Getting seriously blue

[John@PC]

Yesterday was one of those days that remind my why we all love to make cheese.  We had dinner with friends last night and this 6 lb. blue was getting close to 2 mo.  There was a thin crusty white rind surface on the sides and softer red and white on the top so I decided to do a light scrape.  Even after that I was concerned because there wasn't much surface blue at all, but I did see some nice blue peaking out through the holes in the top and bottom.   I also was worried because I noticed a strong ammonia smell in the days before which 4 hr. in a "fan" box helped greatly.  Anyway, cutting it dispelled all of my concerns: great blue development with some orange tinges here and there and absolutely no off odors .  Taste was pretty much what you would expect from a young one like this: very mild blue flavor with a soft paste.  I cut a pound to take to our dinner and will wrap the rest and let the flavor develop (may sample one a month or so).

One "new" thing I learned on this one was after watching some of the "piercing" videos that showed the skewers were all at an angle and pierced only from the sides.  I realized that they do this to try to keep the holes from being parallel to the usual cutting pattern so you don't end up with "straight blue lines" on the cut surface.  Before I realized this I had done the first piercing using the customary pattern (vertical and horizontal) which you see in the pictures.  On the subsequent piercing I tried to duplicate the angle shown in the video which were neither perfectly vertical or horizontal.  This is a small point I know and I could be wrong on the reason behind the "angling" so if anyone has thoughts pro or con please chime in.

Next blue will be with home-grown PR, which I'll do after trying to copy Al's Tallegio.

[LoftyNotions]

Wow, John. That's an awesome cheese! AC4U.

Now that you bring up the angled piercing rationale, that makes perfect sense. Very logical.

Larry

[John@PC]

Thanks Larry.  One other thing I noticed is if you look at the picture of the taller half you see a concentration of blue along the center axis.  I didn't pierce completely through but did go past half-way and apparently ended up with more voids in that area.  The "angled" piercing would also prevent this from happening.

[Al Lewis]

If you read my post on my last blue John I addressed that.  I did the same thing on my first blue.  Now I stop just short of center when piercing from the sides.  That's still a beautiful blue though!!  AC4U

[Danbo]

If it tastes as good as it looks, then it's just perfect! AC4U! :-)

[OzzieCheese]

Been watching this with interest..  I think a cheese is needed.  This was going to be my next blue and you have just convinced me.. Thanks John.   I wonder if this is something we could do as a group.  Take one recipe from a book and several people make it and then collate them all in some feedback to the authors maybe..

A worthy Blue !

-- Mal

[Al Lewis]

Sounds like fun Mal!  Mine's done!!  LOL

[H-K-J]

Mine is to .

[Danbo]

That's a wonderful idea!!! I'm in, if I may... It would be of great value for the author as well as all of us. :-)

[bratrules1]

That's a beautiful cheese!!! AC4U!!!

[OzzieCheese]

I'm taking you all mean you have done this 'RindLess' Blue from G.C's book.  Ok, I'm nearly at the end of my last Blue.. so time to crank it up a notch.

-- Mal

[John@PC]

Thought I would cut a sample and taste.  I had vacuumed bagged these about a month ago.  I had one bag that must have had a leak and lost it's vacuum so I picked that one to sample.  When I opened the bag there were no off-odors (ammonia or otherwise) and all I can say the taste was wonderful .  Sweet with a mild blue flavor and a paste that's transitioning from creamy to something slightly more crumbly than a month ago.  We ate about 4 oz. and I re-bagged the remaining.  I can't wait to see how this one progresses.  I also think it will be an interesting experiment with vac bagging vs. vac bagging with a slight degree of air exchange (i.e. a small perforation).   

[Stinky]

Very pretty. Have a cheese on me.

[John@PC]

Thanks Stinky.  I do feel like I have earned my "blue belt" now with this one .

[Danbo]

So it did indeed taste as good as it looks? Yummi! Have one more cheese from me!... :-)