Ch. 3: Affinage - Questions

Question 1

why is humidity so important in cheesemaking?

Answer 1

the percentage of relative humidity controls the rate of evaporation of water in the cheese

Question 2

what is the relative humidity for bloomy rinds?

Answer 2

88-92% RH

Question 3

what is the relative humidity for washed rinds?

Answer 3

94-97% RH

Question 4

what is the relative humidity for alpine styles and natural rinds?

Answer 4

92-95% RH

Question 5

what is the relative humidity for blue cheeses?

Answer 5

97-98% RH

Question 6

what temperature is cold storage kept at?

Answer 6

34F to 38F

Question 7

how is the rind on bloomy rind cheese formed?

Answer 7

the mold is allowed to grow on the outside, then patted down by the affineur

Question 8

how often is a washed rind cheese washed?

Answer 8

at least once a week

Question 9

why would an affineur choose a man made cave over a natural one?

Answer 9

a high degree of control over humidity and temperature to promote microbial flourishing

Question 10

how often should a bloomy rind be patted and turned?

Answer 10

twice a week

Question 11

what is a common defect found in bloomy caves?

Answer 11

slip skin

Question 12

what would cause a cheese be suffering from slip skin?

Answer 12

too much humidity in the cave

Question 13

what are some common defects in a washed rind cave?

Answer 13

-dry/cracking rinds
-overly wet or slimy

Question 14

why would a washed rind be overly wet or slimy?

Answer 14

excessive bacterial/yeast growth

Question 15

how does a bloomy rind ripen?

Answer 15

from the outside in

Question 16

how does a washed rind ripen?

Answer 16

from the outside in

Question 17

how do you care for a natural rind cheese?

Answer 17

flip it weekly, and brush off mites

Question 18

what kind of cheese is put in an alpine cave?

Answer 18

low-moisture washed-rind cheeses made to age over long periods of time (gruyere, comte, beaufort, etc.)

Question 19

what is the purpose of a rind on alpine style cheeses?

Answer 19

to protect the paste from moisture loss and inappropriate molds

Question 20

how does proteolysis affect flavor?

Answer 20

break down proteins into amino acids which impart flavor

Question 21

how does proteolysis affect texture?

Answer 21

-more ripened cheese: releases water from the casein structure
-drier cheese: traps the water, making it unavailable for other reactions

Question 22

how does lipolysis affect flavor?

Answer 22

free fatty acids have a strong set of flavor and aroma compounds, which shape the overall flavor and piquancy of cheese

Question 23

how does lipolysis affect texture?

Answer 23

-the more the globules are broken down, the higher the protein ratio vs fat
-tighter curd that a cheese with a more even ratio