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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => EQUIPMENT - Making Cheese => Topic started by: Kruegon on March 17, 2013, 08:31:25 PM
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So I have seen Reed and Bamboo air drying mats for sale on several cheese sites. They tend to be small and cost a lot for their size. I saw one site that sold 9x9 reed mats for $3.00 each. And the prices go up from there.
So I was out and about today. I ran across some bamboo mats that are secured with what appears to be a polymer thread. They are 13x19.5 and cost $1.00 each. So I am going to try steaming them and see how they hold up. If all goes well, I may have just located a massive stockpile of cheese mats!
For anyon interested in these, I found them at Big Lots in Trussville, AL. Though I am sure some of the other Big Lots must also carry them.
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don't use bamboo, to easily contaminated with unwanted mold, some of us use needlepoint mats (no.5) and egg crate florescent light defuser's
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Or for not much more than needlepoint mats you can get real cheese mats in a variety of sizes and stiffnesses. The advantage of them over needlepoint mats is that they are molded in a woven pattern that allows better drainage and less chance of the whey staying in the mat itself. At the risk of sounding like a shill, PM iratherfly $20 will get you a enough of everything to serve the needs of most hobby cheese makers.
If you do use the bamboo mats, be sure to use egg crate or a baking rack to keep the mat up off of a nonporous surface. Otherwise your cheese will rot in its whey. Once the mats develop mold, there is little that can be done to make them useable again.
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I would agree....these bamboo mats are notorious for quickly developing unnecessary mold. But if you insist on using them, be prepared for more frequent cleaning and sterilizing of them.
I am so glad i invested in the plastic cheese mats. A little more money initially but alot less maintenance in the end. ;)
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I have just tried to keep my cost's down and as basic as I can, the needlepoint mats are not ideal but for us nu bee's I have never had any problems 8)