As new as can be

[Mlund]

New to the forums and wondered if anyone has some tips for me.
I was reading about moulds and after some goggling I decided to throw away my precious first hard- aged cheese.
Did I overreact?

I had two types of mould growing (microscopic) - green hairy and a red\orange hairy type.
After I first just tried to wash these away with vinegar I found that the red\orange type did not go away. And in fear of "toxins that might be produced" I cancelled my efforts.

I have looked after that cheese like a hawk, but aging in a box in the fridge (6 degrees) after 1.5 months the tiny mould arrived.
I fear that it might have been too moist in the container.

Any advice?

info: hard-pressed with pasteurised cow-milk. added Thermop. and vedg. rennet. Kept everything as sterile as I could but this might have gotten in on some paper cloth or by air?...

Thank you!

[awakephd]

Welcome to the forum! This is definitely the right place to get answers to your questions. I hasten to say that I myself am not an expert with respect to the particular question you have asked, but I will take a first stab at answering, and others more knowledgeable can correct and/or amplify as needed.

I would say, almost certainly, you did indeed overreact. In general, where there is cheese, there is mold. If you didn't get mold for 6 weeks, I wouldn't say you are running particularly too humid, though it does depend to some degree on the type of cheese. (E.g., a parma style, which is quite dry, is less susceptible than a Gouda, which is quite moist - at least in my experience.) Some cheeses, in fact, are routinely allowed to sprout a quite amazing variety of wild molds as a deliberate part of the aging and flavoring of the cheese - wild molds, as opposed to the specific type of mold (the white, fuzzy, Penicillum Candidum) that is deliberately added to the "mold-ripened" cheeses such as bries and camemberts. As long as the rind it intact, the mold will not penetrate beyond the surface; it will add some flavor, which may or may not be desirable, but you can always cut off the rind.

As far as the specifics ... green/hairy sounds like it *might* be some type of wild blue, which is everywhere and comes in green as well as blue. The red/orange/hairy ... I'm not sure. Red/orange generally sounds like b. Linens, which is used in the aging of certain types of cheeses, and also exists pretty much everywhere, but I don't recall that b. Linens is usually hairy. Here's where someone else on the forum with more specific knowledge will hopefully jump in to elaborate or correct as needed!

[valley ranch]

Welcome, I agree, I would have nipped out the bits of mold if it worried you, and as what was mentioned: held a bit to moist in the fridge, I sure would have tried that cheese, sorry we missed it!

I years ago used to age my cheeses in a screened box in the wine cellar,I don't have a wine cave, it came out quite hard as where I am is at 6800 ft in the Sierra Nevada range. While the cheese did loose moisture there was, I think, less chance of mold, tho I was able to mix into the curd a blue cheese past and it move through the cheese. I've been making mostly Fresh Cheeses and Semi hard as of late and the Cheddar I've made was aged in a cool pantry.

I'm sure you'll do have good luck with your next cheese, showing us you creation will make us happy as well.
Richard

[Mlund]

Thank you both for the replies! It means a lot that you did take time to help me.

I've started a new cheese posted in introductions. Inspiration found here in the forum...