Workshop Followup

Sat Nov 26 Follow up from the Nov 19-20 Workshop

Well .. everyone is home by now and I hope making their first great cheeses from what you have learned. I thought I would update you with the results of our cheesemaking last weekend.
Everything went well with the making of these cheeses and continues along as expected.

Below you will find photos and explanations of the final stages before ripening begins

Sun .. 11/20 [D+1]...PM ...The Brie still draining after salting bottoms and sides .. still pretty soft so leaving in the molds

Mon [D+2] .. AM Brie still draining excess whey will probably continue thru late Wed
note the standing whey on the surface ... I also change the draining mats @ day ... RH=65% and temp=60F (a bit cool)

Tues [D+3] ..PM The Brie has dried out and and no free whey is coming out ...they have formed a firm matte surface with good acidity for the geo and yeast to take hold.. you would notice the surface changing from a cool damp surface to a slippery surface over the next few days as the yeast and geo reduce the acidity...the chesese continues to be turned 2x daily. Moved to 85% RH and temp 54F

Sat [D+7] the small tufts of candidum began developing @ D+6 and have now grown pretty well .. important to turn 2x @ day at this point to keep mold from growing into the mats..
At D+10 full coverage should be found and they can be wrapped and moved to 40F for ripening .. should be ready in 3-4 weeks depending on taste

Reblochon on Mon 11/21 [D+2].. post salting and have been dried off .. they will be washed w/ brine + B.linens at D+3 and then every 3-4 days after for the first 3 weeks ... notice nice dry mat surface which will transform to a tacky yeasty surface by D+4 .. the surface willl gradually take on a pinkesh-red surface as they approach 30 days and will be ready about D+55-60

Tomme @ D+3 .. fully brined and dried off ... it is now held in plastic boxes to keepat 95% RH in cave @ 54F until it forms its mold coat.