This is the time of the year we make cheeses that are created specifically for summer farmer's market - though a few find their way into restaurants and retail shops. These are not blue cheeses.
This one is Tomme Collins, an alpine-style cheese that takes a long time to age. Like Madison and Brother Laurent, it requires high humidity and cool conditions, something that is only possible from November to March.
Why the change in size from 2 to 20 pounds? I am trying to reduce the cost of making and aging this cheese; It's a case of either having 10 big ones to care for or a hundred smaller ones (and charging more for them).
Salted and situated in a cold room, this cheese will cure for weeks while it develops a hard natural rind.
This is a sneak peek of what they will look like at 60-days old (this is the 2-pound size.) Cheeses can age up to a year, becoming harder and sharper with each month that passes.
