Author Topic: Looking for Montasio Recipe  (Read 9879 times)

Offline ArnaudForestier

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #15 on: June 19, 2011, 06:37:31 PM »
Wow!  Beautiful wheel, Jeff - many congratulations!
- Paul

JeffHamm

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #16 on: June 19, 2011, 08:54:20 PM »
Thanks ArnaudFarestier.  The knit came out really well, and my cheesecloth control has greatly improved.  Only a few small wrinkles.  It's in the saturated brine now, and will move to air drying at the end of the day.  Usually my makes have come out around 1.5 kg, but they've been meso cheeses.  I think the higher cooking temperature of this one helps to expell the whey, so the lower weight reflects reduced moisture.  As my other cheeses age they usually come down to around 1.0-1.2 kg, so I expect this one will not shrink as much during the aging process.  I probably should have gone with a slightly shorter floc as well, 2.5 or even 2.0, instead of 3.0 since I am intending to take this out for awhile.  This should be a good table cheese in 6-8 months, or a grating cheese if aged over a year. 

Oh yah, I looked up my thermo culture, and it is listed as "slow-medium acid", and good for swiss and Italian cheeses.  Another site listed  mozzarella, emmenthal, gruyere, and vacherin.  I've found a tech sheet on it, but have no idea what the information is telling me. 

Anyway, thanks for the tips and info.

darius

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #17 on: June 19, 2011, 09:03:06 PM »
Wow, Jeff... you are really branching out! Cheese looks great, keep up the good work. :)

JeffHamm

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #18 on: June 19, 2011, 10:56:41 PM »
Thanks darius,

I'm trying to build up a cave full of cheeses for longer aging.  I'll keep some room for quick makes, like Lancaster and Caephilly, while the rest of the room will be for vintage cheeses.  I find it enjoyable to make a wide variety, though I realise that the best way to really improve is to concentrate on one or two.  So far, all the cheeses have been enjoyable though.  None would win a prize, but none have had to go in the bin either.

- Jeff

Cheese Head

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #19 on: July 29, 2011, 01:01:12 AM »
In case other's haven't seen Montasio, picture below from Vancouver BC Canada Bosa Food Store, all pictures from that Cheesemonger here.

JeffHamm

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #20 on: August 11, 2011, 07:21:01 PM »
Hi,

Just an update on this one.  It has occasionally developed some surface molds (mostly geo) which is fairly easy to wipe clear every few days.  I surface salted it last night and have wiped down the brine this morning.  Haven't had to do too much maintenance, mostly just brushing it clean if any blue developes.  It's been quite some time since I salted it, hence the dry salt last night.  It's got a nice firm feel to it and I think it's comming along well.  Down to only 966g though, so this is the smallest yeild I've had yet.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #21 on: October 16, 2011, 03:02:19 AM »
Hi,

Again, just to show how this one is developing.  It's now down to 864g, so it's drying out (as it should if it eventually becomes a grating cheese).  It's got a bit of mold on it, but I'm leaving that as a protective layer.  It will be easy to remove when it's time to feed on it. As I have another one of these on the go, I'll probably cut into this around Christmas time to see how it is progressing.  It's apparently good as a table cheese around that time frame, but I'll be more interested in seeing if it's dried out to all rind.  I don't think it will have, but we'll see.  If it has, I can grate it and will know to get into the 2nd one sooner rather than later.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #22 on: November 04, 2011, 09:57:45 PM »
I now have some LH!  So the next time I make this, probably soon, I'll be able to add it. Also, it appears my lipase had bit the dust as neither of my montasio's have the aroma that my romano and manchengo had from it.  I've also got a new supply of that too.  So, as soon as I get the chance, I'll be giving this a go with all the gear!

Can you mother culture LH and create ice cubes?

- Jeff

P.S.  This cheese is still doing well.  I've vac. sealed it.  It's around 140 days old now, and looks much the same as in the last photo.  Should weigh it again as I've not done that lately.

