JeffHamm: if I were just using this as a grating cheese, it would last us a very long time; but discovering frico changes everything. I learned about it at
www.montasiocheese.com.
They are so easy to make and so tasty, that I think this cheese will all turn into frico crackers and bowls. I could go through a lot of this cheese this way. It's a great cracker for those on a low or no carb diet, too, and for those who can't tolerate gluten.
I recommend trying yourself, as you have such a nice stock of Montasio. Even a very sharp hard cheese makes a superb cracker this way. Had the ones pictured with my daughter to accompany her homemade chicken soup. A winning combo!
H-K-J: I think the goats milk comes out better, particularly for feta. The calf lipase can be pretty sharp, the goat milk more mellow.
Montie Derby: I aged it to a natural rind over a three month period in my cheese cave, 55° f and 85% humidity. I brushed it down with a soft brush anytime it got a spot of mold. After three months I vacuum bagged it for the remainder of the aging.
H-K-J: yep, that's the vacuum bag in the back ground. The three month aging gave it a good rind, and further aging in the vacuum bag meant that I could forget about it and pay attention to the newer cheeses.