Author Topic: Notes on Alpine cheese!  (Read 6240 times)

Offline JayW

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Notes on Alpine cheese!
« on: March 13, 2011, 03:27:27 AM »
I am the tech guy for New England Cheesemaking Supply Co. (AKA-cheesemaking.com) and from time to time look over cheese makers forums such as this one
The Alpine cheeses are some of my favorites and therefore spend a lot of time in the Savoie area of France, Switzerland and the mountains of northern Italy visiting folks on the Alpage making these wonderful cheeses. Many of you have seen my recipe pages on our website.

I read the forum dialogues but normally do not jump in since my time is quite limited. The threads on Alpine cheese seem to indicate a bit of confusion so I thought I might add my 2 cents worth here.

Slow Acid: this seems to drive much of the confusion here but it can be sorted out quite easily.
Most of the Alpine cheeses are by design quite sweet going into the molds because their texture is dependent on a very slow acid production. This is what retains the calcium in the final cheese and the primary reason for the elastic texture of most all of these alpine cheeses.
A sweet curd (high pH) at molding when the whey is drained will not release the calcium as in a higher acid (Lo pH) cheese and this calcium makes for a stronger link for the proteins and thus elasticity.

Salting: most of these Alpine cheese get a much lower initial salting due to the slower acid production required. Most of the lactose conversion happens after molding and salting too quickly or too heavily will slow or stop the final acid production needed. Many are drained and molded at a pH of about 6.2-6.4but they need to eventually reach the 5.3-5.4 pH and excess salt will impede achieving this final acid target.
Also excess salt will impede or stop the action of gas producers.
Therefore most brine doses are about half of what cheeses such as cheddar get. The remaining salt is a low dose of dry salt over a period of many days or even weeks. Salting one day and rubbing in the next.
This 2 part brining/drysalt is common in most of the chalets I do visit.
The brine baths I see in the mountains are very old indicating that the brining has been done traditionally this way for a very long time.
The initial brine salting is still done on the mountains. In the past the cheeses were held in the mountains for long periods but today they are take to the large Coop aging centers every 5-7 days where the salting continues.
As the surface hardens

Variations: there are a lot of variations on these alpine styles ranging from Ementaler w/ the big holes to the Beauforte w/ the tight even paste and the rinds can vary from very clean rinds to the funky washed rinds of Abondance. They can be  firm paste cheeses for longer aging like the Bitto of northern Italy or the softer paste of Fontina from Aosta.
These variations seem to be quite regional and probably evolved from how high up in the mountain and how far to markets. The cultures used today are still quite close to what has evolved in those areas over the history of the cheese.

Cheese with holes: the effective development of proper holes in Ementaler, Comte, etc is dependent on a very specific control in the aging rooms. The cheese after initial salt goes into a cool room where the first phase of protein change occurs. This guarantees an supple elastic body, without which gas production will cause splits rather than smooth shiny holes. After this supple paste develops, the cheese is moved to a warm room where the proprionic begins to work producing the gas. Once this has occurred, the cheese is again moved to a cold room for aging.

Tomme: this word seems to be thrown around a lot as if it is a single style of cheese. It simply means the cheese from ? region. as in Tomme de Bauge or Tomme de Savoie or in Italy Tomma?? A tomme can be quite different from region to region.

Surface Molds: I see that this group is getting a bit wrapped up in all of the ripening bacteria, molds, and yeasts available. Do remember that these were traditionally there in the environments.
Most folks I see today in the mountains simply prepare a good cheese surface with proper moisture/temp and the amount of salt and brushing will dictate what grows there. The traditional morge I see being used mostly in the Abondance region is the real deal but in Beauforte region I see a simple salt wash being used. Most of what grows on the surface is coming from the wooden shelves. They are cleaned regular but only with hot water and brushes... never detergents.
Here I only add a bit of geotrichum and occasionally a bit of b.lin but the yeast is from my environs. I am sure some of those cheeses from overseas have also set up their own bios in my aging space and they find their way into the program.
I have always been tempted to try adding some of the cultured yeasts available but so far have resisted doing this.

