. Use it for cleaning and staining wood furniture. It's far more gentle than the ones with the green Scotch Brite.  I cut a small piece and boil it in water first to sanitize and then I use them in the brine wash. See below, in package, in close up, and out of package (see the corner I cut to wash one of my cheeses?)

Brie, toothbrush may work... I used mushroom brush before but it was too gentle. Perhaps a rougher bristle would work. This works best. 

susanky

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #28 on: November 27, 2010, 01:53:25 PM »
Thanks iratherfly!  That sure makes it easy.  Now I know exactly what I'm after.  Going to Home Depot today so will check it out.  I need a few more cultures before I can venture into these cheeses.  But when I get them I'll be ready!  Have a cheddar on the stove right now.  And my first camembert still draining in their molds from yesterday.  I love cheese!
Susan

iratherfly

  • Guest
Re: Morbier Madness
« Reply #29 on: November 28, 2010, 03:45:51 AM »
Good luck! Post some photos!