After the success with my first blue I started the second. I hope for the best so I'll post updates on the go (not waiting some weeks to see if it's worth posting or not).
I strictly followed the recipe from H-K-J's blog and now it's at room temp for the first stage. Today in the morning I saw some blue signs, but I wasn't sure. Now, after 9 hours it's clearly and definitely blue! The smell this time is amazing! It smells like blue cheese from the start. Last time the smell was not too pleasant, but in the end it turned out to be very tasty. I cannot imagine what it will be like now!
This time I used a wonderful caciotta mold that I got for my birthday (the same day I started the cheese) and the cheese has a nice round shape.
I used 6l of raw caw's milk, 200ml of 35%cream, PR of the PV strain, MM101 as starter.
I had a bad start, the milk wouldn't coagulate at first and the flocculation time was over 30 minutes. I don't know what the problem is, I'll experiment with the variables to bring down this time (last time it was 40 minutes(!) and the cheese was wonderful, so I won't worry too much). I made a camembert earlier and the floc time was 5 minutes, so I can blame only the milk. But we'll see.
I left the milk disappointed and went with my wife to the steak house to celebrate. When we got home three hours later the curds were formed and it was the right time to laddle and drain them. The final drained cheese weights 915g (~2lb).
(Sorry for the bad quality of the photos, in real life it looks better)
Have you smoothed that yet?
Quote from: Al Lewis on October 06, 2015, 06:24:42 PM
Have you smoothed that yet?
No, not yet. Today's the big day.
Ok, we're ready for the next stage. After five days at room temp the blue has the party going, so I decided to smooth it and move to the fridge. I plan to keep it at 10-11 degrees, 90%+ humidity for as long as my will will allow it. I hope for something around 50 days. It will not be difficult, in November we plan to go on vacation for two weeks, so there will be no one to touch Mr. Blue (I assume I'll come back with the question "what to with Mr Blue while I'm on vacation?", but that's for another time).
Here are the before and after photos.
You may have a problem with moisture if you don't air them. I typically take mine out of the cave for an hour a day to let them air out and keep the rind dry and in tact. ;)
Quote from: Al Lewis on October 08, 2015, 02:00:15 PM
You may have a problem with moisture if you don't air them. I typically take mine out of the cave for an hour a day to let them air out and keep the rind dry and in tact. ;)
I do the same, everyday. If I keep the container closed the moisture is too high, you are right. When I'll go on vacation I will leave the container opened and hope for the best.
-Alex
I think I have a problem. There's a strong ammonia smell in the container, though I take it out for 30-60 minutes everyday. Today the smell is still present after 60 minutes out of the fridge. My previous cheese had the same smell, but after some minutes out it would disappear and was replaced with a pleasant blue cheese smell. This one has a pungent smell even after the aeration. Should I leave it out for more time?
Ammonia is heavier than air so you might want to put the cheese on the lid and use the box part for a cover , the gas can escape easier this way.
Also by November when you go away it should be fine to wrap it in foil and put into the cold fridge, that should slow everything down for the time you are away.
Just so you know
Foil will stop the blue growth , proper breathable cheese wrap will allow some growth . If you think your cheese is close to done use the foil , if it has a long way to go use the wrap.
Quote from: Gregore on October 12, 2015, 02:08:27 PM
Ammonia is heavier than air so you might want to put the cheese on the lid and use the box part for a cover , the gas can escape easier this way.
Thanks for the hints, I knew that already and put the cheese on the lid. But the smell is still present. I'm afraid it's permanent...
I simply cover mine in butter muslin while in the cave. It held the mold in check from spreading and allowed them to air in the cave. The ammonia smell does go away eventually and then you get that great blue smell!! ;D
I hope so! I couldn't eat it if it would smell like this in the end... Even with my love for them, I would let it go.
-Alex
When it reaches the point that you think the blue has done what you want it to do and you want to just age it out , you should wrap it in foil and move it to the fridge , this will slow down the blues on the surface and allow the cheese to age without getting overly blue .
I think I over reacted. In the last three days I allowed it to sit outside for more than an hour and the unpleasant smell seems to fade out. I was comparing it with my only previous experience, but this time I used more spores to inoculate the cheese and I held it at room temp for more time, so I think the PR is going faster and producing more ammonia. The surface mold is growing slowly, so I think I'll let it grow for another 2-3 weeks, then we'll see. I followed the advices on my other thread and learned my lesson. Pierced it last week, made more but smaller holes. I hope to deliver oxygen to all the veins inside, so that the blue feels comfortable.
Next month we are going to Hong Kong for two weeks, I must think of a good way to leave the cheese. Either wrap it or move to cooler temp to slow down the blue (maybe both).
-Alex
Today's the updates day. I took a photo of Mr Blue during today's "aeration walk". The blue is developing nicely. The smell is strong when I open the lid, but it fades out in 30-40 minutes and I feel a nice blue cheese smell. I think we'll be ok after all. Today we ate the last piece of my previous blue, after awhile the veining became more and more blue. I will age this one more.
Here's the photo (in real life there's more blue, on the photo it seems white)
You may want to try a little larger cheese next time. If it's a Stiltonesque you're going for they come out much better with size. Stilton's made in England use 24 pounds of curd. I did an 8 pound one and it came out great. ;)
Quote from: Al Lewis on October 18, 2015, 04:18:08 PM
You may want to try a little larger cheese next time. If it's a Stiltonesque you're going for they come out much better with size. Stilton's made in England use 24 pounds of curd. I did an 8 pound one and it came out great. ;)
I wish I could, but I don't have a pan large enough. Stupid reason, I know... But we live in a relatively small apartment and it's already full of stuff. I hope to be able to buy a house sometimes, with enough space for crafting and hobbies, with a cellar and stuff. But in the meantime I use the small 6l pan for my cheeses...
-Alex
Cool! ;)
Alex, you might consider trying a Gorgonzola Picante make -- these cheese is made in two batches over two days. Make your first 6l batch, let it drain and acidify overnight, make your second 6l batch in the morning. When assembled, you have a 12l cheese!
Quote from: awakephd on October 19, 2015, 09:28:38 AM
Alex, you might consider trying a Gorgonzola Picante make -- these cheese is made in two batches over two days. Make your first 6l batch, let it drain and acidify overnight, make your second 6l batch in the morning. When assembled, you have a 12l cheese!
Good point! Thanks for the idea. I have a Italian friend with a wonderful grandmother that makes gorgonzola dolce at home, in a very un-scientific fashion but with absolutely awesome results. I had the pleasure to eat it when I was visiting him and it is the best cheese in the world! I wasn't very informed then and didn't have this obsession with blues, but now I will surely ask him to get the recipe for me.
-Alex
If possible, post the recipe here!
Hello guys and sorry for missing so long. Unfortunately, we ate the last blue and I didn't take any photo of it. It was wanderful!!! Even better than the first one (the first mr. Blue was fantastic, this one was out of this world!). I was absorbed with our Asian trip and forgot to "document" the evolution of this cheese.
Now I started the third official Mr. Blue. I found everything I needed for a 11l batch, this one is double sized! I'm thrilled to see the results. I found a farm that sells raw organic milk and they have plenty of it (don't know if "organic" is the right word, but the cows eat only clean grass, no pesticides or nitrates). The price is very attractive and the owner is my former neighbour, so I can be sure that I'll have the best quality and freshness. Wish me luck, I hope to see some blue in 1-2 days.
-Alex
Al, that one you made looks insane. I really dislike blue cheese, but that made me salivate a bit. Also, OP, AC4U for the nice looking cheese and log.