Fontina -- favorite of cheese-tasting

[bbrown131211]

I introduced a small class of folks to cheesemaking and had several types of cheese for tasting. The taster's favorite was the Fontina -- which was probably the easiest to make and only aged for two months. I followed Mary Karlin's recipe using raw milk from Jersey cows, MM100, 1/4 tsp lipase, 1/2 tsp calcium chloride and 1/2 tsp liquid rennet. Light pressing overnight and salt-water brine for 12 hours. I let it air dry for two days and then vacuum sealed.

[High Altitude]

Looks pretty!  I followed the same recipe, however have been natural aging with the every-other-day light brine washing.  The rind has hardened up nicely after a couple of weeks now, and it will be interesting to see if it develops that beautiful light brown rind you see on so many pictures.  So far no mold :-), yet I am wondering if that light brown rind I am striving for is actually a mold that will eventually develop (?).

If you make another, will you be trying the natural "brine washed" rind development?  I will soon have a FoodSaver, so may try your method for my second Fontina (one of my favorite cheeses), seeing how successful yours was after just 2 months.