Surface Cracks - Knit Problem & Manufactured Culture Types

[kookookachoo]

Hello, everyone!

I'm not really sure where to put this & I hope I'm in the right spot.  I have a couple of questions...

I've been making paneer, labneh, butter, lactic cheese for about a year now & I really enjoy it!  I made a comment over Thanksgiving dinner that I would like to learn to make other varieties of cheeses & for Christmas I got a cheesemaking kit! 

So far, I've made feta several times-a couple brined & a couple were eaten after only a couple of days when friends talked me into serving them with the tapas I made for craft night (I'm weak-willed!).  I was pleasantly surprised & happy those turned out pretty good, even with no aging.  I've also made ricotta several times.  I'm one of those a little bit obsessive people that jump in with both feet when I have my mind wrapped around a project or hobby.  So, I finally talked myself (maybe foolishly!) into making parmesan.  Mostly cos I'm impatient.  I used a combination of the recipe here & also one of DeejayDebi's (sp?), as well as Wayne's.  Everything went well (should've made me suspicious!) until after I dried it from brining & saw a couple of cracks.  Now, I could kick myself for not checking every time I flipped-pressed, but I didn't want to handle it too much cos I was really nervous.  I don't think it's from brining, as all other sides are crack-free, maybe something with the knitting?   

So, my first question:  Is this salvageable?  If so, what can I do? 

I've been reading the forums like a madwoman & realize that there are obviously specific cultures needed for certain cheeses.  And some seem "generic".   I have been taking notes (the old fashioned pen-to-notebook way) cos I'm one of those that like to have everything organized, charted & ledgered.   For now, I've got printed recipes in the notebook, along with flocc time, ph's, etc. & notes in them about what I observed as I did every step (I always loved chem & bio lab!).  Which brings me to my...

Second question (more like and 3rd, 4th, etc): Are there certain cultures that are more "desirable" to use when making certain cheeses?   From what I've read, seems like a certain culture can be used for more than one type.  However, are there certain ones that are used to achieve that specific piquancy, tang, etc?  From what I read, there seems to be a personal preference...like one culture is interchangeable with another, but is it more preferred cos of the end result? 

I don't know if it will help answer the one above but these are what I have:  C1, C2, C3, C101, C201 & a packet of Choozit LH100. 

Ugh.  I have a feeling I probably sound like an idiot!  My husband tells me I should just do it by as-you-make & do my research one cheese at a time.  I'm hoping, armed with these information, I'd be able to do some at-a-glance reading of my notes, as opposed to the hours-frantically-searching-online, eyes weepy from extreme reading kind of situation.   

Anyway, thank you in advance.  I probably say that quite a bit, but I'm just really grateful that you guys are so generous with your knowledge.  I would be fumbling about even worse if not for this website! 

Steff

[MrsKK]

Your picture looks more like an incomplete knit, rather than a mechanical crack in the wheel.  This can happen if the curds are too cool when they go in the mold or if not enough weight was used to press it.  Or if it isn't pressed long enough.

See the Wiki pages on defects.  You'll have to scroll down, but there are several different articles that may be helpful.

Regarding cultures, I'm probably not much help to you, so I will bow out and let someone else take that one.

[Scarlet Runner]

Steff I'm no expert, but my first thought was with MrsKK- incomplete knit. Maybe next time, find a way to press at higher temps, or press with more weight. Another thought was maybe you are drying the cheese at too low humidity.  I believe cheese should be air dried around 60-ish F, and fairly high humidity- maybe 75% humidity?  When I got a crack in my cheddar after air drying I started using an overturned colander: I set the cheese on top of a board with holes in it, and then turn the colander over that, to increase local humidity.  No more cracks. But your issue looks more like a pressing/knitting issue, in my extremely limited experience.   

As far as cultures to use, there are tons of posts on that. Look for stuff from LinuxBoy.  In general, recipes will guide you to use specific cultures. But they do have specific functions.  Dairyconnection.com has a good page- look for cultures, and then they tell you what each does. Also what I have gleaned so far from LinuxBoy's posts and various books:
O type culture: Lactococcus only, no aroma (Cit-). No CO2. Lc lactis +Lc cremoris. Cheddar, cottage cheese, etc.
L type culture: includes Leuconostoc aroma – may include above O type Lc + Ln. Some CO2. Brie,  Gouda.
D type culture: Lactococcus only, includes diacetylactis for buttery flavor. (Cit+). For butter.
DL type culture: Lactococcus + Leuconostoc aroma. Lc lactis +Lc cremoris + Ln. More CO2. Gouda, fresh cheeses (eg Flora Danica).

[kookookachoo]

Ok, yikes!

I don't really know if this is something to be alarmed about...my parmesan, for right now, is drying in my kitchen.  The temp right now is 54 & humidity is 85%.  I closed off the heat vent in the kitchen to keep it cool.  I was planning on putting the parm either in my cave set up or in the fridge (the vegie drawer has since been taken out, cleaned, disinfected, I've had the hygometer & digital temp reader in there for a couple of days & it's been a straight 50F/85% reading), I just haven't moved the parm yet, been working a couple of days & been sewing for a couple of baby shower orders.  I know, excuses! 

I digress...back to my parm...it's "sweating"!  I don't really know the best way to describe it.  It was dry to the touch, it seems to be forming a rind in the sides & the side tops (though the middle part is still a bit soft to the touch..not pokey, but not hard like the sides).  So, this sweat...it feels a bit oily on my finger tips..and of course, I HAD to taste (with my kids looking on, making faces) & it tastes salty!  Not excessively so, just a tad salty. 

Apart from that, there seems to be no mold formation, no unpleasant odor (it actually smells faintly of how parms are supposed to (which already has me suspicious in the first place!).  Even the cracks/un-knit spots have hardened, too...thank goodness! 

So, really, should I be worried about the "sweating"?  And if so, should I wipe it down often & with what (vinegar or brine maybe)? 

TIA again guys!  (thank God for technology that I get messages to my phone even if I'm away from my comp...I've been obsessed with CFO that I was scrolling through, reading posts when I was at the doctor's office!!)