This Wiki Article discusses Stirring Tools used in different components of cheese making, depending on cheese type. This article is divided into the following sections:
This Wiki Article discusses various hoops and molds used in cheese making. Hoops and molds have several uses in cheese making, depending on cheese type. They can be used to drain whey in, either by gravity or by additionally applying weight, to form the cheese’s initial shape, to hold the curds while knitting in pressed cheeses, and to hold a cheese’s shape during aging also called ripening. This article is divided into the following sections:
Generally hoops have open tops and bottoms and molds are basket shaped. Hoops are often cyclindrical shaped but can be square or rectangular, they often have followers, (circles, squares, or rectangles) placed on top of the curds upon which weight can be applied to lightly or heavily press the curds into their preferred shape. Normally hoops are placed on some sort of drainage material through which the whey can drain from the bottom of the cheese. Molds are similar to hoops except they have bottoms. Molds are historically used for gravity draining whey from cheese but with the advent of strong modern food grade materials they are now also often commonly used for pressing cheeses in. Because of modern materials, hoops are generally less popular as strong baskets can now be made with bottoms that will not shear out when being used for pressed cheeses. However hoops are still used for cheeses that are turned during gravity whey drainage such as Brie & Camembert. Back to top
Whey Drainage
The primary use of hoops and molds is to drain whey from the curds. To do this they need the correct shape and number of round holes or slots to drain the right amount of whey in the right amount of time for the type of cheese being made. Additionally, hoops and molds for pressed cheeses are often lined with a light thin cheesecloth or mesh material to aid whey drainage from the top and sides of the cheese to the whey escape routes normally out the bottom of the hoop or mold. Back to top
Materials
The material used to make hoops and baskets used in cheese making needs to be food hygenic and if reused, easily cleanable. Historically materials used were woven straw, dried reeds, or woven wood for baskets and strips of wood for hoops. While these materials are still used. most modern manufactured hoops and baskets are made from food grade polypropylene or stainless steel. Back to top
Strength
The strength of hoops and baskets used in cheese making is dependant on the forces the curds or cheese will be under while in the hoop or basket. These can range from minimal for very small gravity drained cheeses to low for large gravity drained cheese or lightly pressed cheeses to medium for large wheels with medium pressing weights to high for highly pressed cheeses such as cheddars. Back to top
Examples
Examples of hoops:
Light weight thus poor strength with medium density of commonly round whey drainage holes. These are commonly plastic and used for unpressed or very lightly pressed cheeses while forming their shape such as Bries and Camemberts.
Medium strength with low density holes. These are commonly plastic and used for medium pressed cheeses while forming their shape such as rennet coagulated washed curd type cheeses Edam and Gouda.
Strong strength with low density or no holes. These are commonly stainless steel and used for very highly pressed cheeses such as cheddars.
Examples of baskets:
Very light strength with multiple holes or slots. These are commonly plastic with poor strength for pressing and are commonly used for gravity draining whey from curds when making soft cheeses. Some examples are lactic acid coagulated type cheeses such as Cream Cheese, Chevre, or lactic acid surface white mold ripened type cheeses such as Chaource & Saint-Marcellin, or secondary coagulated (usually recooked) type cheeses such as Ricotta.
Medium strength with medium number of holes or slots. These are commonly thicker plastic with medium strength for medium pressing. They are commonly used for medium pressed rennet coagulated cheeses. Some examples are rennet coagulated type cheeses Caprino & Manchego, and rennet coagulated washed curd type cheeses such as Edam, Gouda, and Colby.
High strength with medium number of holes or slots. These are commonly stainless steel with high strength for high pressing. They are commonly used for high pressed rennet coagulated cheddared (normally stacked and milled curds) type cheeses such as Cheddar, Derby, Red Leicester, Wensleydale, Cantal, and Monterey Jack.
Many novice cheese makers start by improvising for their hoops and baskets, some examples are:
Small fruit baskets from grocery stores such as blueberry or strawberry baskets or small food grade plastic containers such as yogurt containers with holes drilled in.
Food grade normally white coloured PVC 4″ or 6″ diameter pipe from large hardware store with or without holes drilled in and round follower cut from polyethelene cutting board for pressing cheeses in. While this material is frequently used in house construction for cold and hot water supply, it is not recommended for use in cheese making due to the effects of low pH/highly acid cheese.
Given the non-ideal examples above, many hobby cheese makers upgrade to purpose built manufactured hoops and molds. These are generally purchased from Cheese Making stores. Our international listing of supply stores is here.
Most cheese authorities and historians believe that cheese was first made in what is now called the Middle East. The earliest type was a form of sour milk which came into being when it was discovered that domesticated animals could be milked.