P.P.S It's 864g Nov 15, 2011.
« Last Edit: November 15, 2011, 06:59:37 AM by JeffHamm »

JeffHamm

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #23 on: November 26, 2011, 05:03:00 AM »
Hi,

Ok, my parents are here and I decided to cut into this one.  It's about 5 months old.  I thought the lipase had gone kaput, but one taste was more than sufficient to let me know it was alive and kicking.  A definate flavour has been imparted. The paste is not dried out into a hard rock, but it will slice nicely.  The flavour is quite strong, but not too strong.  We grated some and put it over fish and asparagus for supper, and it was very good.  But it really calls out for a pasta dish.  Still, I'm pleased with it.  I'll probably age 1/2 the wheel until Christmas, when it will be 6 months old.   I'll take one of the other two wheels out to a year or more.  Didn't get a chance for a photo, but might get one later.

- Jeff
« Last Edit: December 10, 2011, 08:28:08 PM by JeffHamm »

JeffHamm

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #24 on: November 26, 2011, 05:24:05 AM »
Here's a photo of the cut cheese. 

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #25 on: December 06, 2011, 06:58:44 AM »
Had a meal of spagetti with this grated on top.  It was wonderful!  Very pleased with the result.  I suspect in a year it will be that much better.  As I have two more of these wheels, I'll definately plan on aging one of them out to at least a year.  Anyone looking for a simple to make cheese for long aging, I recommend this one.  The make has always gone smoothly for me, and the overall procedure is quite straight forward.  The full recipe includes LH as a flavour enhancer, but this one didn't have it and it's turned out very good.  I've got one with the LH added, so that will be the one I'll ensure ages out fully. 

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #26 on: August 14, 2012, 07:24:16 AM »
Had spagetti again today (and yesterday actually).  A small piece of this wheel has been in use for about a year now!  This cheese has such a wonderful flavour when grated, and you don't need much, that it's lasting for ever.  I have at least 3/4 of this wheel still in my fridge, with two other wheels as yet untouched.  The one piece that we've been using is sitting inside a small container that locks down, and keeps it from drying out while also not going mouldy.  My 2 days shy of 5 years old daughter looked at me and said "This is yummy cheese Dad!  You make really yummy cheese."  That was worth it.  She's really got quite a sophisticated palette.  Great stuff.

- Jeff

Offline Boofer

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #27 on: August 14, 2012, 02:47:47 PM »
Way to go, Jeff! Sounds like you're not eating spaghetti often enough.  ;)

For your skills in preserving and optimally maintaining a hard cheese, I extend a cheese to you.

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

JeffHamm

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #28 on: August 14, 2012, 06:56:23 PM »
Thanks Boofer.  Sort of a bit lucky really.  I bought a couple containers that one would keep things like olives in (baskets inside a container, lift out the basket to leave the brine, or fruit syrup, etc, behind) to use the baskets for making semi-lactics.  The container has a snap lid, and is fairly small, so I figured I would use it to store the cut piece of this cheese rather than keep wrapping it, etc.  Turns out, this is the perfect storage container for these.

And yes, we've had a curioiusly low spagetti count this year.  Must rectify that. :)

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: Looking for Montasio Recipe
« Reply #29 on: June 08, 2014, 05:26:58 AM »
Hi,

I made this cheese June 19, 2011, so it's a few days short of it's 3rd birthday!  This is only the 2nd quarter in use (I've got 2 more wheels made about the same time).  Anyway, we had used the first quarter grated over spaghetti after it was a year old, and I vac sealed the rest around then.  As we had a piece of store bought parm, I figured we would use that up before breaking this out again.  Anyway, we ended up being a bit slack on our spaghetti makes, and the store bought parm was pretty flavourless to be honest (yah, I know, so why not just throw it out?  Look, I'm primarily of Scottish herritage, and grew up in Nova Scotia.  One just does not throw food out! :) ).  Finally finished off the parm, so I reopened this.  It was not a dried out chunk, but the vac sealing has kept it moist (it's perfect for grating, but not a dried rock).  Made a casserole, mixing in a bunch of this, some of the bitto, and some of my feta, then added that to pasta, cauliflower, carrot, cream of mushroom soup, creme fraiche, celery, minted peas, left over roast pork, etc.  Turned out very nice.  The montasio flavour is very noticable and works very nicely.  Good thing, still have this piece in the photo (this is after I cut off and grated some for the meal) plus 2.5 wheels of the stuff.