We made these tommes this week, the last of the season; they are called "white cheeses" which indicate the stage of development.
These are the same type of cheese, but are from a batch 30 days old.
These two photos are from a batch that is almost 60 days old. Note that the one below has fully formed a rind, and those in the top photo have splotchy complexions. All are stored in the same room, under the same care. Did you notice the color change?
Affinage is the art of maturing cheeses. You've just seen it. It is mysterious, time consuming, and "the rules" are subject to individual interpretation - each style of cheese requires different care, each size of the same cheese needs a slightly different treatment. I don't even want to get in to what must be done if it all starts to go wrong, that's cultivated through experience - after years and years, you just know what to do to fix things before you are left with a $200 wheel of chicken feed.
For tommes, affinage means periodic brushing and keeping a certain humidity in the curing rooms. Too humid, and bad molds form which break down the surface of the cheese, making it slimy and ultimately spoiling it; the protective hard rind does not form. (Sorry, no pics of this - not that it never happened, it was just pre-camera).
If it is not humid enough, the surface of the cheese will crack, allowing spoilage molds to cultivate the interior. The right balance of humidity and care - knowing when each cheese is ready for consumption - IS the art of affinage.
If it is not humid enough, the surface of the cheese will crack, allowing spoilage molds to cultivate the interior. The right balance of humidity and care - knowing when each cheese is ready for consumption - IS the art of affinage.
