Reblochons taking a strange turn?

[Boofer]

Looking at the video: It would seem that with all of those cheeses stacked up so high that they do not get wiped/washed/touched after they come out of the brine...onto the cheese board...and into the stack. Correct?

How is that possible?

Also, near the end of the video, when the cheese is cut open, it is evident that the outside...nearest the rind is slightly runny, but the inner core is firm.

So, Debi doesn't care for the flavor by itself but in cooking is okay. Anyone else share those tastes?  Seems like a lot of folks here are making Reblochons. Has everyone making it tasted it before?

Thanks, irf, that video was very instructional in technique. Amazing. No, I don't parlez vous. 

-Boofer-

[iratherfly]

The first amazing thing I learned from it (and it took some practice) was how to turn a cheese that has only been in the mold a few seconds.
You are right; it doesn't seem like they touch the cheese too much. They just take it off the brine and put it on this spruce wood board (a traditional technique; the wood itself is very resistant to contaminents but can carry micro-organisms, yeast, geo and b.linen from years of aging cheese on it.  I think they rely on the salt in the brine and the room conditions to dry it enough (in fact, this is a rather wet cheese during aging, but it does need initial rind to protect the paste moisture).

He does show in the video how he would rub a cheese during the affinage.
In another video that I've watched they hand salted them without brine. And so, even Reblochon AOC has more than one method of production.

Reblochon is one of my favorite cheeses. It has stinky b.linen aroma with something very grassy about it. This contrasts with a paste that is rather creamy and fat (traditionally, this is a second milking cheese so it's quite fat), it is nutty and mild, very versitile in cooking, cheese plates and great in sandwiches too. Truly joyful. It is near impossible to get in the states now because it is aged below 60 days and the French (to my understanding from a local cheese monger) have decided to "stop messing up their protected recipe to satisfy US Government pencil pushers". (Apparently Reblochon AOC was made for a while with a 60 day stabilized recipe for Whole Foods)

Any idea about my cheese questions?

[clherestian]

If anyone has a reblochon mold, can they post a closeup pic of it? I want to see how many holes are in it.

[mtncheesemaker]

Thanks for the video link, Yoav. All those cheeses...
I didn't keep very good notes on my make, but I'm thinking I let them get too dry before going into the box. Mine are 5 weeks old today, I think I'll open one this week. Don't think they'll get any softer at this point. I'll post a picture when I cut into it.
(Thanks to your suggestion, I've started using a "make sheet" to make notes on and find I have much better record keeping now.)

[MarkShelton]

@clherestian:
Here you go. This is the reblochon mold I got from Glengarry. I got it from there because it was the only place I found that sold a mold specifically for Reblochon. However, it seems like it is the exact same as the small tomme mold from the New England Cheesemaking Supply Co, and probably is available at other sites under different names.

I actually got 4 of them and the total price I paid for them is a bit less than just the molds, not even including shipping, from NECSC--even with the international shipping surcharge from Glengarry! All together, the molds, lids, and shipping from Glengarry was about US$60. One mold with lid from NECSC is ~US$17 not including shipping.

[iratherfly]

What's the radius? 4"? 5"?

[Boofer]

What's the radius? 4"? 5"?

Yeah, I second that. Why couldn't I just use my standard 7-inch mould? Too thin? If that's too big, can I use my 4.5-inch camembert moulds? What is the regulation size of a Reblochon?

-Boofer-

[MarkShelton]

The diameter is 5.3" (135mm), it's 2.6" (65mm) tall, cylindrical (not tapered) and is just slightly rounded at the bottom. According to my World Cheese Book, a Reblochon is typically 3.5 - 5" in diameter and 1" tall. I'd say that the 4.5" cam mold, the standard 7" mold and anything in between would work just fine.

Based on my estimates, for a 1" tall cheese in a 4.5" mold, use about 3qts of milk, for the 7" use 1.75 gal of milk per cheese.

[clherestian]

Thanks for the pics, Mark. 

[Boofer]

The diameter is 5.3" (135mm), it's 2.6" (65mm) tall, cylindrical (not tapered) and is just slightly rounded at the bottom. According to my World Cheese Book, a Reblochon is typically 3.5 - 5" in diameter and 1" tall. I'd say that the 4.5" cam mold, the standard 7" mold and anything in between would work just fine.

Based on my estimates, for a 1" tall cheese in a 4.5" mold, use about 3qts of milk, for the 7" use 1.75 gal of milk per cheese.

Excellent. Sounds like I'm good to go as far as moulds I have on hand.

Now I wonder if I could do a Reblochon and not touch it as seen in the video? How high do you suppose the humidity is in that curing room with the stacks of shelved Reblochons?

How do they keep their discs from acquiring surface problems? Do they circulate the air in that curing room with a fan system?

-Boofer-

[Brie]

Great video, Yoav--I am wondering why there was no smearing of B-linens--are they ingrained in the aging wood? I could not imagine a Reblochon without B-linens. I've attached 2 pics--the first with P. Candidum innoculated into milk, and the second with just Geo. It is labeled as not available in US, as true Reblochon is made with raw milk (which I used), and needs to be aged over 60 days. This is one of my favorite cheeses--and the one (out of 20) that was the hands-down winner at my last tasting.

[iratherfly]

Traditionally Reblochon is made with geo but without inoculating or smearing with B. Linen. Just salt brine. The B.Linens appear naturally on their own if the aging is correct and the Geo bloomed and prepared the surface for them.

P.Candidum is not part of this recipe. It usually ages 42 to 49 days. For a while Whole food carried it and waited another two weeks to sell it until someone caught up with their trick

[mtncheesemaker]

OK, cut into this last night, at 39 days old. I wrapped the other one in parchment paper and put it back in the ripening box. It is a mild cheese, texture very good. Quite a delicious cheese, I'll definitely make this again.
Question: I used 1.5 as my floc multiplier. On another current thread, there is a discussion about floc multipliers:cheese moisture content. If I think this should be a tad softer cheese, would I extend the time before cutting curds to accomplish this?
Thanks,
Pam

[linuxboy]

Yes, exactly; you can also cut the curds a little bigger. IIRC Reblochon is 3-4x.

[mtncheesemaker]

Thanks, LB. I thought 1.5 was low for this type but had found it in 2 sources. I'll extend it next time.