Author Topic: Alternatives to cheese film?  (Read 2510 times)

TurChunkin

  • Guest
Alternatives to cheese film?
« on: January 02, 2013, 12:22:46 AM »
Hey, so after volunteering on a farm this summer that made fresh goat cheese, I was inspired to come home and try some cheesemaking of my own. Here are a couple in progress photos of my very first cheese, camembert! things seem to be going fine, the mold is pure white and doesn't seem contaminated, so I hope it looks OK?

My main question, however, is whether or not I MUST wrap this in a cheese film/plastic to age it, and if there are alternatives (cheesecloth?) or if I can leave it out in it's cave for the rest of it's aging time.

bbracken677

  • Guest
Re: Alternatives to cheese film?
« Reply #1 on: January 02, 2013, 12:27:37 AM »
as long as temp and humidity are good, leaving them as is in the cave (in a container would be best) would work fine....I never wrap my camemberts after trying it with my first make.

Offline Tiarella

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Chester, MA, US
  • Posts: 1,748
  • Cheeses: 81
  • Default personal text
    • Farm Blog
Re: Alternatives to cheese film?
« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2013, 12:43:11 PM »
I make Brie, not Camembert but the make is the same.  Only the mold proportions are different if I understand correctly.  (Brie is usually wider and less tall). I've been told to pat or tap down the PC growth when it happens and then wrap and refrigerate (in regular fridge) for the rest of the ripening time.  Plastic though is not a good wrap material because the cheese and rind need to breathe.  I use a translucent micro-perforated double layer I buy from member iratherfly.  I really like it because I can see the cheese through it.

Offline Boofer

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Lakewood, Washington
  • Posts: 5,015
  • Cheeses: 344
  • Contemplating cheese
Re: Alternatives to cheese film?
« Reply #3 on: January 02, 2013, 02:32:21 PM »
I would agree with Tiarella's recommendations: proper cheese wrapping and continued ripening at a colder temperature, tamping down the PC growth. I would also suggest that you look for alternatives to the bamboo sushi mat you are using. Plastic mats do not foster infectious growth of unwanted bacterias, molds, yeasts, etc.

-Boofer-
Let's ferment something!
Bread, beer, wine, cheese...it's all good.

Offline Tiarella

  • Old Cheese
  • *****
  • Location: Chester, MA, US
  • Posts: 1,748
  • Cheeses: 81
  • Default personal text
    • Farm Blog
Re: Alternatives to cheese film?
« Reply #4 on: January 02, 2013, 05:01:55 PM »
I agree with Boofer's mat recommendation and if you do PM iratherfly to order paper you can get matting from him also and cut to size.  He sells it by the foot.  I like his large mesh  (the holes aren't that big) size best.  It's rigid enough to create a good platform.  I also buy the white plastic grids they put on florescent lights (they come in large sheets at Lowe's or Home Depot) and cut to fit into all my aging boxes.  The matting goes over that and it's a good system to keep cheese up with air circulation and out of the whey.  Lots of folks use this set up I think.