Air Drying, Pressed Cheese - High Room Temperature

[Susie]

Coping with an extremely hot summer (well over 100 today) and that means my kitchen is well over 80 during the day. I'm so anxious to get on with making my next cheese - a basic cheddar - but I'm a little concerned about how that temperature might affect things. In particular, I guess I'm worried about drying at "room temperature" for a couple of days. Should I hold off for cooler weather? Right now it feels like that will NEVER happen, and I have all these cultures just screaming at me to get with it, but I don't want to mess it up either, if it's best to wait this out a bit. (However, I will sulk and whine ) Note, I would likely use raw milk, if that makes a difference in terms of safety issues. And if I actually cook a meal, my kitchen easily goes to 85 degrees or more. Ugh.

[iratherfly]

No air condition?
You can do the pressing and drying in the cave. You can extend the time to make up for the cooler temp in the cave. I would shorten the ripening of the milk and flocculation. If you are using pH meter then just make the cheddar as you usually do, but be prepared for the pH targets in some or all the stages of your fabrication to show up sooner than usual. Be on top of it.

[Susie]

Yes, I have air conditioning, but when it's 106 outside, low 80's is as good as it gets inside.
Thanks for your thoughts on this. Drying in the cave is probably a great idea in this situation.

[tal_d1]

I had the same problem because the air condition in our living room can no cool, at those hot days, the  living room and kitchen good enough for cheese making , and i had some making fails until i understand it's temperature problem.
The main problem is at the press/draining/drying section so when i make cheese i am doing it early in the morning after the air condition work all night and  the press/draining/drying section i am doing in one of the other rooms where the air condition is good.