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Ash - Coating Penicillium candidum Cheeses, Goat vs Cow vs Sheep's Milk Cheeses?

Started by Cheese Head, July 10, 2011, 04:38:00 PM

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Cheese Head

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.

Gürkan Yeniçeri

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.




Gürkan Yeniçeri