CheeseForum.org » Forum

Boofer, there is some ammonia.  I didn't notice it at first, and it was pretty weird when I realized that I was smelling it as I exhaled (through my nose) after eating the cheese.  I let it air out for a while that first night, I've had a little last night and tonight and the ammonia smell is less than it was, although not completely gone.  Your taleggio reminds me of my first reblochon.  I haven't updated my make post with that one because it had a bit of an accident in transit to my mom's house.  It got squashed, and cracked open in a whole bunch of places.  If not for getting squashed, it was perfect (not that I've had it before to compare) and so delicious. 

AeonSam, I had read that cold aged camembert turns out better, but I was in a hurry.  I wanted to have it ready for Christmas.  And then we didn't end up eating it anyway, so it spent a month in the fridge.  But I didn't wrap them, and would open the ripening boxes every once in a while to let them breathe.  Next time, I'll go for the cold aging.  Thanks for the tips from Yoav, I'll keep those for next time.

All in all, I think it's a success.  It ripened all the way through, and it tastes good to me.  My son had some tonight and he also thinks it tastes good.  I didn't know that it was a particularly 'finicky' cheese, that makes me feel even better about how this turned out.