Eggs, Fly Eggs...it takes vigilance!

[Boofer]

Spoiler Alert!! If you are eating right now, you may not want to go any further at this time.

Yesterday morning I went to flip the cheese and dry the minicave out as usual. When I lifted the lid, which was normally left cracked just a bit for air exchange, I noticed something both unusual and faintly recognizable. Normally such things are not part of my cheese-making environment.

I quickly deduced that these were eggs...fly eggs. What!? Here? I am fortunate and the flies remain in their outside world most of the time around our house. It's just not a problem. So it was actually a shock to see that one had broached my cheese world and had the audacity to lay its eggs! Where was the opportunity? Normally, the minicave is in the cave at 51F. It is removed to flip the cheese, dry the minicave, and air it out briefly. This had to be one lucky/clever fly.

I grabbed a piece of paper towel and carefully extracted the eggs into a shot glass. I then covered the glass with plastic film and secured it with a rubber band. Now we wait for confirmation....

After I removed the eggs, I swabbed the inner and outer rim of the minicave with alcohol. I checked the cheese all over before I took it out of the minicave. Then I checked it all over outside of its confinement. No, I believe I was able to get all of the eggs. I would know by morning, which was this morning. The shot glass was alive with lots of wriggling larvae.

Again I brought out the minicave and inspected it with a flashlight to see if any stragglers were left behind. I didn't see any. I thought I'd better go ahead and cut this cheese just in case there was some other incursion that I missed. I figured I could isolate and preserve viable cheese from any that might be tainted.

I tells me I have to be very watchful around my cheeses. That first look on the rim could have been mistaken for a crumb of cheese. In the end, it wasn't. I think I was very lucky in finding it early.

-Boofer-

[DeejayDebi]

Whatever it is it seems to want to stay as far from your cheese as it can get. Wnder where Mommy went?

[H-K-J]

EEEEEEeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!! :o

[DeejayDebi]

Maybe they are Mimolette cheese flies?

[beechercreature]

good catch. now destroy them!

[george]

Hey, at least you found them BEFORE they started munchin' your cheese!  (unlike me and my poor rebs)   ^-^

[hoeklijn]

Well.... for some cheeses this seems to be the way to mature the cheese.... Check this out: http://www.bradleyhawks.com/2011/11/i-think-ill-go-eat-worms-literally.html

[Oude Kaas]

Herman, heb je ooit dit gezien (did you ever see this)

[hoeklijn]

Herman, heb je ooit dit gezien (did you ever see this)

No I didn't. Of course I know the television program but I did not see that one. I'll watch  it tonight, thanks for the link, apparently you're still following Dutch news and tv?
Btw, do you happen to know a dutch supplier for Danisco cultures?

[smilingcalico]

Now that you've got worms in the bottom of a shot glass you must break out the tequila and eat the worm!

[Boofer]

Now that you've got worms in the bottom of a shot glass you must break out the tequila and eat the worm!

Boy, that's wrong on so many levels!  :o  :P

-Boofer-

[Oude Kaas]

Btw, do you happen to know a dutch supplier for Danisco cultures?

No, but you can ask Richard van Zijll, he might now. He is in Alphen a/d Rijn, quite near you as I recall. I bought my vat from him and he has been very helpful.

[janij]

That is pretty nasty.