Rind - Unwanted Blue Mold (& Cut Cheese Ripening Discussion)

[GoChick]

I made a Tallegio on Dec 11. Washed with B. Linens, then went away for a few days and when I checked it today, there was green mold all over it. I washed with vinegar and salt solution,but could not get all of it out... While washing, part of the rind fell apart and it is really gooey inside.

Should I just give up and toss it?

Can I eat it like this, with all the mold or is this dangerous mold??
thanks...

[linuxboy]

That's a huge amount of liquefication. How does the green mold smell? Like blue cheese? Up to you if you want to eat it. How does it taste? Maybe you can make a sauce from the gooey insides?

[Cheese Head]

As linuxboy says, from here it looks like standard blue cheese blue-green P rocqueforti mold, but given the liquid pate it will be very tough to clean. Assuming smells like blue cheese, I'd take a nibble and if you don't fall over dead, I'd eat it, probably pretty soon given that pate! Next batch, lower humidity, have fun!

[GoChick]

Linuxbox and John, thanks for the replies!
I opened and tasted it, will post back in 24h just to let you know if I'm still alive...

The rind was delicious, Camembert like consistency with tastes of blue... interestingly, it was just close to the rind that it had completely liquefied. The middle was still pretty undeveloped, very mild. It is actually a very interesting cheese! What would happen if I wrap it in some Camembert paper - would it continue to ripen?

Thanks!!!!

[linuxboy]

Yes, it would ripen all the way down to the center. If it tastes good, eat it

[smilingcalico]

Yes, it would ripen all the way down to the center. If it tastes good, eat it

I see from time to time the tale that says a ripening cheese once cut opened will quit ripening.  Are you putting that old tale to bed?

[linuxboy]

It ripens differently.  And it depends on the cheese. So with a bloomy rind or a thin cheese like this with a lot of molds on it, those molds produce enzymes that break down the insides of the cheese. A wheel shape, a cylinder, is well suited for even ripening. When you break that shape, it will still mature because those molds continue to feed and continue to produce enzymes, but the rate at which food is brought to the surface changes because you've changed the shape.

But yes, absolutely, cut cheese of any kind will continue to undergo ripening. I'm not sure where the idea originated that cutting a cheese will somehow stop its maturation. Change, yes, stop, no.

[Soozletew]

"If it tastes good, eat it."  Hear, hear!  My philosophy exactly! 

[GoChick]

Whatever it was I made, it tasted good! We ate some and I wrapped the rest!

Thanks all! :-)