Ash - Types/Flavours & Application Methods

[smilingcalico]

So I was reading an old post on reblochon's the other day and I seem to recall one from about 10 years ago that looked like it had been coated in ash.  Not the charcoal type ash you see a lot of today, but actual gray ashes.  I suppose it could have been coated with the black stuff, and had a light layer of bloom over it.
My question(s) is/are:  What would be the differences in flavor?  Is it legal to coat cheese in actual ash here in the U.S.?  Also, I've been trying to find a decent way to coat cheese with the charcoal ash, does anybody have a good way that doesn't require making a huge mess?  I've been using a small brush, seems to do ok, need to get a bigger one.

[Cheese Head]

My understanding is that it is black ash with white mold bloom over it.

Should be legal to coat and commercially sell ash coated cheeses in US, as goat's milk California made famous Humboldt Fog has an ash coating and a layer through middle like French Morbier.

For another idea on how to apply ash, at 3 minutes into the video below you can see the French cheese makers coating goat's milk Selles sur Cher AOP with it.

Where did you buy your Ash or did you make it?

YouTube video TV type show with section on coating cheese disks with ash

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[susanky]

Interesting video... though I'll bet it would have been way better if I could've understood what they were saying!   What is the purpose of the ash?  Does it add to the flavor in some way?
Susan

[smilingcalico]

John, I used the charcoal type from any old store, but I think you might have missed my point of using fully burnt wood ash.
Susan, ash helps to prepare the surface for molds such as PC or Geo, white bloomy molds.  Some say it's flavorless, but I believe it's linuxboy who makes his own with different things and adds a subtle flavor.

[Cheese Head]

smilingcalico, thanks, did miss that, this auto-translated Morbier website says that ancient Morbier was made using layer of ash from fire pit, sorry I have no idea if legal to sell cheeses like that in USA.

Susansky, here's the Wiki: Ash article.

[linuxboy]

My question(s) is/are:  What would be the differences in flavor?

Between actual charcoal and leftover ash? No huge differences.

Is it legal to coat cheese in actual ash here in the U.S.?

This is an interesting question because it is not directly answered by the FDA as allowed. For you to use it, you would have to make the claim that it is in the same category as charcoal and its use preceded all of the modern day regs for GRAS and EAFUS. Meaning, it is a position you could take because I didn't see it on the GRAS list, but it has been used in food for many years.

  Also, I've been trying to find a decent way to coat cheese with the charcoal ash, does anybody have a good way that doesn't require making a huge mess?

Powdered sugar duster, from a confectionery store. Or tub of it and use gloves, like they do for selles sur cher.

Also for selles sur cher, the color of the charcoal is lighter because of all the salt they have in the mix. That cheese is not salted at all except for the mix they use with the ash. It's a much higher salt amount than normal, IIRC.

[smilingcalico]

Hey All, Thanks for the help!

[Soozletew]

I just made some Valencay and used oak ash put through a very fine sieve.  No big deal and not at all messy.