Ch. 3: Affinage - Questions Flashcards
why is humidity so important in cheesemaking?
the percentage of relative humidity controls the rate of evaporation of water in the cheese
what is the relative humidity for bloomy rinds?
88-92% RH
what is the relative humidity for washed rinds?
94-97% RH
what is the relative humidity for alpine styles and natural rinds?
92-95% RH
what is the relative humidity for blue cheeses?
97-98% RH
what temperature is cold storage kept at?
34F to 38F
how is the rind on bloomy rind cheese formed?
the mold is allowed to grow on the outside, then patted down by the affineur
how often is a washed rind cheese washed?
at least once a week
why would an affineur choose a man made cave over a natural one?
a high degree of control over humidity and temperature to promote microbial flourishing
how often should a bloomy rind be patted and turned?
twice a week
what is a common defect found in bloomy caves?
slip skin
what would cause a cheese be suffering from slip skin?
too much humidity in the cave
what are some common defects in a washed rind cave?
-dry/cracking rinds
-overly wet or slimy
why would a washed rind be overly wet or slimy?
excessive bacterial/yeast growth
how does a bloomy rind ripen?
from the outside in
how does a washed rind ripen?
from the outside in
how do you care for a natural rind cheese?
flip it weekly, and brush off mites
what kind of cheese is put in an alpine cave?
low-moisture washed-rind cheeses made to age over long periods of time (gruyere, comte, beaufort, etc.)
what is the purpose of a rind on alpine style cheeses?
to protect the paste from moisture loss and inappropriate molds
how does proteolysis affect flavor?
break down proteins into amino acids which impart flavor
how does proteolysis affect texture?
-more ripened cheese: releases water from the casein structure
-drier cheese: traps the water, making it unavailable for other reactions
how does lipolysis affect flavor?
free fatty acids have a strong set of flavor and aroma compounds, which shape the overall flavor and piquancy of cheese
how does lipolysis affect texture?
-the more the globules are broken down, the higher the protein ratio vs fat
-tighter curd that a cheese with a more even ratio
