Third Stilton-esque: getting close

[Delislem]

I've opened my third Stilton approximation, all made from Mary Karlin's "Artisan Cheese making at Home". So far it is the one that gets closest to the real thing. Ugly and beautiful...and most importantly tasty. 

[Zoey]

So beautiful! Really nice bluing on the inside!
I'm really wanting to make one now.

A cheese for your cheese. :)

[BobE102330]

It looks like your approximation was correct.  Nice cheese, have a cheese.

[JeffHamm]

A cheese to you for such a fine looking result.  Very nice marbling to compliment the scary rind! :)

- Jeff

[Delislem]

Thanks for all the cheeses. I think the scary rind is the real reason we do this. It would not seem so strange and magical if there wasn't all those scary molds growing. It would only be...dare I say it...Velveeta  ;)

[BobE102330]

You might get banished for referring to that V-stuff as cheese.  Trust your instinct.   ::)

[hoeklijn]

Nice result and a cheese for you!
How old is it on this picture? Just to avoid scary rinds I choose to treat my Stiltonesque (Bleu d'Armand) every couple of days with a brine solution...

[Delislem]

Hi hoeklijn,

This pictures is after 8 weeks of aging. 10 degrees C and 85% humidity flipped once a week  and a few hours of standing outside the cave every week as well.

[Vina]

wonderfull looking cheese, I really like those perfect blue veins. ( a cheese for you!)

how was the rind treated? only lipping and no brine washes or smth?

[jwalker]

That's a great looking cheese !

I have one started as well , I hope it turns out as ugly and tasty as yours.

what size mold was that , and approximate weight ?

Eight weeks eh , so I have another six or so to go.

I would be interested in the rind treatment as well.

A cheese to you !

Cheers , Jim.

[Delislem]

Hi jwalker

The cheese is (well was coz it's going fast  >:D  ) 2lbs made from 8 liters of milk. I molded it in a 2l ice cream tub which I have pierced profusely. It's the mold I use almost all the time even though I have many "real" ones. There is no specific treatment on the rind, just the little guys floating in the air. It's the third one I make from the same recipe and none of them have the exact same rind.

[Delislem]

Hi Vina,

Just a bit of smoothing an some piercing for PR growth. No wash.

[Vina]

Hi Vina,

Just a bit of smoothing an some piercing for PR growth. No wash.

Hi,
Thanks!
Did I get you right - you just leave the rind to develop as it goes?

[Delislem]

Hi Vina,

It's exactly that. The rind is all natural growth, no specific treatment. Each time I've made a Stilton, I got a different rind. This one is the most like you get on a real Stitlton

http://youtu.be/unVdU4MgRAA?t=3m52s

[shotski]

Delislem very nice indeed. I My third is 5 days old now. At what stage did you smooth your stilton. I forget if it is 5 or 10 days you should smooth it.

John