Since I have spent so much time in these mountains I thought I would throw in some of my observations. Hopefully it helps.

   Jim
Jim Wallace .. the "Tech Guy" at www.cheesemaking.com
                    ...... current workshops are online and filling up quickly now! http://www.cheesemaking.com/JimW.html

Offline ArnaudForestier

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2011, 04:02:41 AM »
Hey Jim -

First of all, hello, and secondly, many thanks for the thread.  I love these cheeses, and intend to concentrate on them quite a bit over the next several months.  Very informative thread. 

I actually contacted a few "official" entities in Switzerland, and France.  I was going to wait until I heard from the French concern to post their reply - my question was on the issue of "traditional" salting practices, among Gruyeres, and early affinage.  The 2 Swiss orgs replied, yet to hear from the French; nevertheless, I think this is a fantastic thread, and I hope you don't mind if I add in the reply I received from Switzerland (they both were very close to one another in their description of alpage, mountain practice).  Nothing earth-shattering - you've provided more detail (as have others I've learned a good deal from, over the last short stretch of time), but I thought it might be interesting to hear what a "mother country" of the style has to say:

Quote
Bonjour Monsieur,

 Nous vous remercions de votre intérêt pour le Gruyère AOC.

 Suite à la mise en moule, les fromages sont immergés dans un bain de sel
 durant 24 heures.

 C'est en cave qu'ils seront affinés. Pendant les dix premiers jours, les
 Meules seront retournées et frottées quotidiennement avec un mélange de sel et d'eau. Ensuite, à raison de deux fois par semaine pendant trois mois,
 puis d'une fois par semaine jusqu'à leur vente, elles seront encore
 retournées et frottées, avec de l'eau légèrement salée.


(for English readers):

"Following their formation into wheels, the cheeses are immersed in a brine bath for 24 hours.

It's in the cave where the cheese would be aged.  For the first 10 days, the cheeses would be turned and rubbed daily with brine. Then, at a rate of twice weekly for 3 months, then once a week until their sale, they would be once again turned and rubbed with a lightly-salted brine."

The other Swiss concern said much the same thing, merely adding:

Quote
You’ll find both methods, the dry way of salting the young cheese and the liquid one by washing them regularly in a brine.


You mention that salt would impede the final pH drop to 5.3-5.4.  I know this is my target for final press, before resting; with a target of 5.0-5.3 for the "resting" period, before salting.  Does this square with your experience?

Secondly, I wouldn't have thought Comte (or any gruyere-style) would get a warm period; at least not a significant one, as I wouldn't have thought a good deal of propionic metabolism was something sought after for these cheeses.  From another member (and from reading more), I'm aware the common perception that gruyeres are "eyeless" isn't necessarily correct, but I also know these cheeses have very few, small eyes, if they're present; so thought the propionic lysis by-products (and not propionic fermentation), were more sought after in them, which is why prop. would be typically found in their make.  Can you elaborate? Is it the case where comte/beaufort/gruyere get a limited warming period, in your experience?

With an amped-up home refrigerator (2 humidifiers, now, and an external temp controller), I've got 92-95%RH and 53-55F dialed in, but I'm afraid I don't have much in the way of a traditional beaufort ambiance, to be able to bank on a natural rind inoculation, so I helped it along.  Actually, them along, each in their own way.  Basically, especially after some good counsel by a couple of makers I really respect, I'm treating these really very much like any other smear-ripened cheese; daily washing for a period, then dialed back, watching rind all the while.

Great stuff, much food for thought - thanks again, Jim.