The Romantic Legend
A legendary story has it that cheese was ‘discovered’ by an unknown Arab nomad who is said to have filled a saddlebag with milk to sustain him on a journey across the desert by horse. After several hours riding he stopped to quench his thirst, only to find that the milk had separated into a pale watery liquid and solid white lumps. Because the saddlebag, which was made from the stomach of a young animal, contained a coagulating enzyme known as rennin, the milk had been effectively separated into curds and whey by the combination of the rennin, the hot sun and the galloping motions of the horse.
The True History
In reality, it isn’t known when cheesemaking was first discovered, but it is an ancient art. The first cheeses were not cheeses as they are now known, but curds and whey. Curds and whey result when milk is coagulated. The curd is solid and the whey is liquid. Curds and whey remained a common food (this is what the nursery rhymes Little Miss Muffet ate) until the mid 1900’s although it is still eaten in some areas today.
Egyptian hieroglyphics depict workmen making cheese. In ancient times, the whey was consumed immediately and the curd was salted and/or dried to preserve it. The Roman Legion was instrumental in spreading the art of cheesemaking throughout Europe.
During the Middle Ages, the art of cheesemaking was improved greatly in the monasteries and feudal estates of Europe. The monks became great innovators of cheese and it is to them we owe many of the classic varieties of cheese made today.
During the Renaissance period cheese suffered a drop in popularity in Europe, as it was considered unhealthy.
Cheese regained favor in Europe by the nineteenth century coincident with the move from farm to factory production of cheese.
Just for fun, below is my list of famous & fun cheese quotes, sayings, facts, and a game a friend told me she used to play in car (OK I think too much about cheese).
Cheese Quotes
In 1546, author John Heywood wrote in “Proverbes” that “The moon is made of a greene cheese.” But in 1546 greene meant new, unaged, not green in colour.
In late 1700’s famous French philosopher, gourmand, and avid cheese lover Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said “A meal without some cheese is like a beautiful woman with only one eye”.
In 1883, Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson in book “Treasure Island” when castaway Ben Gunn finally is found by young Jim Hawkins says, “You mightn’t happen to have a piece of cheese about you, now? No? Well, many’s the long night I’ve dreamed of cheese–toasted, mostly–and woke up again, and here I were.”
In early 1900’s, American comic actor W. C. Fields said “The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited breath.”
In 1960’s, Clifton Fadiman an American writer, editor and New Yorker book reviewer wrote “A cheese may disappoint. It may be dull, it may be naive, it may be over sophisticated. Yet it remains, cheese, milk’s leap toward immortality.”
In 1962, French General & Politician Charles De Gaulle in “Les Mots du General” wrote “How can one be expected to govern a nation with 246 kinds of cheese?”
In 1979, in British Monty Python movie Life of Brian, a scene spectator who mishears “Blessed are the peacemakers…” says “I think it was Blessed are the cheesemakers”.
In 1995, in Wallace & Gromit in A Close Shave movie: Wallace courting Wendolene says “Won’t you come in? We were just about to have some cheese.” Wendolene replies “Oh no, not cheese. Sorry. Brings me out in a rash. Can’t stand the stuff.” To which Wallace replies with a gulp “Not even Wensleydale?”
Cheese Sayings
Say Cheese please.
Who cut the Cheese?
Who moved my Cheese?
As different as Chalk & Cheese, English saying in reference to an extreme difference, for this saying it’s texture.
Just follow the Cheese.
All you need is Cheese.
Mi Queso Es Su Queso/My cheese is your cheese, a play on phrase my house is your house.
Fun Cheese Facts
There are over 2,000 varieties of cheeses.
Remains of cheese have been found in Egyptian tombs over 4,000 years old.
In 1869, English Cheese makers Green’s of Glastonbury made and gave British Queen Victoria a wedding gift of a giant 1/2 ton Cheddar wheel.
The terms “Big Wheel” and “Big Cheese” originally referred to those who were wealthy enough to purchase a whole wheel of cheese.
The average American eats 32 lb / 14.5 kg per year of it.
Fun Cheese Game
In car, when bored, each person in turn says the name of a cheese type, if can’t remember one then you are out, last person to name one wins!
Fun Cheese Joke
What type of cheese is made backwards . . . . . . . . . . . . Edam!
My family and I took a holiday to Europe in June 2009 ending in Scotland and came across an open air market with a Cheesemonger and artisan cheesemakers booths. I thought these pictures would be of use to any aspiring artisan cheesemaker / cheesemonger.
Click on images to expand, then click on “Full Size” if want to zoom in further.
Street Market Caithness Cheese Makers Stall, June 2009, Aberdeen, ScotlandStreet Market Caithness Cheese Makers Stall, June 2009, Aberdeen, Scotland
My family and I took a holiday to Yucatan, Mexico in December 2009, I thought these pictures would be of use to others in their Latin American cheese making.
Click on images to expand, then click on “Full Size” if want to zoom in further.