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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Cooked (Swiss) => Topic started by: Boofer on September 21, 2013, 04:41:12 PM

Title: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: Boofer on September 21, 2013, 04:41:12 PM
It's been a couple years since I made a Baby Swiss. I figured it was time to do it again.

I have a very clear idea for what my end product should be. "Madrigal" cheese is a Baby Swiss from France. We have enjoyed it for years and it stands as a sterling example for this cheese style. The paste is flexible and very sliceable. The cheese is semi-hard and nutty with a few medium-sized eyes/holes.

I followed Sailor's recipe...somewhat. :-\

This make started out with a handicap. I dosed it with half the cultures and rennet that I should have. Who knows why? ::) That made it slow to come off the blocks and start running. Slow to drop the acidity. Slow to floc. But, hey, we're not making Fast Food here...slow down.  ;)  Take a ChillPill.

I'll probably let this go for a 4-week Warm Phase. I'm not sure what I'll get for PS action. Whatever happens, I'm sure it will be fine.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: shotski on September 21, 2013, 05:10:51 PM
Looks great Boofer, I have not had the chance to make a Swiss yet but it is on my list of must makes. Keep us posted on how it ages, How long do you plan on ageing this baby?
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: Boofer on September 21, 2013, 11:28:56 PM
It'll probably be okay for the holidays...maybe New Year's. A target of between 4-6 months was my guideline. I would want this to be a youngish cheese.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: JeffHamm on September 21, 2013, 11:38:45 PM
Looks good Boofer.  It looks very orange, like annato's been added, but I'm thinking that's just a lighting effect?  Very dramatic!  Looking forward to seeing how this turns out.

- Jeff
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: Boofer on September 22, 2013, 03:32:09 PM
No to the annatto, Jeff. It is pretty orange. I take quite a few pics and try to represent the object in the truest light. I try to achieve crisp, interesting photos that sometimes can be intriguing.

The orange may be from native linens that found their way while I was washing the cheese with brine. Believe me, this was one of the least orange pics I snapped. Another factor in the color is the fact that the rind has dried significantly. That darkens it quite a bit.

Turning it this morning, I see just a bit of what might be PS activity. I'm not expecting much, given the smaller amount of PS I added. For some reason, my mind was split between the dosage for a Baby Swiss and a Beaufort. In a Beaufort, you want the characteristic flavor of the propionic acid, but not the eye development, so the dosage is smaller than it should be for a Baby Swiss (or Maasdam, Jarlsberg, Emmentaler, etc.).

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: JeffHamm on September 22, 2013, 06:11:31 PM
Those are some pretty impressive linens!  I bought some PS which are indicated to be low gass producing (so good for Beaufort).  They produced a good flavour in the one I made.  I'll make another in a couple weeks I think.  Might make a few, as a friend of mine quite likes swiss cheeses so I may attempt a make for his birthday next year.  Would be well aged by then.

Anyway, expectations are on the rise.  Well done (as always).

- Jeff
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: Al Lewis on September 22, 2013, 06:29:08 PM
Good luck with yours Jeff.  I can never get the holes to form.  Gave up and switched to making a smoked gouda. LOL
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: hoeklijn on September 22, 2013, 08:51:49 PM
Mmmm, interesting, Boofer! Just have received Choozit ALP B and I'm aiming for a Swiss one of these days...
But I took a day off tomorrow and will make what we call here Proosdij-kaas. Swiss will follow shortly. 
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: Boofer on September 23, 2013, 01:55:37 PM
will make what we call here Proosdij-kaas.
I tried googling that but came up with what looked to be generics. Can you characterize that cheese a bit, Herman?

I've had good success with the Alp culture.

Good luck with yours Jeff.  I can never get the holes to form.  Gave up and switched to making a smoked gouda. LOL
Al, why not try a Maasdam (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9667.msg70732.html#msg70732)? I made two of them last year and they both gave me eyes and tasted wonderful. In fact, I just sampled one again recently and it still delivers good quality in taste and texture.

