Hello Forum Friends.
I am going to make Brick Cheese this weekend. I've never made it before. I have made many washed rinds as they are always my old favourite style. But... I can't decide on a recipe. I have three recipe books that give three almost entirely different (slight exageration) versions of Brick Cheese. I will summarise as follows.
Amrein-Boyes - 200 Easy Homemade Cheeses: Thermophillic starter, b linens, brined, washed for two weeks then may be waxed.
Carroll - Home Cheese Making: Mesophilic Starter, Geo Candi, b linens, brined, washed for two weeks then may be waxed.
Mary Karlin - Artisan Cheese Making at Home: Mesophillic starter, no b linens or geo candi?, and it is brined and waxed (not washed?).
I am seriously confused? Karlin refers to her cheese as 'American Brick', but I though Brick was American? is there a difference between Brick and American Brick? They all use different starters and two use b linens while one doesn't, while one uses geo candi and the other two don't.
I guess my question is this... what is the best general style? I find it strange that Karlin doesn't use b linen or wash the rind. Also, I never thought of Brick as having Geo Candi in the recipe. Also thermo versus meso?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Silver.
I've never made brick, but just from my experience with Ricki Carroll's recipes in the past, I would avoid her's entirely.
As "most" recipes for brick use b linens, I would exclude the Karlin recipe.
So, by default, I would go with Debra Amrein-Boyes.
But, take my advice with a grain of salt, knowing that I've no experience with brick making.
Quote from: MrsKK on November 07, 2011, 01:16:03 PM
So, by default, I would go with Debra Amrein-Boyes.
I would agree with Karen.
I haven't made Brick, but I used the 200 Cheeses recipe (Debra's) to fashion my Esrom (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,8405.0.html). Two of the fundamental characteristics of both styles are the stinkiness and the orange-to-reddish color of the rind. Those characteristics are derived by washing with b. linens.
-Boofer-
Here's a thread on brick that might be of use to you:
https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php?topic=1847.0 (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php?topic=1847.0)
Note, they talk about the 200 cheese recipe and note that the thermo only is probably wrong (temperature too low). I suspect there should be a meso culture added in the 200 recipe as well. I would add in the meso recipe from RC's make to the 200 make, and then follow the basic procedure in the 200 book.
- Jeff
Dear All,
I have made brick cheese from the recommended recipe. I used B. linens and had the cheese tasted by several individuals from Wisconsin. These American dairy land folks pride themselves as the ones who know about brick cheese. Here in Montana nobody knows about brick cheese. Oh, yeah, almost forgot, they thought the cheese okay.
So, did you make this cheese and how is it coming along?
I wanted to add a couple more notes....
In using the 200 Easy Cheeses recipe for my Tilsit #1 (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,7722.0.html), it occurred to me after the cheese was made that it should more properly be made with something akin to Aroma B or Flora Danica, both mesophilic, rather than the thermophilic that Debra calls for, adjusting the cook temperature and times accordingly.
I also take issue with her rendition of Jarlsberg using thermophilic when the Norwegians call for mesophilic since it is a Goutaler (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,6939.0.html) type. Perhaps in this case it might more properly be a mix of the two to achieve the flavor and texture true to the type.
Just something to consider.
-Boofer-
Yeah, I'm silly - I use yogurt to culture my Colby when I want to make curds for fresh eating, because they taste better than when I use buttermilk. It would be nice if she had given reasons for the types of culture she uses for her recipes.
I've never done this kind of cheese and not really sure I ever will, due to my mold allergies. Cheers and good lluck.
MrsKK,
You can make one without mold, just B. Linens which is a bacteria.
Thanks, Aris, I'll have to look into that when I'm ready to move on to some new cheese types.