here are my cheeses

[Sedona]

Here are the cheeses i made so far. Top shelf in back of cave are mostly baby gouda's, gouda, colby. Front row of first shelf: romano (front left), montasio (middle), romano (right).
Second shelf in back 1 monterey jack (not visible), stirred-curd cheddar (front left), manchego (middle), pepper jack (back).
Third shelf: 3 camenbert (on the left in containers), traditional cheddar (left).
On table 1 traditional swiss (waiting for eyes), and 1 cabra al vino soaked in dry merlot red wine. This one i made yesterday.
Sedona

[Sedona]

Sorry for the duplicate pic., here is the cave

[FRANCOIS]

That's a lot of cheese to eat.  They look yummy.  I've never understood people's attraction to waxed cheeses though.  They've always been such a hassle for me.  We have a meeting this week and one of the cheesemakers has a wheel of waxed blue cheese that's about 4 months old, we're going to crack it open.  The funny thing about NZ is no one here uses Roqueforti commercially. They have their own native spore they use and all the big producers just culture from one another.  It's a very different blue, I think it's stronger than the roqu.  It's use predates the importation of cultures and they have just kept using it.

[Sedona]

Thanks Francois. I don't mind at all waxing the cheese, i cream wax before i do the other wax. I been making cheese every weekend and sometimes one during the week. I'm waiting for a bigger cave i purchased, because the one i have now is to small, lol.  How was the blue cheese you tasted?
That's very interesting about the Roqueforti culture. Can you buy other cultures at cheese making companies?

[DeejayDebi]

I just bought a jar of cream wax from Glengarry Margarete suggested it beofre waxing. You like it too huh?

[clherestian]

Sedona, how do you actually do your waxing? Do you brush it on? I tried dipping my last cheese, but it got really slippery.

By the way, don't ever splatter wax all over your stove. It takes a really long time to clean up.

[FRANCOIS]

We keep soem of our own culture shere (lab on site) and propogate forward.  Our blue is one of those.  It's not commercially available.

Our meeting is tomorrow and I get to try the waxed blue then.  It's pretty old now for a high-fatter and I'm guessing we are going to have to crack some windows.

[Sedona]

Yes i do like the cream wax. Some of the cheeses i cream wax only and don't use the red or black wax. It gives a pretty yellow color.

Now the way i wax: i don't use a brush. I heat the colored wax in a double boiler, have the wax paper ready, wear gloves, and dip half of the cheese into the wax, a quick in-and out motion.  The wax dries quickly, when one side is dry i do the other side the same way. I usually coat the cheese twice with a thin layer. Than i put the waxed cheese for a few minutes on wax paper in the fridge. No mess at all with the dipping method.
Hopefully this help you.
Sedona

[Sedona]

Oh forget something. I never have a problem with being slippery, maybe your wax on the cheese wasn't dry enough. I let the wax dry before i do the other side. You also can lay the cheese in the fridge on wax paper for a few minutes before you go and wax the other side.

[DeejayDebi]

I was think of experimenting with the cream wax on cheese cloth bandages instead of lard. Haven't had a chance to try it yet though.

[wharris]

In my opinion, persistantly wet cheese is cheese that has not explelled sufficient whey during curd formation. 

My cheese is damp, but not wet after pressing. And my cheese is dry to the touch before waxing.
I too have had wet/damp/weeping cheese, but that seemed to be due to the curd not being cooked long enough, or may not have had sufficient salt added. 

After I got control of my pH and was able to controll my cook times and stirring times, i no longer have that.

This is not based on anything I have read, and really is only what i have experienced.

[Ariel301]

Great looking cheeses! I want to come over to your house and eat now! Thanks for sharing your pictures.

[PeterNZ]

The funny thing about NZ is no one here uses Roqueforti commercially. They have their own native spore they use and all the big producers just culture from one another.  It's a very different blue, I think it's stronger than the roqu.  It's use predates the importation of cultures and they have just kept using it.

Hi Francois, didn't know you are from NZ as well. Where you from?

Your statement surprises me since I purchase Roequefortii frommy supplier and know they sell it to factories as well. Otherwise I would have to buy big quantities as I have to do for i.e. Geotrichum Candidum! So someone must use it here! Don't get me wrong, I don't want to question what you said. It is just confusing  me a bit.

Is this culture available fromsoemwhere?

You mentioned you have a lab on site. Is this for commercial cheese making? Or are you running a lab for home cheese making! I always wanted to start a lab to cultivate my brewing yeast!

Sorry for all the questions! 

Cheers

Peter

[FRANCOIS]

I'm sure someone uses it somewhere in NZ but we are the largest manufacturer of blue cheese and we don't run it.  Danisco does have an office and distribution here and we have gotten roqu. on occasion for trials so it's in the country.

The lab is commercial, we keep our own starters and blues.  I'm not from NZ, but recently moved here from America.

[FRANCOIS]

we have also gotten geo 13 and 17 from danisco for trials, so they do have it in the country.