Romano....Gah!!!!!

[Brian]

Howdy peeps.
OK
I was having a mold issue and for a little while there a humidity problem due to the snowy weather.  At any rate, my smaller Romano started getting a crack and had some green mold on it.  Now it has gotten into the crack and I decided that I would try it.
Kinda sour milk tasting with a hint of mold.  The larger one has mold of many colors on it that I have been trying to get rid of but it's not cracked.
On the smaller Romano there were also some small holes in the cheese.
Bad pressing or maybe something growing in it???


Thanks

Brian

[Cheese Head]

Hi Brian, sad news.

I my experience, 1) surface cracks or fissures, come from rapid drying such that the outer inch dries and shrinks faster than the core creating stresses and the visable surface cracks (see picture here), and 2) mold comes from humidity being too high leading to easy airborne mold contamination. At the first sign of mold you should scrub off with brine or vinegar, which it sounds like you've been doing, and reduce slightly the humidity, have you done that?

A picture might help others to deduce the causes, good luck and have fun!

[Brian]

I'm trying to figure out the balance in humidity.
I'm getting cracks due to too low humidity, but I'm getting mold from too high humidity???
Might be a internal moisture issue??

As soon as I find the wife's camera I'll get some photos going.

Brian

[Cartierusm]

I know this is going to sound stupid and it really is but it kind of makes sense. First the air is supposed to hold moisture but you don't want the cheese wet, does that make sense? Anyway, if the moisture is correct then the other problems are:

1. Holes, Cheese Mites or made with unsanitary condition or something got in it.
2. Mold, contaminated storage area or not enough air ciculation or fresh air.
3. Sour milk taste, unsanitary condition during the making process or bad milk or a number of other things. Post pics of the cheese and the cheese cave.

[Brian]

or not enough air circulation or fresh air

Ahhh................. my "shed" is close to being airtight and there is NO air movement in there.  that and the area where the cheese is stored on a shelf is wrapped in plastic to keep the humidity in.

Looks like I'm doing some work on the area today.

Wait, I forgot that I am going to wax everything from now on.  Maybe that will solve it.

Brian

[Cartierusm]

Is the shed outside or in the basement? That is definately the source of the mold.

[Brian]

Yep it's outside. 
I'm waxing everything from now on.  I'm hoping that will fix the problem.

Brian

[LadyLiberty]

Yep it's outside. 
I'm waxing everything from now on.  I'm hoping that will fix the problem.

Brian

I don't think you are supposed to wax romano.

[Brian]

Yea, I know.
I'm not making them anymore until I get a better system.
Goudas and Cheddars for now. 

Brian

[Cartierusm]

Joy, I have a text book on cheese making from 1977 and it says you can wax Parm and Romano. I wouldn't but you can wax anything. It even talks about waxing blue to keep the molding down. You pierce through the wax.

[Brian]

I brought the other Romano I made about the same time as the bad one, and it has the old mold spots on it but hasn't grown any new stuff.  I had re-brined it to kill off the mold about a month ago I just now rubbed it down with olive oil and will put it back out in the "shed" and see how it does.  Smells alright. 


Brian