Aging Blue and Manchego together?

[fabian]

Hey friends, I have a big question. How can I do to age together my Gorgonzola and regular natural rind cheeses? I make Manchego, Montasio and a Farmstead cheese plus Gorgonzola. So far I managed to keep the separated but in my cheese cave I can control much better temperature and humidity so I would like to age them together.
The contamination (if it happens) will occur through the air or by hand? Can it be prevented being careful with the handling?
Thank you in advance!

[fabian]

Any thoughts?

[H-K-J]

you might want to place one or the other in it's own ageing container
mold ripened cheese's can get to your other cheese rinds pretty easily

[fabian]

Thank you H-K-J!
I was trying to see if have any chance of put them together just taking care handling them.

[H-K-J]

As a precaution always play with the non-moldy rind cheeses first,
if you plan on wearing the same clothing(shorts/levies/trousers,etc.) do not put your hands in your pockets until after you wash your hands :o
I am sure you can guess why ;)

[Boofer]

As a precaution always play with the non-moldy rind cheeses first,
if you plan on wearing the same clothing(shorts/levies/trousers,etc.) do not put your hands in your pockets until after you wash your hands :o
I am sure you can guess why ;)

Good advice, H-K-J.

"hands in your pockets"? You're a funny guy. :D

Yes, minicaves (plastic ripening boxes) help to segregate the different cheeses in your cave (temperature-controlled refrigerator ~ 50-60 degrees F), having clean hands when you handle each cheese (I use gloves to minimize any transfer between cheeses.), and restricting access to your cheese making area and cave (no pets, open windows, fans/AC blowing, family traffic, etc., especially while making a cheese.)

Here's an extract about gloves:
"I am a dairy farmer working on the farm and even tho my hands were clean, my scrubbing didnt get those gnarly cracks and crevices on my hands clean enough, so I have moved to yellow gloves when handling my cheese."

-Boofer-

[fabian]

Thank you guys,
my cave is a 12' x 18' shed with a AC and ultrasonic humidifier (I need more humidity) so I planned to keep the bues in a corner, away from the rest. I will use your advice about clothing and gloves and will keep the results posted.
Thank you again!

[awakephd]

A 12' x 18' cheese cave??? Please don't talk about such things so openly; the rest of us (space-limited) folks are going to cry!

[fabian]

Awakephd, don't cry.  ;)
Big caves bring big issues. It's really hard to keep the right RH. I need help with that too!

[awakephd]

Fabiolo,

I see that you are not too far from me (I'm a few miles south of Raleigh). Given the size of your cave, are you making cheese commercially, by any chance?

Andy