Well here is my first attempt at a Bleu d'Auvergne. I did a four pound make from Ricki Carroll's recipe found here (https://www.cheesemaking.com/BlueAuvergne.html). Thought it might make a change from my usual Stiltonesque. Here's a picture of each side after five days. Just letting it form a rind in my mini cave before piercing and aging. Have to rub this one with salt quite a bit.
Please keep us posted. I'm really wanting to see how it turns out.
Awesome Al. Are you retired now?
Al's got the blues again :o lookin good buddy
Quote from: Duntov on October 21, 2017, 07:05:09 PM
Awesome Al. Are you retired now?
Yes! I retired August 31st. Took the wife to Vegas, her first time, and had a great time showing her the sights. Stayed at the MGM Grand and even had a chance to take her to Emerils for dinner. Great time. Came home Thursday and now we both have the flu. LOL
Welcome to retirement. I love it.
Just lay in bed and read cheese recipes and recuperate. That way you'll be ready to use all that new retirement time making cheese!
Pierced this last night. Considering my condition I washed up with anti-bacterial soap and still used gloves. Have to leave this out to dry a bit and saw some of you were having trouble with flies so I thought I would do a photo instruction on how I wrap my cheeses when drying in the open room. First i cover the cheese with a square of butter muslin. Then I slide the mold down over it which draws it against the sides. Then I remove the mold and pull the back corners around to the front and the front cornes to the back being sure to keep the edges tight against the bottom. Works great! BTW when working with blues be sure to wash everything that comes in contact with them in a water/bleach solution. Otherwise anything they touch will get blue mold on it. I keep a spray bottle handy at all times while working with blues.
I think it looks great Al can't wait to see it open ^-^
I pierced it again and have been airing it daily.
How long do you age this Al?
The recipe calls for 60-75 days. I'll stick a trier in it at 60 and see where it's at. Just been flipping and airing it daily for now. It's a beautiful blue and smells great. Been pierced twice. ;D
Al, Sorry to hear you are crook (aussie slang for sick) my suggestion Rum. Rum and Milk, warm Rum and lemon, Rum and cheese platter. best way to kill the flu.. Oh well at least the rum will dull the snottie headaches and sooth the throat.
Hope your back doesn't hinder the joys of retirement.
Oh BTW love your cheese.
-- Mal
I used the American version. Just substitute "bourbon" for "rum" in your prior post. Worked great but the wife is still down with it. Her own fault, she hate bourbon. Had her into the doc two days ago and they gave her a ton of meds to make her feel better so she is on the mend and being very well taken care of. ;)
Good to hear you are getting better Al :)
Thanks buddy!! Here's the cheese porn pictures you love so much. Took these when I took it out to air this morning. I simply open the container I'm using in the cave to keep the blue out of the cave and stretch a sheet of butter muslin over it that I hold in place with two large rubber bands while airing to keep the flies off. Airing it out not only gets fresh air to it to help form the rind but allows the temperature to cycle. Bacteria love warmer temps and PR is no different.
Quote from: OzzieCheese on November 03, 2017, 11:30:29 PM
Al, Sorry to hear you are crook (aussie slang for sick) my suggestion Rum. Rum and Milk, warm Rum and lemon, Rum and cheese platter.
Ah, the season for hot toddies! :D
Looking good, Al. I'm anxious to send a cheese your way when you unveil the inner beauty for this blue.
Earlier this year, during the warmer months, there were little fruit flies that appeared from time to time. They seemed to be able to finagle their way into places that may have seemed impregnable. Careful control and observation were essential to exclude them from my process.
-Boofer-
Yep, I saw one in the house last week thus the reason for the precautions. Hoping this little beauty turns out to be a delicious little morsel. :P
Just pierced this one agin, probably for the last time. Here's one for everyone, have you ever had "smoked blue cheese"? I haven't but a friend of mine said he tried some and it was incredible. Thinking about taking 1/4 of this wheel and smoking it once it gets to it's golden age. Should be ready right around Christmas. Comments anyone??
Smoked blue cheese is fantastic Al
I cold smoked some of mine very tasty, just give it a light smoke I over did some and it took a while to mellow it out.
Thanks for the info buddy. I had a good friend o mine give me a small smoke gun for Christmas last year and I have been dying to try it. Should be easy to simply use a tupperware container to set up a smoke chamber.
Decided to smoke this today. Note to self: place tube in container prior to lighting. LOL Smoked for 15 minutes.
OOOooooo I think that's going to work great Al 8)
Hopefully! I used applewood to smoke it and left the smoke in the container for 15 minutes. Once you turn this thing on and place a lighter over it it makes smoke NOW. You'd be surprised just how fast you can fill a room with a little thing like that.LOL :-\
Just thought I'd throw a picture up I took this morning while tending my cheeses. I put a trier in this and the interior looks great. Seemed like it was drying out a bit too much so I have stopped the daily airings.
Put a couple of "cousins" in the cave this morning with this one. Two Cambozolas.
Finally cut this one on half to vacuum pack the two halves. The paste in this cheese tastes incredible. Looking forward to my next steak night!! :P
That looks amazing AL
I gotta go back and look at this thread
AC4U
Thanks buddy!! It tastes amazing.
That looks awesome (AC4U)! How did the smoke add to the taste?
Quote from: Al Lewis on November 08, 2017, 06:20:01 PM
You'd be surprised just how fast you can fill a room with a little thing like that.LOL :-\
Al...Al...are you in there? Yeesh, open a window! ;D
Sweet-looking cheese, Al. Have a cheese.
-Boofer-
Thanks guys and thanks for the cheeses!
Quote from: mikey687 on January 03, 2018, 06:58:57 PM
That looks awesome (AC4U)! How did the smoke add to the taste?
The smoke taste is very subtle. Not sure if that's the plan or I just didn't smoke it enough but it is delicious. :P
Split a wedge of this today for Prime Rib Paninis. Dinner is going to be great!!
Awesome!
That is looking devine!
Had some of this melted over prime rib on a Panini. It is absolutely delicious! Just the right amount of salty and bleu! :P
Al,
I'm making a Tomme today, but now you're making me wish I had done a big o' blue.
My mouth is watering hearing about that.