Flavour - Impact Of Natual Rind vs Bandaging vs Waxing

[medomak]

Is there a flavor advantage to not waxing a cheese and letting a rind develop or cloth-binding and larding?

I imagine that when you don't wax you are looking to develop mold on the outside?  Does this have an effect on flavor development?

Thanks for the help.

Dave

[linuxboy]

Of course; the enzymes from the mold change the paste texture, and also contribute to flavor formation.

[medomak]

Hmmm.  What kind of changes to the paste texture can you expect by letting the mold grow on the outside?  Meaning how might you compare the paste texture of a specific waxed cheese to the paste texture of the same non waxed cheese?  Let's assume both are from the same batch.

Thanks, Linuxboy. 

[medomak]

Can you expound upon what you mean by "paste texture?"  I've not come across that phrase anywhere else.  I'm guessing you are referring to the creaminess or dryness or crumbly texture of the cheese?

[mcfly]

Im also after the same answer, I have decided to go for the lard/cloth technique but Im really interested in how this is going to influence the taste/pate texture compared to waxing

[linuxboy]

Right, what I'm talking about is cheese rheology. Which is a fancy word that covers the science and study of the property of a substance in terms of its response to forces, and in terms of its flow. Or in other words, its hardness, fracture point, elasticity, etc.

With larding and bandaging, the enzymes do not reach very far down, this isn't like using a smear rind or a rind wash. What it does is contribute enough mold enzymes to give cheddar interesting flavor notes. The characteristic one from bandaging is a taste and smell of green bell pepper. And this taste is more prevalent close to the surface, really mellowing out and becoming nuanced to the center of the wheel.

In other types of rinds, such as natural ones or smear ones, the rind flora provide more flavor.

[mcfly]

So the enzymes from the actual lard don't reach far down into the cheese? I was told that butter can also be used, I guess this would also create a slightly different taste or would this contain the same enzymes?

So the plan is to leave this for a few months in the cave at around 12C, let the mold spread and then give it a good scrub every few weeks. It will not  need to be re-bandaged again with lard?

Thanks for the help !

[linuxboy]

Lard has no enzymes. Myabe trace amounts, but properly rendered, it's fat. Yes, you can use butter. I posted a long explanation before on the suitability of using oil, ghee, etc, and how suitable it is in terms of rancidity. Butter would go rancid faster than ghee. And yes, the flavor would be subtly different.

No, you only need to bandage once. Your scrub schedule depends on your aging conditions and preference. Can be more or less than every few weeks, up to you.

[mcfly]

Ill just stick to lard for now, its sounds like a safe option.

Your help is much appreciated