Paul 

Wanted to add that as I started to try to dig into this style, I came across your blog - fantastic journey, thanks for chronicling that, as well.  (And though I can't find it, somewhere on the www is, if my memory serves, a photo of you sitting in an alpine restaurant, a glass of wine and a wonderful meal in front of you, with the pale grey cast of rarefied light; had to be an extraordinary afternoon....and a sensory appeal to just take my family there, enough already!)

edit to the edit....found the pic.  Must have come to it from your blog when doing the digging on beaufort, as this ain't Beaufort, and that ain't wine. ;D  I loved the video of the hapless couple and their cows...
« Last Edit: March 13, 2011, 05:30:26 AM by ArnaudForestier »
- Paul

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2011, 04:09:07 AM »
Thanks Jim,

Your comments and observations are most welcome here.

Would enjoy reading more from you.

Regards: john

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #3 on: March 14, 2011, 02:57:37 AM »
Thanks, Jim. If I may elaborate:
Quote
A sweet curd (high pH) at molding when the whey is drained will not release the calcium as in a higher acid (Lo pH) cheese and this calcium makes for a stronger link for the proteins and thus elasticity.
More specifically, as1 casein is the primary protein responsible for elasticity. When hydrophobic interactions among the caseins happen after rennin cleaves k-casein and the para-casein matrix forms, colloidal calcium regulates those casein-casein interactions. Less acid = less degraded colloidal calcium = stronger as1 bonds = greater elasticity. There are nuances to this, but that is the general rule of thumb.
Quote
The cheese after initial salt goes into a cool room where the first phase of protein change occurs. This guarantees an supple elastic body, without which gas production will cause splits rather than smooth shiny holes.
You may have studied some more recent science, but this is very new to me. I thought the biggest reasons there is a cold rest before emmenthaler is moved to the warm room is to decrease nucleation sites, and to ensure proper rind formation. Decreasing nucleation sites is also why emmenthaler curd is pressed under whey. With fewer nucleation sites, the right number of holes can form i.e. fewer holes, but larger ones.

As far as I understand, the cause of split defect is not known definitively (I would love to know otherwise; I am thinking of findings from studies by people like Park, Reinbold, Martley, Crow, Lawrence, Giles, Langsrud, Hettinga, Berdague, Grappin, Akkerman, Bahmann, and of course McSweeney and other people in Cork, and many others). It happens sometimes that two cheeses from the exact same make, aged and treated the same way will be different, and one will have the split defect, and another will not.

The current science is far from being able to say that there's a guarantee that split defect will not form due to any single action. And split defect causation is multi-factored. Here's what current studies have found with regard to this defect:

There are two overall possible causes of the split defect:
- Body/paste is not adequate to support proper gas formation. This itself is multi-variable in nature. But possible "wrong" body can include inadequate acid at finish (5.4-5.5 at end vs 5.2-5.3, causes excess CO2 formation), wrong fat content in milk (too low or too high, about 3.5% is average), acid too high at whey drain (below 6.4), high casein hydration/low casein hydration (seasonality in milk), LAB-PAB interaction, improper aging/make room conditions including temperature fluctuations, improper temperature for strains for aging or acid production post drain, high secondary acidification due to LH strains, etc. And there are other factors, but the big point to remember here is you need the high calcium and high plasticity of the curd.

-Secondary fermentation causing CO2 production, or PAB strains causing excess CO2. This can be either propionic or butyric. The gist of the situation here is that after the warm room, and in the cold room, bacteria continue to produce gas. And because now the cheese is cold, it is not elastic. And it cannot release the gas, so slits in the cheese form. This is the actual cause of the slit defect. And it happens because either the body is wrong, so there's nothing you can do, because secondary bacteria (NSLAB) continue to produce CO2, or because PAB are not inhibited by the cold storage. Here, too, there are other possible causes, like that the coating used is not adequate to allow for CO2 venting.

Commercially, the first contributing cause is regulated by a good make process that ensures suitable temp and cheese plasticity, and using proper milk. And the second is regulated most often by using adjuncts such as rhamnosus, and other FHL. Common commercial products are ones like the Fonterra strains that it licenses to Danisco under the Holdbac line.

