CheeseForum.org ยป Forum

GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => STANDARD METHODS - Aging Cheese => Topic started by: The Cheese Fairy on November 10, 2012, 05:41:05 PM

Title: Mold removal prior to waxing
Post by: The Cheese Fairy on November 10, 2012, 05:41:05 PM
Hi all,

First post from a new member here. I started my first farmhouse cheddar a week ago, have already realised that I really should elevate it on a rack instead of setting it directly onto a cheese board whilst it dries :P

There was some visible blue mold that appeared just this morning so I thought this would be a good time to wax it AFTER removing the mold. I used a damp cloth (vinegar and salt) to wipe it down and it got rid of the blue just fine....but now there was lint from the cloth on the cheese! So off to the supermarket I went to get a brand new synthetic brush to scrape THAT off. Success...I think. I may have been a bit rough on it but I wasn't going to wax it with little threads from the cloth on it.

My question is, I keep hearing that it should be "dry" before I wax it. Is that "dry" as in, moisture from the vinegar has evaporated? Or "dry" as in there should be a semi "hard" rind on the whole thing? I suspect the latter, but I'm worried that the sides will dry out too much while I wait for the top and bottom to catch up.

Thoughts? And what do people do to avoid lint?

Thanks in advance everyone :)
Title: Re: Mold removal prior to waxing
Post by: stratocasterdave on November 20, 2012, 10:38:30 PM
I wait until the surface feels "not wet". In other words a few days of flipping and then I wax.

You did right with the vin and kosher salt.

How did you get lint?  Did you wash your cheese cloth in the wash machine by chance?  I did that on accident once and I got little bits o lint on the surface of the cheese when I used it.

Dave

P.S.  I see you are from Toronto.  Can you please go to the NHL headquarters and demand that they figure this strike thing out!  We're dying here in Minnesota!   >:(
Title: Re: Mold removal prior to waxing
Post by: bbracken677 on November 20, 2012, 10:52:55 PM


P.S.  I see you are from Toronto.  Can you please go to the NHL headquarters and demand that they figure this strike thing out!  We're dying here in Minnesota!   >:(




Amen to that...too many hard heads involved.