Did a 7 Pound Emmental

[Al Lewis]

One week down in the cave and one to go.  Wiped it down and flipped it this morning.  Still looking great.  Not a hint of mold on it and a slight rind developing beautifully.  Threw it onto the digital scale to check it's weight and got 6.14 pounds. Should be ready to inflate next week. LOL

[Danbo]

That's a beauty!! A cheese for you... :-)

[Al Lewis]

Thanks Danbo!  The wife picked me up a new gadget today.  I love gadgets.  Only $15.00 from Walmart and it weighs in kilos/grams or pounds/ounces and dry and wet weights.  Weighs up to 11 pounds so it will do great for my cheeses.

[OzzieCheese]

Oh you lucky man !!  It great when the wife understands the need for gadgets...

[Danbo]

Loooove gadgets! :-)

[amiriliano]

Al that looks amazing. Another C4U

[Al Lewis]

Thanks guys.  To be totally honest the wife had bought herself one of the scales the week before, huge gadget freak, and when I found it I had her get me one. LOL

[Al Lewis]

Washed and flipped this tonight and the smell is incredible.  Also think I may have found the perfect item to create the 80-85° atmosphere needed to get the little bugs running around and making fart bubbles in my cheese.  This thing turns itself on and off and is available at my local ACE Hardware for about $28.00.  Perfect for the little room under my stairs.

[Stinky]

I'm seeing bulgies!

[OzzieCheese]

@AL... Now that is a 'swell' lookin' cheese - Harar! I made a funny ...  well Ok ! not really.  But it does look good

-- Mal 

[Al Lewis]

I should have the heated space set up and running tomorrow so it can, hopefully, start its month long swelling campaign.

[Danbo]

That's going to be exciting! My Jarlsbergs have been in the warm phase for 14 days soon. I can't see much swelling yet but U can smell them through the vacuum packs.


Your Emmentaler look really good - nice rind!


:-) Danbo

[Al Lewis]

Thanks guys.  As I said before, I have high hopes for this one.  I've done everything I feel I needed to to get a great emmentaler.  The color, translucense, and smell are all there.   

[Al Lewis]

Well I couldn't get the heater I wanted but did get one.  I set it up and 24 hours after being at 80° the top had crowned by 1/4 inch.  I've flipped it over and we'll see if I get more swelling tomorrow on the flip side.

[Al Lewis]

Here's the cheese after 24 hours at 80°.  First shot is prior to heating it to 80°.  It's even swelling on the bottom.  God knows how it will look in a month!!