Fourme d'Ambert

[Gina]

On July 10 I made about a 4 gallon Fourme d'Ambert. It's a pressed and brined blue, said to be relatively mild. It's pierced right after it gets out of the brine and dried for a couple days. It ripens relatively quickly, or so the book says. Recipe from 200 Easy Cheeses.

In the photo, taken a few days ago, the pierced holes have obvious bluing. The outside thus far has less than the few other non-brined blues I've made. I'm very curious to know what's going on inside and am finding it difficult to wait. Wish I had a cheese trier.  ::)

[9mmruger]

Looks really good Gina.  Keep up the good work.

[mtncheesemaker]

Patience!
It looks good.

[sandhollerfarm]

Yum!  Austin FINALLY got a real cheese shop a few months ago and the hubby and I make weekly trips now.  He is not a blue cheese fan but I'm trying to bring him around.  He tried the Fourme d'Ambert and actually liked it!  I love them all, the stronger the better, but I do like that you can taste 'cheese' and not just 'blue' in this one.

I might have to make this might first blue attempt!  Lookin' good!

[tnsven]

Very nice! I'm going to have to try that one!

[9mmruger]

I just ordered the book yesterday.  Will have to make this one after I get the book from Amazon.  Looking forward to it.  Will the outside not blue up as much because it is brined?  Will you still have to scrape it?

[Gina]

The outside of mine isnt bluing up that much and still looks like the photo, but enough for me to know the mold is active. It is bluing inside becasue I checked with a primative cheese trier. :) I am not having to scrape it thus far.

Here is another thread on that cheese, with pics. The cheese in the other thread blued much more than mine and makes me wonder if his was brined. All that matters to me however is that it tastes good. :)

https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,2351.msg18074.html#msg18074

[Brie]

Would love to have the recipe you used for this cheese--can you post?

[Gina]

Fourme d'Ambert (which is apparently identicle with F.d'Montbrison)

4 Gal whole milk
1/2 tsp meso
1/8 tsp Pen. roq. spores
1/2 tsp CaCl2
1/2 tsp rennet

Heat milk to 90*F, add mold, meso, and stir. Add CaCl and stir. Add rennet. Let stand for 90 minutes maintaining temp.
When clean break, cut curd 1/2 inch. Let stand 5 min.
Stir gently, constantly for 60 min at 90*F till curds become small and firm. Let settle.
Remove whey till you see top of curds. Ladle curds into mold.
Press lightly for 1 hr. Redress and press at light pressure for another 6-7 hours.
Brine for 12 hrs, turning at 6 hrs.
Dry for two days at room temp, then pierce. Place in ripening container at 50*F
Turn daily, removing any whey.
Moldy crust will appear in about 2 wks. Continue to ripen for 1 month, then the cheese will be ready.
Wrap and store in frig for 2-3 months.

:)

[9mmruger]

Thanks for the recipe Gina, I got my book yesterday, but have not had much of a chance to look past the forward yet.  I will give this cheese a go very shortly.  I have not attempted a mold ripened cheese yet, so this will be a good one to start with.  Have you noticed exterior molding yet?  Can you post a current pic? 

[Gina]

You're welcome, Mr.Kim.  :)

Here is a photo from this morning. This cheese did not blue up as much as my Stiltons, but then it was pressed and brined. In the first photo you can see some bluing on the top, and in this photo of the opposite end of the cheese (the end with the cheese cloth folds), you can see the bluing better, though it is now greyish in color. Both ends blued better than the sides. Probably the result of more moisture from the whey draining.

All that matters to me is that it tastes good and has some blue inside (which it does).   :P

[9mmruger]

Wow, looks great.  Do you brine most of your blues rather than salting the curd and outside?  Have you had better results doing it that way?

[Gina]

Wow, looks great.  Do you brine most of your blues rather than salting the curd and outside?  Have you had better results doing it that way?

Thanks. I usually do what the recipe says with respect to salting, but just for an experiment brined these instead of externally salting with loose salt. Can't address the results of brining since I havent cut into a brined blue yet. :)

[DeejayDebi]

Very nice Gina - Good job!

[scubagirlwonder]

On July 10 I made about a 4 gallon Fourme d'Ambert. It's a pressed and brined blue, said to be relatively mild. It's pierced right after it gets out of the brine and dried for a couple days. It ripens relatively quickly, or so the book says. Recipe from 200 Easy Cheeses.

In the photo, taken a few days ago, the pierced holes have obvious bluing. The outside thus far has less than the few other non-brined blues I've made. I'm very curious to know what's going on inside and am finding it difficult to wait. Wish I had a cheese trier.  ::)

Out of curiosity Gina, did you inject it with Vouvray during aging as is traditional for this cheese? I have the 200 cheeses book and there is no mention of injecting it with wine....which is odd since it gives this cheese a ton of flavor! Looks wonderful by the way! hope it tastes delish too!