I just made my first havarti today using the recipe from Cultures for health. https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/cheese-recipes/havarti-cheese/ (https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/cheese-recipes/havarti-cheese/) I used flora danica instead of MM100 Meso. It says you can refrigerate it over night and eat it immediately. Has anyone every tried this? I cut it in half, it had that lovely eye structure and seemed to be knit together well. I'm brining 1/2 and put the other in a container and in the fridge to see what it is like tomorrow. The texture is soft, slightly rubbery and a little bit of a slightly vinegary aftertaste. Not much. (I had to cut off a bit.)
Any other recipe online says you have to age it. This is the only one I've seen that you can eat it right away. Any thoughts on that? Am I wasting good cheese-to-be by serving it young?
THANKS!
Quote from: smcatharine on February 16, 2018, 11:15:28 PM
I just made my first havarti today using the recipe from Cultures for health. https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/cheese-recipes/havarti-cheese/ (https://www.culturesforhealth.com/learn/recipe/cheese-recipes/havarti-cheese/) I used flora danica instead of MM100 Meso. It says you can refrigerate it over night and eat it immediately. Has anyone every tried this? I cut it in half, it had that lovely eye structure and seemed to be knit together well. I'm brining 1/2 and put the other in a container and in the fridge to see what it is like tomorrow. The texture is soft, slightly rubbery and a little bit of a slightly vinegary aftertaste. Not much. (I had to cut off a bit.)
Any other recipe online says you have to age it. This is the only one I've seen that you can eat it right away. Any thoughts on that? Am I wasting good cheese-to-be by serving it young?
THANKS!
Aging cheese will change its flavor. It's up to you to decide the flavor you like.
The cultures you add to cheese continue to consume the lactose in the cheese over a long time. This will 1) dry the cheese out, 2) produce acid that makes it taste "sharper", and 3) add flavor characteristic of the culture used. Normally, following the recipe will give you expected results, and that's what you should do.
However, it's your palate, you can decide when it's right for you. The pros use "cheese triers" that let them dip into a large wheel anbd extract a bit for test. At our homebrew levels, I find it easier to cut into 4 or more wedges, eat one, and use a vacuum bag machine to seal the rest. If it's not ready (i.e., flavor has not developed enough) put the remaining wedges back into the cave.
Thanks! I tasted it this AM. UGH. Into brine and aging it will go. The texture, etc. seems good and I think there is hope it will be a good havarti in a month or so!