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CHEESE TYPE BOARDS (for Cheese Lovers and Cheese Makers) => RENNET COAGULATED - Hard Grana (Grating Cheesee) => Topic started by: panamamike on May 11, 2018, 08:33:08 PM

Title: Toscano Pepato first make 5th cheese
Post by: panamamike on May 11, 2018, 08:33:08 PM

This is the first time with a Grana long aged cheese. 40 Ltrs of milk. PH was good when the farmer delivered the milk but the electric went out as soon as she left. Welcome to Panama! By the time I was able to start milk PH was 6.5 . I spent the whole time playing catch up.
I hope my wife's Grandson comes over soon to show me how to transfer Pics from my wife iPhone to my iMac so I can start posting pics.

Title: Re: Toscano Pepato first make 5th cheese
Post by: panamamike on May 12, 2018, 03:45:22 PM

Was having trouble with the POLY-WEBBING REUSABLE CHEESE CLOTH sticking to the cheese while pressing so I flipped the cheese in the mold without taking the cloth off. Then into the cheese cave for 12hrs still leaving the cloth on. After the 12hrs of coolness the cloth came off with no problem at all.
Now into the brine for 40hrs.

Title: Re: Toscano Pepato first make 5th cheese
Post by: panamamike on May 13, 2018, 03:02:26 PM

The cheese is in the Brine and having trouble with cracking. I don't mean A CRACK but it looke like a mosaic. This being a 40lt make I don't want to loose it.
Would it be OK to vac-pack it after brining is finished and dried off or will this process change the aging so drastically that I will no longer have the same flavor in this cheese.
I don't have access to Cheese Wax in Panama. All I have on hand is Cream Wax, Evoo and local Coconut Oil.

Title: Re: Toscano Pepato first make 5th cheese
Post by: River Bottom Farm on May 13, 2018, 10:42:44 PM

If it where me I would try something that will allow for some gas exchange for a cheese that will age that long. Cloth bound or cream wax maybe?

Title: Re: Toscano Pepato first make 5th cheese
Post by: panamamike on May 13, 2018, 11:24:08 PM

I'm wondering if the cream wax would seal the cracks.Would the coconut oil work better? I just pulled it out of the brine and have chunks come off.

Title: Re: Toscano Pepato first make 5th cheese
Post by: River Bottom Farm on May 14, 2018, 01:52:37 AM

Oil might work better. It may flow into the cracks a bit better yes