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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => ADJUNCT - Blue Mold (Penicillium roqueforti) Ripened => Topic started by: SarahV63 on May 03, 2012, 04:39:58 PM

Title: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: SarahV63 on May 03, 2012, 04:39:58 PM
Hello!

I made a simple blue cheese using a famers cheese (Fankhauser's) as a base and a gorgonzola (actual piece of cheese from Wegman's) inolcum. It is going very slowly because I have nowhere to age it except in a drawer I set aside in my refrigerator which is about 45F.

It just started turning blue on the outside today. I was so excited!

Anyhow, will this work? I know it should be warmer and probably moister. I have a little bowl of water in there. The bandage stays very very slightly damp.

Thanks my cheese mentors!

Keuka Sarah
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: T-Bird on May 03, 2012, 11:20:46 PM
I age mine at 49-50 deg F depends on what day I check it.
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: Tomer1 on May 03, 2012, 11:29:50 PM
Blue is fairly cold resilient and will continue to grow at such low temp , ripening the cheese.
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: SarahV63 on May 04, 2012, 12:10:57 PM
Thank you both!  ;D
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: SarahV63 on May 04, 2012, 12:19:05 PM
Also, my holes are filling in. Is this normal and do I need to make new holes or open up the original holes?
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: H-K-J on May 04, 2012, 02:45:09 PM
Sarah   try to open the same holes, sometimes you miss (http://cocker-spanial-hair-in-my-food.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-stilton-style-blue-cheese.html), not to worry
To keep my Stillton cool I have it in an ageing container that is in a pot with some ice packs, I switch them out once daily, wiping out the container at the same time airing out the cheese, this keeps the container around 50 deg. and RH at 89 to91%
this has worked fairly well for me :)
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: Tomer1 on May 04, 2012, 04:53:33 PM
Quote from: SarahV63 on May 04, 2012, 12:19:05 PM
Also, my holes are filling in. Is this normal and do I need to make new holes or open up the original holes?

Looks like your getting some white furry mold?   You might want to lower RH a bit.
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: T-Bird on May 05, 2012, 01:18:50 AM
I only pierce mine once, at 5wks and my holes don't fill in. I can't remember exactly but I think my probe is about 1/8 in. I think it's the texture of the cheese at 5wks that keeps it from filling in.
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: SarahV63 on May 05, 2012, 11:05:42 AM
Quote from: Tomer1 on May 04, 2012, 04:53:33 PM
Quote from: SarahV63 on May 04, 2012, 12:19:05 PM
Also, my holes are filling in. Is this normal and do I need to make new holes or open up the original holes?

Looks like your getting some white furry mold?   You might want to lower RH a bit.

What is white furry mold? AND RH? How do I lower it? Thanks!
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: SarahV63 on May 05, 2012, 11:07:41 AM
Quote from: H-K-J on May 04, 2012, 02:45:09 PM
Sarah   try to open the same holes, sometimes you miss (http://cocker-spanial-hair-in-my-food.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-stilton-style-blue-cheese.html), not to worry
To keep my Stillton cool I have it in an ageing container that is in a pot with some ice packs, I switch them out once daily, wiping out the container at the same time airing out the cheese, this keeps the container around 50 deg. and RH at 89 to91%
this has worked fairly well for me :)

Whats RH? Thank you!
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: SarahV63 on May 05, 2012, 12:06:53 PM
Okay, RH, I looked at some other posts and gave this some thought, let me guess, residual humidity? Ahhh, I should have been a brain surgeon. I could move it down to the vegetable drawer which has a crude humidity control (sliding door). Right now its in the meat drawer.

I repoked my holes after sterilizing the skewer. I pushed a teeny bit of cheese thru when I did this and of course I had to taste it. My baby cheese is creamy and has a mild taste of blue cheese.

I couldn't really see the white fuzzy mold, however,I did notice on the sides there is an orange appearance and this worries me more that anything...
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: Sailor Con Queso on May 05, 2012, 07:16:54 PM
RELATIVE humidity
Title: Re: Possible to Age at 45 F?
Post by: SarahV63 on May 06, 2012, 03:20:04 PM
Here are some pics of the orange mold... what should I do about this? Thanks!