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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Semi-Hard "Sweet" Washed Curd => Topic started by: Smurfmacaw on June 21, 2013, 11:14:37 PM

Title: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on June 21, 2013, 11:14:37 PM
I had today off so I decided to make a cheese.  I wanted to try some different techniques so a washed curd Tomme was what I decided to go with.  Was thinking about a Reblochon but I don't have enough molds to do a three gallon make and get the right form factor.


I used Linuxboy's washed curd Tomme recipe.

Three gallons of raw milk (at $15/gallon!! ???)
3/8 tsp MA 4002 (1.00 g actually)
1/8 tsp PLA (the flavor of Savoie in a pouch it says)
39 drops single strength veal rennet

Heated milk to 88 degrees and added starter and mold.  Ph of the milk was 6.92 to start.  I don't know if it's the meter or if all the milk around here is alkaline.
Ripened to 45 minutes until pH was 6.78.
Added diluted rennet and got a floc in exactly 10 minutes (39 drops gives 13 or so in the creamline milk I can get so I guess I should use less in raw milk.)
Floc factor 3.5x
Cut after 35 minutes total.  Strong curd!  Cut to pea sized (1/4) inch.
Healed the curd for 10 minutes then started to raise to 92 deg over the next 15 minutes while gently stirring.
Removed 1/2 gallon whey and replaced with 130 degree spring water.  Stirred 10 minutes.
Removed 1/2 gallon whey and replaced with 130 degree spring water.
Second addition yielde 100.5 degrees.
Stirred for about 30 minutes until the curd matted slightly but still could be separated when pressed in the palm.
Drained whey and formed curd under remaining whey into pile approximately the size of my mold and let it mat for 10 min.
pH now 6.45
Sprayed cheesecloth with vinegar and pressed the curd into the mold.
Pressed under warm whey 15 min with .2 psi. decent knit already but the wheel is very soft and flimsy.
Flipped pressed under warm whey 30 minutes. pH now 5.8.
next press will be at room temp for 1 hour with 8 pounds pressure total.  pH 5.6
Hit pH of 5.35 after 5 more hours so into the brine it went for 12 hours.
Knit looks really good and it smells nice.  It's in the room temperature drying phase now.  Since this place is practically a desert it shouldn't take more than a day or two even in the covered cake plate.

Will post pic's at next flip.

i plan on the standard rind wash of daily for 10 days then every other day for a week and then every four days until it's ready to dry off.

And the picture.....Actually the second pressing for 30 min was probably kind of light due to the geometry of things I had set up but I fixed that for the one hour press.

Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on June 22, 2013, 02:39:44 AM
After an hour in the press, the knit is looking good.  It's really moist still.  It will be one of those dunlap cheeses if I take it out of the mold anytime soon.  It's in for two hours now.....5.4 on the pH......it always comes on fast in the end....almost like a exponential growth of the bacteria... ;)

Anyone got any ideas on the intial pH of my milk??? This is the second batch where it was very high 6.85-6.90.  Different brands and the same acidification profile....very very slow to start and then rapidly increasing.

Oh well, I am hoping this will be good cheese and have a cool stinky, moldy, interesting rind.

Mike
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on June 23, 2013, 03:22:01 AM
And the finished product in the drying "cave".  Knit looks great.  Still damp on the bottom but will be dry in a day or two.  Managing 70-75% RH in the drying area.

Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Boofer on June 23, 2013, 05:34:09 AM
Looking good, Mike. I had a fairly high pH recently...6.82. I'm surprised.

Sorry about your premium-priced raw milk. I thought mine was bad at $9.99/gallon.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: JeffHamm on June 23, 2013, 05:34:45 AM
That looks very nice.  Will be interesting to see how the rind develops.  Photos along the way please. :)

- Jeff
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Tiarella on June 23, 2013, 03:15:26 PM
Mike, what kind of stinky rind are you going for?  B linens or more natural molds?  In my experience the natural molds of a dryer (B linens seems to like the moist situations) rind aren't that stinky.  With the PLA you'll have some stink for sure.....how do you envision this rind's end result?  And yes, Please do post photos regularly!!!
 ;D
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on June 23, 2013, 04:53:27 PM
Hi Kathrin,

I'm not entirely sure what's going to happen but I envision washing it for a start to get the B. Linens going to get the pungency up there a bit and some nice reddish orangish color. After that if the Linens doesn't die back naturally I might dry it a bit to let the fuzzier stuff have a go at it.  What I want it to look like is a dense orangish brown rind that looks like the pictures I've seen when I look in all the books.  Maybe a dusting of white powdery stuff to decorate it.