Anyway, thanks, would love to know more if there's been some research by new scientists I haven't heard of.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2011, 04:34:29 AM by linuxboy »

Offline ArnaudForestier

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #4 on: March 14, 2011, 04:10:16 AM »
Interesting discussion, guys.  This far-from-biochem-background-guy is playing some serious catch-up, and as it happens, I'm reading Ch. 3 (Rennet-Induced Milk Coagulation) of Cheese Physics, Biochem and Micro.  It will take me awhile, but I'll get there.  Appreciate the technical and experiential dialogue.   

Quote from: linuxboy
More specifically, as1 casein is the primary protein responsible for elasticity. When hydrophobic interactions among the caseins happen after rennin cleaves k-casein and the para-casein matrix forms, colloidal calcium regulates those casein-casein interactions. Less acid = less degraded colloidal calcium = stronger as1 bonds = greater elasticity. There are nuances to this, but that is the general rule of thumb.

Is the lower acid, higher level of colloidal Ca preferential for as1 caseins? - or rather, how does it affect all remaining caseins (as2, B-...)?  You indicate as1's role in terms of elasticity; might be beyond the scope of the board and thread, but can you go into a bit of the specific role of as2, B- (in their native states, and/or in complexation) in terms of texture (or will I find it, reading the texts)? 
« Last Edit: March 14, 2011, 05:15:31 AM by ArnaudForestier »
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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #5 on: March 14, 2011, 05:24:26 AM »
Quote
Is the lower acid, higher level of colloidal Ca preferential for as1 caseins?
No, it's genetics. Casein fractions are determined by breed. For example, for goats Alpines, have higher as1 fraction than Saanens. It's not like you magically get better curd and better cheese just by tinkering with the make. Sure, if your calcium is crap, you won't get good curd, but the other properties are very much milk dependent, which in turn depend on genetics and to a lesser degree, nutrition.

Quote
but can you go into a bit of the specific role of as2, B- (in their native states, and/or in complexation) in terms of texture
Actually, their role is minor. Remembering how we were talking about k-casein subtypes, and then other casein subtypes? In terms of gel strength, it's the "key" match of k-casein type with the rennet. And then after that, it's the relative proportion of as1 to other caseins.  Now, if you're talking about proteolysis and flavor in terms of b, as1, as2, etc, that's hugely complex. It depends on protease, peptidase mix, and then the water content, salt content, aging conditions, etc.

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #6 on: March 14, 2011, 05:34:37 AM »
Fantastic.  I actually think I get it, Pav.  It's more determinant, the genetics determining as1 fraction, than any alchemy attempted in the make.  A higher as1 content, and lower acid after k-casein cleaving, ceteris paribus, will mean a better elasticity; nothing alchemical done in a make to somehow preferentially "grab" and complex a higher proportion of as1, if it isn't there in the first place. And k-casein subtype and (enzymatic?) "matchup" to a given rennet, and as1-fraction to other caseins, are the key components of texture, in terms of the discussion.

Please tell me, I'm on the right road.  And if so, can you do me a favor, and write the definitive cheese science bible? I'd allow Fox as a co-author, if that's OK with you, because I happen to jive somehow with him, over the others.  But once again, you've brought it home to roost in a clear way.  Thanks.
« Last Edit: March 14, 2011, 05:39:49 AM by ArnaudForestier »
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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2011, 03:02:32 PM »
Quote
key components of texture, in terms of the discussion.
Exactly, only so we're clear, the texture we're discussing here is of the curd, and subsequently of the initial cheese wheel while it is very young.

Quote
definitive cheese science bible?
Notoriously difficult to convey because I'd have to pick my audience to narrow the writing scope. If I go basic, it would be a variant of Paul Kinsted's book. If I go intermediate, academics will not like it, but most cheesemakers should. If I go full on, academics will like it, but cheesemakers will not. And I would be writing yet another grad level, somewhat inapproachable dairy text. We'll see, maybe my short booklet idea would work.

Offline ArnaudForestier

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #8 on: March 14, 2011, 07:59:50 PM »
Thanks, Pav.  And I'd love to see what you come up with.
- Paul

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #9 on: March 14, 2011, 11:20:57 PM »
Two  things I would add:
1.  ADGA will do genetic testing for casein, so you can get your goats tested and modify your breeding program to suit.
2.  Adjunct strains Linux mentions are incredibly susceptible to phage.  There have been recent, widespread cases of inactiviation causing splitting during maturation.

