Trying to get some clarification on what "dry to the touch" means. Does it mean the whole cheese including the bottom or just sides and top?
So far I've dried all my cheeses on my kitchen counter. Here in San Diego I live a couple miles from ocean so my normal humidity is 50-60% and ambient temps are mid-high 60s most of the year. This doesn't seem too far from what I've seen recommended for the initial drying before aging.
Right now I have a caerphilly going on 70 hours of drying after flipping a few times the first 12 hours and then 1/day. Each time I flip, the cheese feels dry but the bottom always has visible moisture from settling. It seemed like it felt dry after only 24 hours, except the bottom.
I'm pretty sure my caerphilly has too much moisture which may be part of my problem. If that's the case, should I slow down the rind from drying to give it more drying time and allow more whey to weep out? Do I want to *dry* until the bottom is dry to the touch?