I plan to give a try to blue cheeses soon. I have check a few recipes from blue cheeses and notice in most of them , heavy cream is added. Since where I live the only heavy cream that is sold is ultra pasteurized what options I have? Also I'm 80% near to find a raw milk source(and a cheap one) , if I use raw milk I would still need to add heavy cream?
No you wouldn't. Also, if you look at the make I did for a very successful 6 pound Stilton you will find that I mistakingly used ultra-pasteurized heavy cream in it and it didn't seem to make a difference. https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10696.0.html (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10696.0.html)
Thanks for pointing to that thread. On Monday I will meet the person that agreed to sold me raw milk, good thing is that it will cost me 50 cents per liter . Here store milk cost $6 per gallon.
I have a good friend down there from my days flying RC planes. Victor Aponte Garcia. Don't suppose you know him?
Don't know him or maybe who knows, Victor Aponte is a common name here. By the way I wasn't planning to do blues yet but I got pomp looking at your mold thread and I actually plan to buy those mold.
Well I'm glad it helped someone out. Those are really nice molds for doing a 4 pound cheese.
Finally I got my moulds and everything I need to start a blue cheese. I plan to start with a Stilton type. I have a question about the process. I don't know if I'm mistaking the instructions but I think I have read that the first few days is best to leave the cheese at room temperature. The thing with room temperature is that it can greatly vary from country to country. For example I'm from Puerto Rico you can find here an average temperature from 85-90 most of the year.(I can get to 100 on summer). It is reasonable in my case to do that? Right now the temperature during the day is 90 F. Any advice, it will be my first blue so I want to clear all my doubts before start.
It would likely be fine, but it would probably be better somewhere a tad cooler. The point is just to let the cheese dry off.
Typically "room temperature" means 70-72° F. Your temps will call for a shorter period before smoothing and placing in the cave.
Thanks for the answers
If you have a room that is on the north side of your home and if it has a closet you could place it there for the first week,
Just look for the coolest spot in your home.
You can place your cheese in a camping cooler with a bottle of ice and monitor the temp until you get the right amount of ice for the temp you are trying to maintain.
Now go make that cheese, take allot of pictures and share them with the forum some people get really persnicikitty if you don't :o
I think I will put the cheese a few days in my office , is the colder room since I turn on the air conditioner during the day.