I am an admitted noob at making mold ripened cheeses but I think my first camembert is looking very good. It’s been in the fridge for 10 days and has a very nice pure white mold cover both disks and I plan to wrap them in paper tonight for 4-6 weeks of aging (eating one at 4 and one at 6 weeks, ha). As I look at different recipes for the same cheese I wonder what affect some of the ingredients have on the final cheese flavor. For example; Ricki’s book only calls for flora danica (FD) and PC while Tim Smith’s book uses mesophilic culture and PC but no FD and some I’ve seen use both. As to the molds all appear to use PC but some also use PG. What can one expect from the use or ommission of each of these ingredients?

I plan to start a journal for my attempts at these cheeses and keep notes on each variation as that’s just the chemist in me at work but it would be nice to know what to expect from the start. My first attempt used just the mesophilic culture and PC, I think the next time I’ll add some FD to to the mix to see what changes. This is a good cheese to experiment with since it can be eaten about 6 weeks after it’s made, I’ve made a few cheddars but I’ve only opened one and have two that are 3-6 months away from tasting.

Mark G

I made Camembert with the Flora Danica and the PC. So far the cheeses have had a distinct nutty mold taste. Then I made cheese with Flora Danica, PC plus Geo. Candidum. I’ll let you know how they turn out. I see B. Linens forming. Very exciting!

According to the New Englad Cheese making Supply website:

Flora Danica has s.lactis, s. cremoris, s.lactis biovar diacetylactis, m.s. cremoris.
Meso only has s.lactis and s. cremoris so I imagine this would effect the taste of the cheese and maybe not get an authentic Camembert style. Only a guess though.

LOL, sounds like your doing OK. When I first started I spent months collecting recipes and info on cheese and it made my head spin because their is no constant. So I started with the basic like your doing, mesophilic culture and PC. and I made a whole bunch in small batches to see what happens, then once I got confidant and new what to expect I went for the bigger batches (see website).
Practice practice practice

Here’s a couple of cultures that are used in addition to the main culture as an enhancement.
Anyone tried such cultures?

From the Dairy Connection

LM57
This culture produces CO2 and diacetyl (butter flavor) in cheese due to citrate fermentation. Used as an enhancer for Blue cheese and Gouda along with MM Series.
Contains:
 (LMC) Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. cremoris

MD89
Used in combination with other mesophilic cultures to enhance the flavor in fresh cheeses and soft ripened cheeses:
Brie/Camembert, Chevre, Blue
This culture is not normally used just by itself (it will not produce enough acid in the cheese). This culture is used to enhance flavor (buttery) and produce some small eyes in cheese such Edam or Havarti. Suggest use as a flavor enhancer for your cheese.
Contains:
 (LLD) Lactococccus lactis subsp. biovar diacetylactis

I use MD88 dont know the dif from 89 though.

This might be the answer to my fine, but kind of dull flavored Camembert. Great texture but lacking the deeper notes and buttery flavor. Thanks for the tip. I never knew about these.

Using store homo milk tends to bland the flavor, thats why is important to use proper cheese cultures as apposed to the buttermilk and yogurt method that some people use.

Here you are Heathers.
http://www.dairyconnection.com/cultures.htm

Thanks. I just ordered the M89 and my new personal favorite to experiment with…B. Linens. I intend to make Epoisses.

As if the Stilton isn’t stinky enough!