Cloth bound cheddar - how do I test?

[dc-k]

I have a cloth bound cheddar happily aging in my cave. I want to try this using my cheese tester; how do I best deal with the binding in terms of removal for testing and rebinding afterwards. Can I remove and replace a small piece or do I have to completely rebind the cheese afterwards?

Thanks

[Thewitt]

Your trier simply needs to be very sharp. Turn it into the wheel through the cloth just as it it were not there.  Do not unbind and rebind the cheese. If you have to smear some lard over the area after reinserting the plug, that will be fine.

[dc-k]

Very helpful, thanks