Author Topic: My First Tomme  (Read 29570 times)

Offline Boofer

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #30 on: August 05, 2012, 05:12:54 AM »
Yoav, you should sell a culture boundle.   Ma,RA,TA,LH,yeasts,molds (PC,PR,GEO).
A collection no cheesemaker's freezer can go without :)
What is Ma, RA? Get me some of that too, Tomer.  :)

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

Tomer1

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #31 on: August 05, 2012, 10:26:07 AM »
MA4000\4001\19, RA21\24

iratherfly

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #32 on: August 05, 2012, 05:35:50 PM »
Yoav, you should sell a culture boundle.   Ma,RA,TA,LH,yeasts,molds (PC,PR,GEO).
A collection no cheesemaker's freezer can go without :)
Great idea all! I am on it!  Which bundles would you like to see together? How about a bloomy bundle, washed bundle, tomme bundle, reblochon bundle, cheddar bundle and swiss bundle? I just got in a huge shipment from Danisco, CHR Hansen and Abiasa, like 50 different types of cultures!  (I don't think I have RA though, no one ever asked for it)

Boofer, RA is a mix of Cremoris, Lactis, and Thermophilus. It's a farmstead culture minus the gas/eyes and diacetyl (butter flavor) that you get with MA4000. It's basically like mixing MA11 (-thru MA19, same thing) with TA50 (-thru TA54, same thing).

Tomer, MA11 thu 19 is different than MA4000 thru 4002. MA11-19 don't have diacetyl or thermophilus in them, just lactis/cremoris.

Tomer1

  • Guest
Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #33 on: August 08, 2012, 07:49:22 PM »
Thats a good idea to boundle by style.

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #34 on: August 12, 2012, 05:05:17 AM »
Hmmm,

Yesterday morning when I flipped this one it revealed a split in the rind.  I've had this happen only once before, on a butterkase to which I was adding a b.linens wash.  So this has happened twice now, and both times to semi-firm, lightly pressed cheeses, which I've washed with a brine and b.linens.  I suspect it's the brine in the wash rather than the b.linens.  Because the box is quite humid (condensation every day), I don't think it's too dry.  Rather, I think the brine wash pulls the moisture out of the surface of the cheese, but given how humid the box is, that's all that happens.  This creates the dry surface relative to the moist inner cheese, which is what happens if the environement is too dry.

To compound this, the cheese was sitting up on a layer of chopsticks to allow air to circulate.  But, the cheese also sags between the sticks, and this stretches the stiffened rind, and it splits. 

Anyway, I've put down a layer of needlepoint matting to remove the sagging between the chopsticks and we'll see what happens.

- Jeff

Offline Boofer

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #35 on: August 12, 2012, 06:29:04 AM »
Yeah, I had that happen where a cheese sagged because it wasn't fully supported. Not good. The needlepoint mat should do the trick.

That's mostly what I use with an assist from some other netting under it to help aerate.

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

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #36 on: August 12, 2012, 10:44:30 PM »
The chopsticks (I use about 8 to 10) work fine for harder cheeses.  The softer bodied Tomme, however, still has enough play in it, combined with the wash, that I should have known better.  Oh well, live and learn. 

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #37 on: August 16, 2012, 06:58:01 PM »
Hi,

This has now got a nice light b.linens colouring, so no more washes.  The rind is fairly clean, but some mould is developing.  The split on the other side is not healing, but it's not spreading deep.  The inner paste looks very moist and yummy.  I was thinking I would let this develop a natural rind, but with the split, I'm thinking it might have to be vaccuum bagged.  I might be able to wrap a belt on it, but I've had problems with keeping the cloth belt tight enough to make a difference.

- Jeff

Tomer1

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #38 on: August 16, 2012, 08:45:34 PM »
Maybe bag it and let it age?

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #39 on: August 16, 2012, 08:54:38 PM »
Hi Tomer1,

That's what I was thinking, but I was hoping to get a decent natural rind going which bagging will prevent.  But, the softness of the inner paste is tearing the split and it's probably better not to lose the cheese.  I think something about my procedures when I make these washed rinds is causing the skin to tighten too fast, then rip.  This will have to do with moisture differences and the elasticity of the rind, and the humidity of the cave will be a factor as well. 

Will bagging more or less kill off the b.linens?  This is also one of the reasons why I've delayed bagging it.  I would like these to work on producing some flavour, which will be stronger near the rind and diminish towards the centre.

I may just have to make another!

- Jeff

Offline Boofer

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #40 on: August 17, 2012, 01:00:15 AM »
Your rind is corrupted. Seems like this will have to be a vacuum baby in order to protect the inner paste from the Bad Guys.

Bag it and start another, Jeff. Sock this one away for a couple months.

I would vote for "yes, the linens will stop doing their thing". They like a breath of fresh air every so often.

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

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #41 on: August 17, 2012, 01:08:35 AM »
You're probably right.  Sigh.  A shame though.  Still, the glance inside looks really promising as the inner paste really looks enticing.  I'll bag it tonight.

- Jeff

JeffHamm

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #42 on: August 17, 2012, 06:13:00 AM »
It's bagged now.  A shame as the linens had developed to just the level I wanted them and now I have to turn them off.  Oh well, I'm very pleased with the look of the internals.  Though I'm tempted to just cut into it, I realise it's not ready for tasting yet, but the soft internal paste looks really nice.  Anyway, I'm looking forward to trying this, even if it's not going to be for some time.  It's only 1 month now.  I was thinking 6 months.  When do others normally cut into their Tommes for a good result?  Given the rind corruption earlier would be better for this than later, so I guess the real question is, what's the earliest recommended cut time?

- Jeff

Offline Boofer

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #43 on: August 17, 2012, 05:54:01 PM »
I'm no expert on the right time to cut, but I'd monitor the exposed cut area for foreign invaders and try to hold out for at least three or four months. Even with the split, the internal paste changes are occurring and transforming the cheese into the quasi-masterpiece you intended it to be.  :)

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

boothrf

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Re: My First Tomme
« Reply #44 on: August 24, 2012, 11:17:30 PM »
Hi Jeff, really enjoying reading your posts on your butterkasse, Caerphilly and tomme. I have just branched into harder cheeses after playing with cams and blues for the last 18 months. Made my first Cheddar last week and now want to tackle a Caerphilly and a butterkasse .  I'd like to know what size hoops you use for these cheeses. I have a few small Cheddar hoops, around 100mm dia, but would like to make a single largerr cheese. My make is usually 8 to 10 litres.  Also, what type of follower do you use when pressing?