Jeff's semi-lactic Blue

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

I picked up a piece of blue cheese yesterday at the local farmer's market.  As my semi-lactic white mould cheese is doing well, and just about fully covered, I thought I would try something similar to make a blue cheese.  I saw some creme fresh at the grocery store as well, so thought I would try that as the culture too.

It's worked quite well.  There was a lot more curds this time around and it took about 2 hours to get them into the mold.  I've got two baskets, one inverted on the other like a shaker, and this way I can flip the cheese.  Whereas the first time the curds fit into one basket, this time they are a touch more.  It will eventually drain down to under one basket, but until then, it's quite full (see photo).

Once it firms, and the mold sprouts, I'll have to poke some holes.  Will see how that goes when the time comes.


Jeff's Semi-Lactic Blue
Saturday, Nov 12, 2011 (overcast, 20-22 C)

2 L Farmhouse creamline milk
2 tbls crème fresh
Scrapings of mold from NZ Cheeseman bought blue (Onewhero blue: strong and earthy)
1 drop rennet in 1 tbls water
salt

1)   Mix starter in some warm milk, place in hot water cupboard for an hour or so (to get it going)
2)   Place scrapings of mold directly in milk; make sure it's fine
3)   Warm milk to 25 C
4)   Add starter  milk (12:22 pm Saturday)
5)   Cover, and place in hot water cupboard (time: 12:25)
6)   After 6-8 hours at 1 drop rennet diluted in 1 tbls water (time: 7:15)
7)   Wait until curd forms and separates from whey (12-24 hours:)
8)   Ladle curd into mold (6:51-8:50 am next day: Sunday; temp 28.4 C; huge amount of curd; took about 2 hours to get it all into the mold!  Even then, had to stack two molds and flip once)
9)   Drain, flipping every 2-3 of hours or so until night, then drain overnight (flipped @ 8:50am – 10:00am – 11:40 am – 4:00 pm; final flip at 8:15 pm and will drain until Monday pm).
10)   Salt each face of the cheese (Monday, 5:00 pm ish; weight 453g)
11)   Tuesday Nov 15th, after work place in cave (10 C 4:30 pm, weight 426g), flip daily, until mould covers the cheese
12)   Wrap and age 2 – 4 weeks.

Wednesday, Nov 16: 7:00 am.  Pierced length wise multiple times (one centre, 2 "rings").  Curd feels soft, but firm.  Will see if the piercings stay open.

Nov 17, 2011: first signs of mould bloom? (maybe a couple pinhead sized spots?  Not sure). 

Nov 18, 2011: definite blue mould spots.  One odd mould spot (longish black hairs;  Pol du chat? Removed this by cutting away the surface with a knife.  Will monitor for its return) Piercings still open

[Tomer1]

Perhaps after salting allow for the cheese to continue ferment outside for a day or two before moving it to the cave?

[JeffHamm]

That might be a good idea.  Will keep an eye on how it's going at that time.

- Jeff

[Tomer1]

Its interesting you made such a small quantity. Given that lactic cheeses are really simply and minimally time consuming compered to others maybe I should start making some of these baby ones on a weekly basis.

[linuxboy]

Tomer, IMHO, they fit in perfectly with one's life. Very forgiving in terms of time because meso culture will taper off around 4.6, giving a 12-hour+ window for when to begin draining. I make a lot of these buttons with all sorts of rinds and treatments. It's similar in France, tons of semi-lactics.

[JeffHamm]

Hi Tomer1,

I'm experimenting with these, so the small size is a perfect way to try something new, without wasting a lot of milk.  If they turn out well, I can increase the make size once I'm confident that it's worth repeating.

- Jeff

P.S. But you're right, these small cheeses take next to no time to make.  And, they are the perfect size to give away.

[JeffHamm]

I've salted both faces and the sides with a generous hand.  It weighs 453g.  I'll leave it out of the cave for another 24 hours, then move it in.  Once mould starts to show up I'll pierce it.  Of course, this will probably be the once cheese that just won't develope blue mould! :)

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

It's now weighing in at 426g.  I've now removed it from the mould and shifted it to the cave after work today.  Will see how it developes over the next week or two. 

I'm wondering, should I pierce now, or wait until blue mold has developed on the surface?

- Jeff

[linuxboy]

Pierce as soon as the body paste supports it. Usually, this starts at 10-14 days for drier blues.

[JeffHamm]

Thanks.  That makes sense.

- Jeff

[Tomer1]

Since you surface salted perhaps you wont get as much blue on the rind?

[JeffHamm]

Hi Tomer1,

We'll see.  The paste is very wet compared to a pressed cheese so I would think the salt gets absorbed into the cheese pretty quickly.  I think if you salted while ladelling the curd it would be so wet it would mostly run out with the whey.  Still, it's a matter of waiting to see what shows up and when.  So far it's pretty clean looking, but it's early days yet.

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

Well, being curious, I decided to see what would happen if I pierced it.  And, the paste is firm, though very moist.  The holes have retained shape for now, but I would not be surprised if they collapse in on themselves by the end of the day.  It was a last minute before work decision, and I forgot to take a photo.  Will try and get one after work today though.

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

Well, the piercings held up well through the day, so I'm thinking these will stay open.  There's no sign of them closing up.  Then again, they may slowly collapse, but we'll see.  I'm hoping these blue up quickly as these are sort of intended as fairly quick cheeses (in my head they are at least!)

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

Oh yes I'm down ...
Oh I'm so far down ...
I ain't never seen the sun shine
in this part of town
And when I get down so far
My baby says to me
"I don't know where you are"
And I say ...
Hey. 
I'm down where everybody got
The Bluuuuuuu-ooooooosssss

Yep.  Definate blue mould spotted today.

- Jeff