I bought some ash and now want to use it. Most ash is use in cheese making for lightly coating white bloom mold rind cheeses for surface acidity control. What I didn't realize is that most ash coated cheeses are goat's milk based cheeses (and I mostly only have access to store bought cow's milk).
Is this because of:
- Legacy/tradition (I've read that ash coating originated in Loire Valley France where mostly goat's milk cheeses are made)?
- For some difference between goat's and cow's or sheep's milk cheeses that I am unaware of?
- Some other reason?
Some cheeses that use ash that I've found are:
Ashed Rind Cow's Milk: Montbriac, Rochebaron.
Ashed Rind Goat's Milk: Bûche Noir, Coupole, Chevre Cendré, Monte Enebro, Rutulin, Selles sur Cher, Valençay AOC, Wabash Cannonball.
Ashed layer in middle of cheese: Cow's Milk: Morbier AOC.
Ashed rind and middle: Goat's Milk: Humboldt Fog, Monocacy Ash.
Aged Under Ash Cow's Milk: Sottocenere.
I went to fresh fruit market in the weekend to get some flour and veggies and my usual charcuterie shop was selling some different cheeses I noticed.
I have seen a blue and another brie like goat's milk cheese covered in ash as well. I was thinking of making some vegetable ash by burning them and use this as a layer in between two wheels like morbier but don't know what sort of vegetable to burn, I gues some oak branches would do just well. Does anyone has any idea about how to produce this ash at home?
I guess the main reason is protection from spoilage bacteria and let the other good guys to grow.
This may give you some help with homemade ash...
http://2footalligator.blogspot.com/2011/05/mini-retort-for-charcoalash.html (http://2footalligator.blogspot.com/2011/05/mini-retort-for-charcoalash.html)
Gurkan, also see this thread
https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,4575 (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,4575)
Thanks darius and LB.