Tallegio #3
The last time I attempted this cheese style was October 26, 2011 (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,8395.0.html). I didn't have a proper form in my two previous attempts. This time I do.
make started: April 24, 2015
initial pH: 6.78
3 gallons Twin Brook Creamery whole creamline milk
1/8 tsp TA-61
1/8 tsp Kazu
1/32 tsp Geo13
1/32 tsp SR3
1/32 tsp KL71
1/2 tsp CACL in 1/4 cup distilled water
1/16 tsp dry calf rennet in 1/4 cup cool distilled water
Milk brought to 92F.
Cultures and CACL added. Allowed to ripen for 40 minutes.
Stirred in rennet.
Using a 4x floc factor, flocculation occurred in 12 minutes.
After additional 36 minutes, cut in 2-inch size. Rested 5 minutes.
Whisked into 1/2-inch (hazelnut) size. Rested 10 minutes.
Gently stirred for 30 minutes.
Curds spooned to form.
Form moved to incubator (maintains 78F).
Cheese is draped with damp, lightly salted muslin.
Flipped cheese after 30 minutes.
Flipped cheese after 75 minutes.
Flipped cheese after 60 minutes.
Flipped cheese after 60 minutes.
Unplugged incubator.
Monitoring cheese for drop in pH.
Cheese removed from incubator @ pH 5.26 and into whey-brine for 6 hours. Top is salted.
Cheese is moved to minicave with damp, sanitized spruce board with damp muslin wrap.
Minicave with cheese is moved to cave. Cave temperature is adjusted down from ~51F to ~46.
Flipping every couple hours begins.
On fourth day, removed damp muslin from cheese, but retained damp muslin below cheese.
Cheese sits on damp muslin which covers damp spruce board. RH is maintained with minicave lid on.
After 10 days, wiped cheese with SR3 brine.
At 17th day, wiped cheese with SR3 brine. Some errant blue showing up on bottom muslin.
At 22nd day, evidence of Geo is visible. More errant blue on muslin. A little on cheese bottom is wiped away with SR3 brine.
-Boofer-
Boofer, you're on a "washed rind" roll. I'm digesting your last Reblochon post and planned to make that one for our beach vacation in a month but you keep coming up with more that look as good and (as usual) with great instructions. A cheese for your beautiful batch of stinkies-to-be :D.
That's looking seriously good, Boofer. How long will you age it for.
It's got to be worth a cheese already.
Thanks for the kind words and cheeses, guys.
This is a good time for the washed rinds. No other blues or Cams interfering with the mutual exchange of gases and bios. ;)
Quote from: Raw Prawn on May 13, 2015, 07:57:39 AM
How long will you age it for.
Typical affinage is 60 days, so I'll be close to that.
It has some Geo coming on...the rind is a little "greasy". There have been a few errant blues trying to stake a claim, but so far they've been dealt with. The texture is also getting softer. That will present a bit of a problem as we go. The plan is to maintain the present large form factor instead of dividing into four smaller squares.
-Boofer-
Oh Eeee by Gumm they look a bit oforright' (said with a yorky accent) I'm still stuggleing with my first washed rind but these look like what I would aspire to.. Thank Boofer for the inspiration.
A Cheese also.
-- Mal
Thanks for the cheese, Mal. I'm kinda holding my breath about this cheese.
- the never-before-used cheese form
- the large and unwieldy form factor (especially when it really begins to soften)
- my relatively unknown history with this style
- developing a new technique, using the damp muslin on spruce, lowered aging temp, and typically high RH
Quote from: OzzieCheese on May 14, 2015, 05:35:01 AM
I'm still stuggleing with my first washed rind
Pics?
-Boofer-
Pics posted... Suggestions.. ?
While washing the cheese this morning I observed that the muslin under the cheese was showing some color from the B. linens. The errant blues seem to be under control, thanks to the brine washing.
Tomorrow marks three weeks since beginning this cheese. Two more weeks and I'll wrap the cheese and move it to the big fridge.
