My 4th Butterkase

[darius]

Happy New Year, Jeff!!!

[JeffHamm]

Happy New Year to you too, darius!

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

Hi,

It's 60 days today, so I decided it's time to give this a try.  Also, the aroma is becomming a bit amoniated.  I suspect it's the box is a bit overly humid, but best to try it now in case it's gone past the best to try time.  Anyway, the paste looks good.  It's formed some small eyes as well, which is interesting.  The paste has taken on some ivory like colour and is soft but it's not runny.   Once it warms up I'll post some tasting reports.

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

Ok, so the taste is good.  The rind has a definate ammonia taste to it, but hopefully this will dissipate as it airs out.  The internal paste has a very nice flavour, but I'm having a hard time finding a description.  Vanessa indicates it's creamy and mushroomy, and that works for me.  I'll try some more and work on a better description.  The important thing is it is good.  Next one might cut into a bit earlier, before the ammonia kicks in. 

- Jeff

[Hande]

Jeff, that's is good looking wheel. Rind is a beautiful. Well done 


Hande

[Boofer]

Hooyah! Jeff, my boy, that looks awesome! 

Beautiful pic, pristine rind & paste...ammoniated smell on the rind? Say it isn't so. That cheese looks great.

Awaiting the later, warmer temp opinion.

-Boofer-

[JeffHamm]

Thanks Hande and Boofer! 

I'm finding it hard to describe the taste.  It's very good, and the texture is great.  The rind is producing a bit of amonia, which I've found on some washed rind cheeses that I've purchased as well.  I think, if I air it out, it will dissipate.  Also, I washed the rind back to the paste thinking that might help.  Also, leaving it out to the air for an hour or two might help.  Then, re-wrap and back to the fridge.

It's a success, and the amonia doesn't seem to have gotten into the paste or anything. 

- Jeff

[JeffHamm]

Here's a photo showing the softness of the paste.  It's firm, as in not runny, but very flexable.  Haven't tried melting.  It's very creamy, with a definate linens taste.  The paste, without the rind, is relatively mild.  The rind is edible, but a bit barnish for me (i.e. has the taste like the smell of hay with horse pee in it, which isn't really a flavour I was going for!). 

- Jeff 

[MacGruff]

LOL!

Lover the description of the flavor of the rind!!!

Hope I never have the misfortune to taste what you're describing...           

[iratherfly]

That looks amazing!

Where is the recipe from?

[JeffHamm]

Hi MacGruff,

Yah, it's not a target.  Let's leave it at that!

Thanks iratherfly.  The recipe is my own, sort of.  I while back a few of us were looking for butterkase makes.  WE found 3 or 4 variations.  I put these side by side and blended them based upon what looked to be common.  And then, having made it a few times I tweaked it.

The make in this thread, however, includes a few major deviations.  I've included some LH to the culture mix and the b.linens wash.  Also, the form profile is disk shaped this time rather than a cyllendar.  I was picking up some wild b.linens every time I made this, so I decided to add some on purpose. 

Next time I make this I'll probably cut it around 6 weeks to see how the rind is. 

- Jeff

[Boofer]

The rind is edible, but a bit barnish for me (i.e. has the taste like the smell of hay with horse pee in it,

Okay, Jeff, you almost had me there. I couldn't find anything close until I looked in the flavor wheel and found barny in the Parmesan section. Horse pee, huh? How delightful. 

-Boofer-

[JeffHamm]

Hi Boofer,

Yah, just colour in the lines to "Animal cowhouse" and "Amonia", and I think you'll have it! ha!

I think I got a bit slack with airing it out, as in, I sort of stopped doing that.  And, with the lid on the ripening box closed, it didn't get any fresh air in.  Fortunately, once you take the rind off the cheese itself is quite tasty.  The linens have given it a very different profile from the other cheeses I've been making, and very different from the other butterkase (so this make really isn't butterkase anymore; hmmm, maybe I'll call it a Genesta after my daughter, as she quite likes it).

- Jeff