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #10 on: March 14, 2011, 11:29:52 PM »
Can I ask, Francois, is there anything equivalent to the ADGA's program in the cattle world? 

Know very little about rhamnosus, beyond what I read after reading Pav's post.  Are adjunct cultures in general, more prone to phage?  If so, would you mind going into why (or pointing me to some lit., talking about this?)

Just wanted to say, also, Francois...followed your suggestion on the beaufort salting and washing regimen.  So far, very happy with what I see going on.  Watching it carefully - and perhaps it's not the worst thing that though I've sought 95-98%RH, I'm only pushing 92%, at least at this young stage of their affinage - but very pleased.  Many thanks again for all your help. 
- Paul

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #11 on: March 14, 2011, 11:37:05 PM »
I can't provide any information on starter adjunct inactivation that is public knowledge, so Pav might be best to ask about literature regarding this. 

I'm sure there must be similar programs for genetic testing of cows, but I was never a cow breeder.  Google?

Offline Boofer

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2011, 12:28:21 AM »
Excellent thread. Great information. Thanks, Jim...and linuxboy. I cut into my first Beaufort effort over the weekend. I saw the splitting you referenced.

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #13 on: June 15, 2011, 09:02:12 PM »
Salting: most of these Alpine cheese get a much lower initial salting due to the slower acid production required. Most of the lactose conversion happens after molding and salting too quickly or too heavily will slow or stop the final acid production needed. Many are drained and molded at a pH of about 6.2-6.4but they need to eventually reach the 5.3-5.4 pH and excess salt will impede achieving this final acid target.
Also excess salt will impede or stop the action of gas producers.
Therefore most brine doses are about half of what cheeses such as cheddar get. The remaining salt is a low dose of dry salt over a period of many days or even weeks. Salting one day and rubbing in the next.
This 2 part brining/drysalt is common in most of the chalets I do visit.
The brine baths I see in the mountains are very old indicating that the brining has been done traditionally this way for a very long time.
The initial brine salting is still done on the mountains. In the past the cheeses were held in the mountains for long periods but today they are take to the large Coop aging centers every 5-7 days where the salting continues.
As the surface hardens

Jim

I'm revisiting this old thread, as I'm taking another look at salting. 

I read again the Beaufort AOC materials, and realize I misread this the first time.  They didn't indicate producers do brine or dry, but both , as Jim is discussing above - they distinguish emmental  (getting 48 hours brining); comte ("nothing but a contribution of coarse dry salt 2 or 3 times per week"), from Beaufort - which gets a 24 hour soak, and a "contribution of dry, coarse salt." They then specify this is why Beaufort has a higher salinity. (I've posted elsewhere the comparative salt content among these 3 cheeses; among them, Beaufort is highest).

I'm trying to adjust down from the 45-100 lb wheels of true Beaufort, to my pilot 5.75 pounders. Might be tough, but I'm intrigued by this wet-dry method; as before.  Wondering if the brine will give the benefits of the uniform salting, and the dry-rub will give a good surface prep, and further drying. 

Given the Beaufort AOC, any ideas on how one might apply this on a smaller wheel?  Perhaps if a 45 lb wheel gets 24 hours, just a quick soak on my 5 3/4 pounder (3 hours), followed by a 2x24 hour dry rub? 

Anyone?
- Paul

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Re: Notes on Alpine cheese!
« Reply #14 on: June 28, 2011, 08:21:33 AM »
Moulding at 6.4?  I have a hard time believing that. 

You can scale the times down directly, assuming you are at the same temperature.  Somewhere I have a Dairy Journal article about brine time, temperature and final salt content.  If you search through google videos for formaggio you'll see videos of alpine cheeses being made that skip the brine.  Instead they just use a slow, prolonged processes of dry salting and scrubbing.