I do believe the aromatics are coming off the cheese now. :)
-Boofer-
It looks like the errant blues are coming under control. The linens/Geo population is apparent. The cheese sits on a layer of damp muslin which sits on the spruce board. The linens has colored the muslin where the cheese sits.
I am encouraged especially since my first two efforts were so far off the mark. This cheese seems to be doing well. The temperature had been turned down to 46F/8C for this cheese. Another week will probably be enough to be able to wrap this cheese and put it in the big fridge for finishing affinage.
-Boofer-
I was cleaning a few errant bits of blue out of the crevices with a clean toothpick and some brine this morning. While tending to the Taleggio and the Reblochons I just decided it was time to wrap them all up.
There is a bit of funk emanating from this square of cheese. :) The linens has firmly established itself but Geo is surprisingly minimal.
-Boofer-
It's a wrap :). Actually, the square form does make for a nice wrapped cheese.
Today marks the 50th day of affinage. I read that this cheese style may be aged for between 40-60 days, so this is right in the target zone.
I wasn't sure if the inner paste was going to be ripened fully, so I triered it. The plug I withdrew was promising so I decided to go ahead and cut and section it. Then I was faced with the decision: vacuum-seal the pieces or wrap them each in cheese paper? I decided on vacuum sealing as previous experience has shown this is viable with washed rinds (B. linens). I wanted to stop continued growth of the linens and gray mold and depriving them of oxygen seemed logical.
I sectioned out seven pieces and vacuum-sealed and labeled them. The eighth piece was reserved for my continued tasting enjoyment at breakfast after it had been allowed to come to room temperature.
The paste is creamy but not gooey, which is good. Continued affinage in cheese paper would most likely bring additional softening/ripening of the paste. There was a slight stench from the linens, but I didn't find it particularly offputting. The salt level could be a tad lower (6 hours brine time), but it was within margins and didn't hinder me from wolfing most of that eighth piece. Creamy and almost spreadable, this cheese was quite an adventure to complete. No annatto was added at any time...the linens provided deep color as the pics show.
Now that I have been put through the Taleggio paces, I have the confidence to repeat this cheese style without the intimidation level of an untried, untested process.
I tacked on the plated commercial example pic following my plated effort pic as a side-by-side comparison.
-Boofer-
What a great looking cheese! I don't think I would be allowed to make one of those until I get a fridge for the garage.
ac4u
Well done. A very nice looking cheese. Your affinage was obviously very successful. It makes the commercial example look very pale and ordinary.
@Boofer. That is an amazing cheese. Again something for me to aspire to - my first washed rind was not a flop and in some aspects not bad. Yours however, well the comparison picture tell the story. Artisan compared to commercial - where there is no comparison your wins hands down.. This one I'll be making next. :)
A cheese for Cheese.
-- Mal
Thanks for the kind words, guys. I think the process went pretty well...no hiccups.
The grooves from the mould were rather deep and may have permitted blues to take hold if I hadn't been after it daily.
When I repeat this make, I'll look for LR or some other less aggressive linens. The SR3 worked well and was very edible, but I'd like to have it less pronounced. I'm not sure I even saw any Geo except at the very beginning. The linens really liked the humidity in the minicave, especially with the draped damp muslin. So how do I maintain the optimal humidity and still limit the linens growth? Maybe boost the Geo13 dosage? That's worth a try.
Hey, Mal and Bill, thanks for the cheeses. :)
-Boofer-
Have another cheese Boofer. That's a fantastic looking result you've got there.
Thanks, Jeff.
I enjoyed some this morning in one of my favorite ways. :P 8)
-Boofer-
mouth watering ...
-- Mal
Dribbling here :P
Oh, that is just look perfect ;
Cheese for you :D
Taleggio is one my favorite cheese.
Hande
I just thought of a footnote for this make.
The commercial sample I purchased was $18.99 per pound.
@$7.60 per gallon for the three gallons in this make, my cost (excluding costs for cultures, etc.) totals ~$5.88 per pound. Nice! 8)
Well worth repeating.
-Boofer-