Okay, so I'm trying to get close to the real style of the cheeses I make. That includes using the true-to-style mold for a particular cheese. In the case of Taleggio, I am led to understand the cheese should be square.
I didn't have square Taleggio molds, but I did happen to have a stainless steel brick mold. I very recently used it for Esrom, in keeping with that style, and thought maybe I could put it to work making Taleggio. The pictures tell the tale, but not all of it. Boy, was it a hassle wrestling this very soft "brick", trying to flip it and retain the brick shape. For one thing, the brick mold was too tall for this technique. It would have worked so much better with a lower, more conventional Taleggio mold. Those are on my wish list for the future. I will not be making Taleggio in my brick mold any more. What a pain!
I cursed a bit and got a little frustrated with how the flipping went, but I did manage to come up with two workable cheeses. I've kept the cheese out in the garage since it came out of the mold. The temperature out there has been a comfy 45-50F. A recently purchased cave #2 will be its new home going forward.
I misted these cheeses today with SR3 in a light brine. I'm now starting to see a little surface growth.
I wanted to include this description to help characterize the style. If the Wiki input were available, it should more properly be included in there:
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Taleggio is a soft pressed, washed rind cow milk cheese form the Lombardy region of northern Italy. It is made from both lightly pasteurized and raw milk, unfortunately the U.S. FDA will not allow the raw milk version to be imported into to the country because it is aged for only 40 days. Taleggio has been given DOP certification which insures the quality of the cheese and the methods of its production. Luckily the Taleggio that is imported to the US is DOP certified and usually comes from the semi- Alpine Valtellina area in the northern part of Lombardy. Here the cheese is produced in small batches by several commercial cheese companies. Thankfully this cheese is getting easier to find in the US.
Tallegio can vary in flavor and consistency of its inner paste. When it is young (about 40-50 days) it will be fruity and mildly salty with a firm white interior, but as it matures it will become softer ( almost oozy) and will have a beefy buttery flavor with hints of nuts and just a hint of salt. Taleggio has a minimum fat content of 48%. The consistency of a ripe or mature Taleggio is almost like that of a ripe Brie where it bulges but does not get runny. This is a brine washed rind cheese so it will have a bit of a stink. The rind itself is a bit unsightly and will have a pink or slight brick color. It may also have areas of mold on it but this might be hard to see since it comes wrapped in a layer of paper. Do not worry about any mold on the outer rind because it does not affect the integrity or quality of the inner paste. If the outer layer of paper is stuck to the rind and is very hard to peel off this is a sign that the cheese is ripe and in perfect condition to eat and enjoy. If the paper pulls off easily and the cheese feels very firm to the touch you will have found a young version. Once again like Brie, this cheese is alive and will continue to age until it is cut, once it is cut the aging process stops. So if the cut Tallegio you found is young it will remain that way and the full flavor will not develop. The interior paste of a ripe Taleggio should have a slight yellow custard color. Taleggio's rind is considered by a few cheese purists to be edible however almost everyone will remove it. I personally find it to be inedible so I prefer to remove the rind entirely and just scoop out the wonderful inner pate.
You can serve Taleggio melted over rice or polenta and as a table cheese with fresh fruit, nuts and honey. It is also great with thinly sliced meats or fruit on a grilled sandwich like a panini or spread on a warm croissant for breakfast.
Wine paring: It pairs well with big Italian reds like Barolo, Chianti Riserva, Soave or Barbaresco
Lester Majkowicz writes for the popular Around The World Cheese website. You can learn about storing, purchasing, preparation and find reviews for fine gourmet cheese by reading the articles at http://www.aroundtheworldgourmetcheese.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lester_Majkowicz
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-Boofer-
