Pandora's Box opens...

[saucisson]

Well, I was worried my cardbord box was drying out, so I put it in sealed plastic box in the loft (attic) where it was 10 deg C. I let it out on New Years Eve and as I climbed down the ladder, it slipped from my fingers and it dropped from 10 feet onto a concrete floor. I wanted to weep...

I unpeeled the wet cardboard box that had my cheese and it was fine

as in the picture:


It's top left, still more like a mature lancashire than a brie/camembert but a gorgeous cheese. At the front is a 12 week stilton, no blue in it and it smells like smelling salts (pure ammonia), and leaks across the table towards you. But tastes fantastic. It's younger brother is still under wraps back right but looks like it will be even nastier and more delicious, though public health inspectors may disagree

Happy new year All Cheesemakers!

[BlueCheese]

LOL, nice going, as long as it tastes good

[jenny_haddow]

Awesome cheese Dave, I wondered what was going to come out of the box.

Jen

[Richierich]

Your a braver man than me eating the pure ammonia Stilton, even shop bought stuff is shown the exit when it smells like that.

[BlueCheese]

The Ammonia is not a problem, I thought that I had to throw it out but if u use it in cooking/baking it drives out the ammonia and the cheese is great. Used it in Soup and notchose and any unpleasantness was gone, just the rich taste of the cheese was their.

[BBQer]

Anybody know what it is that creates the ammonia?

[saucisson]

My socks,

Dave

Edit: more seriously;

Ammoniated or Ammoniacal
A term describing cheese that either smells or tastes of ammonia as a result of being overripe or mishandled, i.e., held at fluctuating temperatures. This condition may afflict the rinds of cheese varieties with white mold (bloomy) rinds, such as Brie, Camembert, and Chevres. A hint of ammonia is not objectionable, but heavy ammoniation is.

As it is aged, the cheese skin absorbs the earthiness of the damp cellars, and the mold that develops on the rind, called bacillus linens, generates an ammonia-like smell.

I think as it overripens the proteins start to break down generating the ammonia.

[BBQer]

Thanks. That's interesting to know. The recipes for Brie that I have seen call for adding Bacillus Linens culture to it. Now it makes me wonder if that ammonia "problem" is inherent in the B. Linens culture or just B. Linens that have been subject to certain/specific external conditions?

[saucisson]

I think you are fine so long as the cheese doesn't overripen which I think mine did as the cooler was too warm. Hence my reason for geting a new cheese cave (fridge). My cheese in a box hasn't had these problems because it has stayed much cooler.

Dave