Right now it's drying.  Under the cake topper it's staying about 78-83% and it's taking a while to dry.  If I left the top off it would be dry already since the RH here runs about 40% but I think that is the source of my rinds not really taking off.  Even in the dorm fridge I use for a cave, it's very difficult to get it above 70-75%.  I have a stilton in there now and I have it under a bowl so I have to take it out for a walk pretty much daily so it can get some air.  It's looking good though.  I'm pretty sure the RH under the bowl is around 95% but in such a closed environment if i don't take it out daily it starts to produce ammonia.  I've thought about rigging an oxygenator to the fridge that only runs when the fridge runs but am not sure that would be a good solution.

Mike

and yes, many pictures to follow as this baby cheese grows up.
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on June 23, 2013, 04:59:53 PM
Looking good, Mike. I had a fairly high pH recently...6.82. I'm surprised.

Sorry about your premium-priced raw milk. I thought mine was bad at $9.99/gallon.

-Boofer-

I"ve been looking around.  It might be cheaper at the farmers market but they only have it on Sundays and that isn't the best day to make cheese for me since I have to work the next day and can't really do any fun cheese things until I get off.  I might be able to get it early Sunday (1000) but that still isn't optimal since it's an hour and a half round trip and of course I'd have to stick around long enough to eat there (great food vendors) etc.....Starting a cheese make at 1400 isn't really going to cut it for the most part for me.  I"m jealous of folks that can get really fresh raw milk for cheap and when ever they want it.  I can't tell how long the milk has been at the store I can find it at (Jimbo's), I just buy the ones with the longest expiry dates.  I assume either a one or two week shelf life but am not sure.

This batch was really high in pH.  Not sure what the deal is since the creamline I get  from a different store was very high last time too.  Could be they both came from the same dairy under different labels I suppose.  Oh well, I'll make do with what I can get.

Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Back 2 The Frotture on June 23, 2013, 07:21:11 PM
just curious why you call this a tomme de savoie.
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: BobE102330 on June 23, 2013, 10:10:49 PM
B2tF, From the first post: "1/8 tsp PLA (the flavor of Savoie in a pouch it says)" 

Mike, a bit of caution:  PLA produces a lovely, stinky cheese, but be very careful in your affinage.  Despite ripening containers, I managed to cross contaminate every cheese in my cave.  I managed to wash my montasios well enough to mostly eliminate it, but the manchego went crazy with it and to a lesser extent a mutschli.  I wasn't working my way through the cheese alphabet, I swear. ;)  Thorough cave decontamination allowed me to move on with non-stinkers. 

I suggest if there are other cheeses needing your attention, take care of them first.  Wash your hands thoroughly or use fresh gloves when changing types. 


Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on June 23, 2013, 10:21:48 PM
Luckily, I got the controller for the second fridge in last week.  (Two dorm fridges now, youngest is going to study abroad in Japan for a year)  I'm going to try to keep the ones that look to be stinky segregated.  Good suggestion on the gloves, I've got a couple of boxes of nitrile gloves for when I do composite work with epoxy.  They should work even though they aren't blue. ;)   I've pretty  much resigned myself to ripening boxes inside the caves....gotta love the desert clime.
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on June 23, 2013, 10:30:37 PM
B2Tf,

I'm being slightly tongue in cheek due to the statement by the manufacturer (or at least attributed to the manufacturer on one of the web sites).  I wanted to try something new techniques wise (washed curd) and Linuxboy's description that washing the curd will bring out the nuttiness of the milk kind of drew me in.  Also this is a fairly mild cheese and while I like cheese that are kind of in your face, I'm trying to break in my wife.  She's a trooper but some of the more aromatic cheeses can be a challenge.  We did buy an Epoise from the local cheesemonger here in San Diego and it was a success but it wasn't that stinky.

Having lotso f fun so far.  I like the technical aspects of the make and then watching it grow and change before you get to enjoy it is really cool.  If only I could find milk cheaper.  Even the creamline I can get is over 8 bucks a gallon and I looked and they use htst pasturization.  The curds are no where near as firm and strong as these were.
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on June 25, 2013, 07:46:49 PM
I stuck it in the cave last night.  It's hard to see in the picture but there is the beginnings of a white coating which I assume is the GC from the PLA.  I flipped this one often to try to even out the concavity of the sides.  It's pretty symmetrical so I'm happy with it.  Now it's on a basswood (that is what I had on hand) board in the "isolation cave" reserved for infectious cheeses.  I plan on washing the rind for the next ten days using the standard routine (flip and wash the upper face and sides every day) for ten days and then reduce the washing to see what grows.  I made up a wash of 2/3 cup Zinfadel, 4/3 cup spring water, 1 T salt, and a pinch of PLA for good luck.  lt should be an interesting transformation as time goes on.

