I have benefitted from reading posts on this forum and wanted to give back a little, even if I am relatively new to cheesemaking. This is my first longish post so, you know, be indulgent. What I like about this board (versus Fbook groups, for instance) is the sustained conversation and engagement with figuring things out
This make was done with pasteurised, homogenised milk, 3.25% fat content. Although I usually use non-homogenised milk, I wanted to see what my options would be if, say, the farm down the road went out of business. This recipe follows NEC's general instructions, with a few modifications to fit my schedule:
Saint Marcellin (6 weeks to table)
2L homogenised, pasteurised 3.25% cow’s milk
1/64 tsp MM101
1/128 tsp GEO17
3 drops rennet, diluted
(consider adding CaCl2, although I did not do so for this make)
salt
Day one :
15h30 - Heat milk to 22C and add both cultures
17h - Coagulate with rennet
Day two :
17h – Cut curds vertically into 1inch squares; no horizontal cuts; twist pot; sit for 5 mins; then ladle in 2 small moulds
18h – first flip in mould
19h – second flip in mould
20h – third flip and drain overnight at 22C
(The cheese is really fragile and sticks to my hands. I did not use CaCl2, so this is to be expected. Next experiment with CaCl2)
Day three:
9h – salting one side (1/4 tsp)
14h – salting other side (1/4 tsp)
19h – remove and drain on mats at 22C
Day four and beyond:
Move to colder space (11C) and high humidity (90-95% RH).
Flip 1-2 times per day for 12-15 days. (At 5-7 days, surface should become greasy; at 12-15 days, there should be light dusting of white mould).
After 12-15 days, transfer into ceramic bowls and wrap with breathable film.
Ready after an additional month of aging.
Notes:
- Good cheese to make in summer when room temperature is warm.
- Uses homogenized milk (easy to procure)
Here are some preliminary photos (at 10 days; at 12 days). I will post others when cheese has matured fully.