I've attached two Maasdam recipes.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: hoeklijn on September 23, 2013, 03:36:25 PM
In fact it is a Gouda-type cheese, but the difference is the use of a mix of meso and flavour building thermo, in this case Chr. Hansen CHN-19 and LHB-01. I tasted it on the event of "Kaaslust" and I loved it. With 4 months it's giving a distint flavour as if it is an old cheese, but it had the texture of a young cheese. So I got the cultures and the recipe from the cheese master and tried it today. Had about 24 liter of raw milk and after pressing had around 3180 gram of cheese. Not bad....
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: Boofer on September 23, 2013, 10:14:51 PM
Sounds interesting, Herman. Do you have a recipe that you would share? Or is it "just" a Gouda recipe with those cultures you quoted?

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: hoeklijn on September 24, 2013, 05:34:04 AM
I'l post it under "washed curd"...
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: Boofer on October 07, 2013, 01:37:02 PM
Last Thursday marked the fourth week of the Warm Phase. I decided to vacuum seal the cheese and put it back into the the cave for continued aging. I wiped it with vinegar-salt and then let it dry a bit before sealing it up. It hasn't swelled much but I've found that doesn't always indicate the presence of eyes created.

So now I wait...for probably 4-6 months of affinage.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: JeffHamm on October 07, 2013, 07:17:12 PM
That's looking very nice.  Great looking rind.  Can I see some swells on the top face?  Looks like some PS action.  Hmmm, I should start thinking about some holiday cheeses as well. 

- Jeff
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: Boofer on December 31, 2013, 06:34:25 AM
A little alpine for the New Year.

Good texture and salt level, some small eyes...tasty!

Far less of the Propionic acid character than that in either of the two Maasdams (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9667.0.html) I have made, but still good alpine taste.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: Schnecken Slayer on December 31, 2013, 06:45:13 AM
Definitely a nice looking cheese and the rind looks perfect. Well done.
A well deserved cheese for your effort.
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: GlennK on December 31, 2013, 11:33:50 AM
A cheese to you Boofer.  I wish I was spending NYE at your house so I could sample some of that.
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: Digitalsmgital on December 31, 2013, 03:31:58 PM
Congrats on the new baby, I will light a cigar for you both tonight!

I see you named it acceptable, was it the eye formation that dampened your enthusiasm? It looks terrific, AC4U!
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: JeffHamm on December 31, 2013, 04:39:43 PM
Looks pretty good though.  Do you think the small eyes and weak PS flavour might indicate a problem with your culture?  How old is your PS powder?  I wouldn't change anything unless it becomes consistent.  I know something is going wrong when my cheeses start becoming consistent! :) ha!

- Jeff
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: Boofer on January 02, 2014, 02:10:44 PM
I see you named it acceptable, was it the eye formation that dampened your enthusiasm? It looks terrific, AC4U!
Thanks for the cheese.

The small eyes are fine for this style. Very acceptable. ;)

Looks pretty good though.  Do you think the small eyes and weak PS flavour might indicate a problem with your culture?  How old is your PS powder?  I wouldn't change anything unless it becomes consistent.  I know something is going wrong when my cheeses start becoming consistent! :) ha!

- Jeff
No, my PS is good. I've found over time that I'm not a big fan of overly PS-heavy alpines. My intent is to give a nuance of PS character. Smaller eyes naturally follows the reduced PS character.

Consistency in cheesemaking? Yeah, I like to have some assurance that a cheese I make will emulate a previous make. There are a lot of factors beyond my control and I'm just lucky if those line up properly and complement my efforts to adhere to a recipe. Still, each cheese has its own character and agenda regardless how faithfully I stick to the recipe.

If I can achieve a reasonable consistency with my cheesemaking, I can then take that cheese recipe and tweak it slightly. Along those lines, something in my head that I can't seem to shake is the idea of a Beaufort with a little blue character. We'll see. 8)
 
-Boofer-
Title: Re: Ohh, Baby . . . Swiss
Post by: High Altitude on January 02, 2014, 07:38:22 PM
I think it's just gorgeous, Boofer!  Love the rind coloring as well. 

A cheese to you, and Happy New Year!