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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Grana (Grating Cheesee) => Topic started by: jgear0218 on January 23, 2013, 01:26:25 AM
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Hi Cheese Forum! Can anyone help a newbie with his first post?
I made my first attempt at a Parmesan a couple weeks ago. Everything turned out great, but now I am noticing a bit of surface mold growing on the rind. This may be due to cross contamination as my cave has been home to a few blues, Camemberts, and bandaged Cheddars. A bit of the mold has a reddish tint, while other portions have a grey/blue/black? I have been vigorously scrubbing with a vinegar/brine solution every couple days to no avail. The blemishes remain triumphant!
Is there anything else I can do aside from a vinegar solution? Would it help to rub it with olive oil?
I'll try and post some photos soon, but in the meantime, anything information helps!
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It's my understanding that parms should be coated with olive oil to develop the rind.
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I brined the cheese and air dried to develop the rind. I was planning on rubbing with olive oil after a couple months.
Will the oil deter mold growth and/or kill off the existing mold?
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I don't think it will kill existing mold but I believe it does keep new mold from penetrating the surface. These are aged 12 to 18 months commercially so they get wiped and turned about once a week by robots. I'm sure the oil coating must keep them fairly clean and sealed. Maybe Sailor, Alp, or LB could chime in. They certainly know a ton more than I about this.
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My first parm was killed by contaminant molds, but that was partly due to some deep cracks in the surface. My second parm is aging in the cellar at the moment. I had a bit of mold on the surface on that one too, but i gave it the olive oil treatment and it has been very easy to maintain a clean rind since then. Just smear i light coat on the cheese, let it rest for 10 minutes and then remove excess oil with some paper towel.
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My first parm was killed by contaminant molds, but that was partly due to some deep cracks in the surface. My second parm is aging in the cellar at the moment. I had a bit of mold on the surface on that one too, but i gave it the olive oil treatment and it has been very easy to maintain a clean rind since then. Just smear i light coat on the cheese, let it rest for 10 minutes and then remove excess oil with some paper towel.
I too rub olive oil on my parm style cheeses. Even if mold discolorations are there it won't matter or affect the flavor.
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I would recommend another dip in the brine for an hour or 2, allow to air dry and then, perhaps, coat with oil once the rind is totally dry.
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Great, THANKS EVERYONE! This forum has been extremely helpful and encouraging in my cheese adventures thus-far and I'm looking forward to many more cheeses.