Clothbound - Cloth Pressed Into Cheese

[BethGi]

'The Daily' had a feature this weekend on cloth-bound cheddars:
http://www.thedaily.com/page/1999/09/09/032611-arts-food-cheddar-5-5/

I am curious about this technique. Can anyone who has made a cloth-bound cheddar tell me more about the particulars, especially how the cheese is treated before and after wrapping, and your opinion on the flavor effect of such wrapping? I am intrigued...

Webmaster Edit: For reference, added linked article as image from that website, click to enlarge.

[Tomer1]

Its the same as larding as far as I can tell but its pressed tightly under high pressure "into" the cheese where it serves as a second rind layer where mold grow on as you can see in the various pictures.
Done properly mold should only grow on it,not under it.

[Cheese Head]

Beth, as Tomer1 says, also, if you search this forum on key key words "cloth" or "bound" you should find several threads on this topic.

[BethGi]

Yes, I did a search first before posting, but didn't see much on what I am most curious about: how the finished product differs from 'regular' cheddars, esp. in terms of taste. I will root around some more. Cheers.

[Tomer1]

Other then the fact that it takes a while to build such a rind so these are rather "aged" chedders I dont think they should be different then waxed or vaccumed.

[linuxboy]

didn't see much on what I am most curious about: how the finished product differs from 'regular' cheddars, esp. in terms of taste.

I posted about this before. Clothbound have more intense taste vectors, especially what is commonly described as spicy, or "green pepper".

I dont think they should be different then waxed or vaccumed.

They are, but not fundamentally. You have fewer "whey" flavors and more "aged" flavors in clothbound. Both different and more intense, but in vector degree, not fundamentally at the core levels of key flavor compounds. This is true across the board for various cheddars around the world.