Author Topic: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme  (Read 17474 times)

mrsick44

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #15 on: August 20, 2011, 08:54:18 PM »
LB...thank you so very much. The lights are coming on and understanding is increasing. This is perhaps one of the most satisfying threads I've come across. I get it about the difference between MFFB and the Aw. I also have a better feel for the flow of the system. Understanding the system-knowing how it works and where it will flex-invaluable.  Thank you for sharing your time, expertise and experience with us (me) :)
Boofer...thank you as well for sharing your thoughts, successes and insights. I gain so much from your responses and I appreciate that you always respond to questions...no matter how basic. From my reading of your notes last night, I began washing this tomme with a 5% brine. Is this sufficient? I also put it in a aging cave where the humidity is higher. Am I on the right track? Thanks again for the wonderful and informative thread.
...and I reset the time/date on my camera ::)

linuxboy

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #16 on: August 20, 2011, 09:24:59 PM »
Quote
washing this tomme with a 5% brine.
This will inhibit and kill almost all geos and PCs and many other molds. If you want blues and b linens and the like, or are approaching this from an approach where you use multiple brine concentrations and multiple inoculations to create successions of flora ecosystems, then you can start with 5%. Otherwise, 2-3% is preferred.

mrsick44

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #17 on: August 20, 2011, 09:59:40 PM »
Thanks LB. For a 2-3% solution, that would be 2-3 tsp of kosher/cheese salt per cup of boiled water? Also, will you recommend a book on cheese science? I'm not a scientist, but I think I'm ready to increase the learning curve.
Many thanks.

linuxboy

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #18 on: August 20, 2011, 10:21:34 PM »
Eh? No, it's by weight. See my chart http://www.wacheese.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=65&Itemid=59

if you want metric, it's weight per volume of final solute. You're calculating the weight of the solid in a specific known quantity of weight of the liquid.

Offline Boofer

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #19 on: August 21, 2011, 06:35:46 PM »
Okay, I have a challenge in front of me...but I see I may still have options.  8)

While perusing my computer notes, I came across this piece from linuxboy's Beaufort rind treatment:

"Once there's a good rind on the outside, a sort of thick, impenetrable one, the morge wash can begin.

The morge wash works in the long run primarily through heavily proteolytic b linens. This will break down protein rapidly, and will create a soft cheese if the moisture is high. But if the moisture is low, it will slowly break up the protein peptides into amino acids, creating really intense flavor. So 4-6 weeks into it, or whenever the rind is ready, you start the morge wash and keep layering it on.
"

I took those as my marching orders for this cheese style with this condition. This morning I adjusted the simple 3% brine wash to include PLA and B. linens. That, coupled with high 90's humidity and 54F temp, should bring some desired change. I will try to document significant changes to the current status quo.

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

JeffHamm

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #20 on: August 21, 2011, 08:45:21 PM »
Wisdom does not mean always starting off in the right direction, but knowing when to change course.  I look forward to seeing how this progresses.  A cheese for you!

- Jeff

Offline Boofer

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #21 on: August 29, 2011, 03:53:40 AM »
Thanks for your encouragement, Jeff.

Washing with PLA and linens added to the 3% brine. I've been washing and returning the small wash bowl back to the fridge, hopefully increasing the effectiveness of the morge.

I'm afraid my battle on this iron-clad rind is all uphill. Pics show that nothing is getting through.  :'(

Question to linuxboy:
The flat surfaces show significant growth. Could just the flat surfaces provide enough rind development (hence, paste ripening) that I needn't worry about the hard edge rind?

-Boofer-
« Last Edit: August 30, 2011, 09:46:52 PM by Boofer »
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

Offline Boofer

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #22 on: September 09, 2011, 06:26:19 PM »
I am resigned to the hard rind that this cheese has developed. It is not what I was aiming for, but I will make the best of it and not repeat that error in Tomme #5, whenever that comes.

The flat surfaces are developing quite a yeasty/moldy character. This should be interesting. Hopefully the paste will benefit and produce a flavorful cheese.

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

linuxboy

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #23 on: September 09, 2011, 06:48:11 PM »
sorry, didn't see this earlier

Quote
The flat surfaces show significant growth. Could just the flat surfaces provide enough rind development (hence, paste ripening) that I needn't worry about the hard edge rind?
Remember, it's a continuum where you are balancing flavor by controlling temp, humidity, rind flora, to work with the cheese properties (salt/pH/moisture gradients, total moisture, etc). So "enough" is a hard term here. I think what you're really asking is that the sides are not showing much growth, and if this is an issue. It's not.

Offline Boofer

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #24 on: September 09, 2011, 10:08:06 PM »
That's what I concluded. Thanks for that.

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

Offline Boofer

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #25 on: October 19, 2011, 07:00:08 AM »
I'll crack this open on Halloween so that it more closely aligns with the subject of this thread. It will be 90 days old at that point.

It should be interesting. I've rubbed it and smoothed it, knocking the white bloom down so that it just shows in the crevices. There is "give" to the flat surfaces when lightly pressed so I believe that the paste will be somewhat moist even though the rind is probably the hardest I have yet to encounter. I normally like rind in hard cheeses, so I hope this one is tasty.

To be quite honest, I wanted a more lively rind, but something got away from me in that first few days of drying and the rind became impenetrable. Without passing judgement on this effort, I will see a Tomme #5 soon to realize that more robust rind. I remain optimistic that this cheese will surprise and delight me.

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

Tomer1

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #26 on: October 19, 2011, 08:11:21 PM »
Can I have a go?

I made a washed curd tomme and slightly over acidified it at the press.
I brined it and set it on a mat I just used for camambert, Lots of white fluffy candida spores on it.
My morge is 2% salt by wight and some port wine slightly acidified with some chardonay I had left since the port is fairly low on acid (Ph 3.7).
The temp is 15c RH 92-95%.  I wash it twice a week.

PC has started growing on the cheese,the strain is a low\slow proteolytic one and the coverage is building up by my asistance.
Can this type of cheese eventually amoniate and soften (not gooey like camambert since its much lower moisture)?
How should I continue?

Offline Boofer

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #27 on: October 29, 2011, 08:51:44 PM »
Opening day at the cheese factory!

Three months in and time to taste the cheese. I cut this, my Tilsit #1, and an Austrian Tilsit. I asked my wife to join me in tasting and comparing these three cheeses. I rely upon her olfactory senses because mine are not quite as optimal as hers. Yesterday while I was rubbing them and inspecting for today's opening, I asked her to smell them. She characterized them both as "clean" (I would guess...meaning "fresh".), but added that the Tomme smelled like freshly-dug earth (I would guess that meant "mushroomy".)

Today, after tasting all three of these candidates, she said she liked the Tomme best out of all three. She did say she wasn't too fond of the rind and she removed it to increase her tasting pleasure. She even said that if I served it, not to serve it with the rind. I found that the rind was edible but it did contribute to the earthiness of the cheese.

I would say that this was a definite improvement in my Tomme lineup. After cutting a portion for my son and his family, I vacuum-sealed the remainder and will continue to age it.

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

JeffHamm

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #28 on: October 29, 2011, 10:38:15 PM »
Nicely done Boofer!  I've been waiting to see how this one turned out for you.  I'm very pleased to hear it was a remarkable success.  It certainly looks like a very presentable cheese, and the tasting report compliments the visual nicely.  Well done.  A cheese for your persistance.

- Jeff

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Re: Testing the Darkside of my Tomme
« Reply #29 on: October 30, 2011, 12:55:13 AM »
Thanks, Jeff. I'm watching your exploits as well and trying to pick up pointers from your postings. Very inspiring.

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