My First Butterkase

[JeffHamm]

Hi darius,

I'm hoping to use reverse psychology on the jinxing!

MrsKK,

I've not given any to my daughter yet, but I can assure you that she won't like it.  I think I'll be lucky to get her to try it.  It has a mild, but definate, flavour that she will decide is for big kids only. 

Curiously, it doesn't melt anything like the Dunlop did.  The Dunlop would go all gooey and melt in about 20 seconds in the microwave.  This one doesn't go runny and gooey, but retains its shape, though it will stretch. 

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

My wife figured out what the extra taste is.  Sharp isn't the right word, what we're tasting is a very subtle hint of blue.  Some blue mold was growing in a few spots, and it added just a whiff to the flavour profile.  If I select some from the middle, with no blue, it's a relatively mild, baked cheesecakey creamy, cheese.  Might extend the ripening period next time, to see if that produces a more melting cheese.

- Jeff

P.S. Have shared this around with some friends at work.  This has been voted my best cheese yet by a number of my official "tasters"!  Definately a hit.

Also, have had a quick search on the forum about melting.  From what I've found, too little or too much acid development can have a negative impact on this.  So, I think extending the ripening period to 40 minutes might be my attempt at building up a bit of acidity without it going too high.  This one almost melts, so I think it's close.

[JeffHamm]

Well, we just ate the last piece of this one.  It remained a very creamy cheese, but it did have a sharpness to it after all.  This developed more, I think, and the blue flavour was gone once the section where the blue intruders was used up. 

Also, today my 3.75 year old daughter finally agreed to taste it, and she said "Yummm!"  She decided she really liked this cheese, and has just eaten a piece about the size of a thumb.  Up until now she's just refused to try "Daddy's Cheese".  Yah for the little victories!

I will definately be making this one again. 

- Jeff

[darius]

Small Victories, indeed... Congrats!!