As an aside, I had a piece of Beaufort d'Alpage that I brought for lunch.  It turns out I hit the jackpot and got the spot that had been core sampled (can't make myself say "triered".) Toward the rind it looked a little gnarly but when I ate it it had a really awesome blue flavor.  Too bad I ate it or I'd use it to culture another cheese.  I wonder if some sort of blue alpine cheese is possible.........
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Boofer on June 25, 2013, 10:55:29 PM
I plan on washing the rind for the next ten days using the standard routine (flip and wash the upper face and sides every day)
I guess I'm a stubborn learner...I just wash the entire wheel, front-back-sides, all at once. I do rest it on an open weave mat instead of a board most of the time, so that probably answers the unasked question of why doesn't it mold on the bottom. I currently am doing that with my Saint Paulin #2 (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,11475.msg89575.html#msg89575).

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on June 26, 2013, 03:36:38 AM
I really want to do a real smear ripened cheese.  I was thinking about a reblochon but the St Paulins look really good too.  What size molds did you use for what amount of milk to get two cheeses in the right form factor?  Now that I've got the isolation cave going the sky's the limit.  I'm going to use the next year or so to try different styles and see what I really like to make.  I've got to get as much in this summer as I can though, grad school is going to eat up a lot of my time starting in the fall.  Luckily since I work for the government, I get the next 11 Friday's off....if I keep to three gallon makes that'll be around 30 pounds of cheese.  I need to start making some things too that need aging.....I'd like to enter in the San Diego county fair next year for some feedback.
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Al Lewis on June 26, 2013, 03:44:56 AM
Mix up your washes in a small 16 oz jar with a air tight lid.  Use a brush for applying the wash and rinse it out in the wash after each application.  The seal the wash and place it in the cave until the next use.  Rinse the brush off and re-use.  The wash will take on some of the cheese and cloud up.  This is a good thing.  Keep using it in the same manner.  I brush mine on every other day.  Makes for a great smear.
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Boofer on June 26, 2013, 04:42:14 AM
What size molds did you use for what amount of milk to get two cheeses in the right form factor?
If you look back to my first Saint Paulin (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10685.0.html), you'll see that I used 2 gallons in 3 Reblochon moulds (http://glengarrycheesemaking.on.ca/moulds.htm) (135mm/5.3in x 65mm/2.6in). Works out great.

Mix up your washes in a small 16 oz jar with a air tight lid.  Use a brush for applying the wash and rinse it out in the wash after each application.  The seal the wash and place it in the cave until the next use.  Rinse the brush off and re-use.  The wash will take on some of the cheese and cloud up.  This is a good thing.  Keep using it in the same manner.  I brush mine on every other day.  Makes for a great smear.
That makes a great busy morge, which is very appropriate for a Tomme. For a quieter, more controlled morge I make up the 3-5% brine at the time I do my Saint Paulin, Esrom, Tilsit, Pont l'Eveque, etc., and add in my PLA, ARN, or SR3 & Geo13. With each wash I use a new cosmetic pad (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9667.msg71347.html#msg71347) (thanks, anutcanfly) to wipe the dosed brine all around. After a few washing cycles, all I have to do then is to wet the cheese surface and gently caress the wheel all over. Before too long a schmier has settled in and we're in business.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on July 01, 2013, 01:56:50 AM
When I went out to give the Tomme a nice wash I notice some gooey schmeir beginning to form.  Smells a little funky and the color is interesting from the red wine wash, kind of a nice lavender.  I'll take some pic's tomorrow and post them.
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on July 02, 2013, 03:58:43 AM
And as promised a picture.  This is right after I washed it so it's still pretty wet.  I'm starting to get some gooiness.  It's staying pretty moist.  It is still damp and a little sticky when it's time to wash again.  Still on every day (actually twice per day) but I'll taper off in a couple of days.  It's an interesting color, I'll give it that.  I hope it turns out good.  The plan is to wash for another week or so and then let it start getting a nice moldy rind with whatever will grow on it......planning on somewhere around three or four months before cutting.

Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Tiarella on July 02, 2013, 11:01:16 AM
I'll be curious how it goes when you try to dry it off slowly without it cracking.  I had trouble with that although I was doing it during a dry air time of the year.  Keep us updated!   :D
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on July 07, 2013, 05:36:49 PM
I've started washing it every other day now and the schmeir is doing nicely....if a gooey sticky goopy rind can be considered nice.  In between washings it's trying it's best to grow mold so I'll probably start tapering off the washings pretty rapidly now to let the molds start doing their thing now that the B. Linens seems to be having a gooey good time.  Very interesting color from the zinfandel washings, kind of a violet grey color.  I'll get a pic of it when my phone recharges.  I'm thinking this is going to be an interesting cheese.
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on July 13, 2013, 05:08:22 PM
I'm thinking I'm going to start drying it off and let the other components of the PLA do their thing.  It's still pretty sticky but I'm keeping it between 85 and 90% rh and the GC is becoming obvious as the stickiness subsides.  It's not showing any signs of cracking just yet.  The sides are still quite moist and sticky but there is one or two spots of white mold starting to show up.

Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Boofer on July 14, 2013, 11:51:49 PM
Looks familiar. ;)

Mine stayed moist and sticky. It didn't turn out so nicely. Hope yours does better.

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on July 15, 2013, 12:01:17 AM
Didn't see a link to the make....what didn't you like about the cheese?
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Boofer on July 15, 2013, 12:14:41 AM
Well, it started okay.... Then I just had to wash it with my liqueur (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,9973.0.html). That was the start of its decline.

Boofer's Fancy. (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10190.msg75572.html#msg75572)

Should more properly be included here (http://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10888.0.html). :'(

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on July 15, 2013, 01:20:23 AM
I've got high hopes for this cheese (yeah, I know , I've said that before).  I don't know........the edges are very orange vice pink from the wine.  I think the cheese has a raging case of BL.  Sticky, stinky and nothing else will grow until it dries.  I haven't core sampled this one, the core sample I took from the mutschli was awesome so I hope this one will be good......I'll take a core sample at about 3 months and see if the innards are doing well.....i suspect they are.  I've got a friend that has a friend that is opening a creamery, I won't name them but it's going to be cool.  I love their above the pale ales.......I was always was a fan of high gravity ales....none of the cheery session beers for me.  My friend says the cheeses I've given him have been hits.....go figure.


Oh well, the best way to totally screw up your favorite hobby is to make it a job.

Mike
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on July 20, 2013, 03:27:40 AM
Rind is starting to dry now and the white mold is making it's move slowly but surely.  As the stickiness resides the mold takes over.  the edges were the stickiest of all since they go washed every time so they are the slowest to get white mold.  I'm dying to try this cheese but it needs probably another couple of months but I guess i"m willing to wait....I've got Caerphillies waiting in the wings to make the wait easier.

Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Tiarella on July 20, 2013, 10:50:22 AM
That looks really great and the drying off seems to proceeding smoothly.  Congratulations.  I'm looking forward to reading about it's flavor when you open it. 
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Boofer on July 21, 2013, 02:53:16 PM
I'm looking forward to reading about it's flavor when you open it.
Me too! :D

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Smurfmacaw on July 21, 2013, 04:35:20 PM
If the flavor is anything like the aroma it's going to be a winner.  I've stopped washing it completely and now I'm just caressing it lovingly every day to help spread the goodness around.  Just about all the stickiness is gone now.  Not sure if the GC is going to do a total takeover or whether it's going to remain patchy (which is ok too since you can see the cool color of the rind.)  The aroma is kind of peppery/spicy with a little barnyard funk in the background.  I'm thinking of cutting this one between two and three months.  Maybe longer depending on how the Caerphillies and what not keep my attention off this little wheel of cheese.
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Boofer on July 21, 2013, 10:35:12 PM
It's nice to have options. It eases the curiosity & anticipation. ;)

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie Update
Post by: Smurfmacaw on August 23, 2013, 07:37:43 PM
Well, it's two months old now and the rind is nice and dry.  It seems to have stabilized quite will so I am going to vacuum bag it for the next two months so it doesn't dry out too much.  I took a core sample just see how it's doing.  Nice milky aroma.  Paste is relatively soft and although it's a core sample I didn't see too many mechanical openings even though it only gets a very light press.  Taste is nice and smooth.  I think in a couple more months this one is going to be really good.  I may have to make another one or two of these.

Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: JeffHamm on August 23, 2013, 08:06:53 PM
That looks very nice!
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: Boofer on August 23, 2013, 11:45:51 PM
That core looks tasty. Great-looking rind too. :D

-Boofer-
Title: Re: Tomme de Savoie
Post by: JeffHamm on August 25, 2013, 06:39:57 AM
Yes, very nice.  I see you pressed under whey, which I had neglected to do when I made mine.  Hence, I didn't get a good knit and had mould intruders.  Your paste looks like you've avoided that problem.  I can tell you, Pav's make is spot on.  I've got great Tomme flavour, once I remove the wild mould pockets (which are not nice to eat, but provide great flavour to the cheese).  Well done. 

- Jeff