Just wrapped my first cloth bound cheddar. I'm looking forward to watch this cheese develope.
I wrapped this cheese right from the press. My other cheeses I let dry for a few days and then vacuumed sealed. I hope I didn't make a mistake by wrapping this cheese right away.
Dave
Looks nice! It's a challenge that I once will try myself....
What kind of cloth are you using?
A beautiful looking cheese and one that's on my list of things to do (not to be cofused with my wife's list of things for me to do). Good luck with it and let us know how it turns out.
Never tried a cloth bound cheese myself either.
That looks very nice , what did you coat it with , Lard ?
Keep us posted.
Quote from: jwalker on February 19, 2014, 03:53:00 PM
Never tried a cloth bound cheese myself either.
That looks very nice , what did you coat it with , Lard ?
Keep us posted.
I used a 60 count cheese cloth and coated with Lard. I put two layers.
I wanted to put the first layer of cloth on the cheese and put it back in the press, but it was to tight. The cloth kept rolling up. I think I have a solution for this and will try it next week.
I will post pictures of this cheese as it develops.
Dave
very good looking cheese, I long to make an aged cheddar but what is the reason you would wrap it in cheese cloth?
Looks really nice good luck with ageing it :)
16 days in the cave and the cheese is starting to get some mold on the cloth. I thought I would share some images. I have been brushing it with a soft brush to evenly spread the mold.
My children think I care more for my cheese then them. ;)
Dave
You can notice in one of the pictures that there is a little fraying.
Is it ok to take a little more lard and press them down?
Quote from: MAK on March 07, 2014, 02:58:33 AM
You can notice in one of the pictures that there is a little fraying.
Is it ok to take a little more lard and press them down?
I've never done a bandaged cheese , but I think it would be wise to lard it down some more , as the loose strands may act as wicks and dry the cheese out .
Just my two cents worth. ;D
It looks good !
I recently watched Will Stud's video about traditional English cheeses and saw several maturing cloth banded cheeses that also had some "loose ends", so I guess you don't have to worry too much...
Quote from: hoeklijn on March 09, 2014, 12:52:32 PM
I recently watched Will Stud's video about traditional English cheeses and saw several maturing cloth banded cheeses that also had some "loose ends", so I guess you don't have to worry too much...
Thanks for the advise. My cheese does have two layers of cloth. I'm not that concerned.
Quote from: MAK on March 07, 2014, 12:14:03 AM
My children think I care more for my cheese then them. ;)
Well, it is your "baby". Maybe (if they're young enough) they would like to do some of the brushing?
Quote from: hoeklijn on March 09, 2014, 12:52:32 PM
I recently watched Will Stud's video about traditional English cheeses and saw several maturing cloth banded cheeses that also had some "loose ends", so I guess you don't have to worry too much...
I've only got one of his videos but loved it and want to eventually buy buy all the episodes. I think I bought mine from cheesemaking.com but he discounts his older episodes on his cheeseslices website (http://www.cheeseslices.com/buy-videos) so you can save some money if you're interested (haven't looked on youtube to see if there are some free-bees out there >:D).
(Getting back to the main subject) It's a great looking cheese Mak even with the little bit of mold. You deserve credit for going the traditional route.
Nice!
A cheese for you!
When I bandaged my cheese (yes my n of 1) I had some fraying... I don't think it would hurt to re-lard it.
Trent
Updated photos.
I'm really happy on how this cheese is developing.
Nice cheeses - good to see what yours are looking like.
I've bandaged a couple of cheddars on 26th Jan, so around 6 weeks old, and a Cantal on 20th October so nearly 5 months.
All bandaged after 3 days air-drying but using Ghee rather than lard. They started getting mould covering them after a few weeks and here's pics of them today. Lots of blue developing (I have few blues in my cave so I'm sure that's where it from) and also some browns, yellows etc.
I have been brushing them to stop the mould building up too much and I had no idea what to expect so I assume (or at least hope) it's normal.
Quote from: Kirkbybil on March 16, 2014, 06:09:32 PM
Nice cheeses - good to see what yours are looking like.
I've bandaged a couple of cheddars on 26th Jan, so around 6 weeks old, and a Cantal on 20th October so nearly 5 months.
All bandaged after 3 days air-drying but using Ghee rather than lard. They started getting mould covering them after a few weeks and here's pics of them today. Lots of blue developing (I have few blues in my cave so I'm sure that's where it from) and also some browns, yellows etc.
I have been brushing them to stop the mould building up too much and I had no idea what to expect so I assume (or at least hope) it's normal.
I also brush my cheese weekly. The mould on this cheese is a greenish blue color. This is my first clothbound cheddar and I don't have any blue cheese in my cave. I was wondering what kind of mould I was going to get on this cheese. I hope this is ok.
There's lots of mould spores just floating around naturally apparently. Just go with it. They will only be on the bandaged surface so, as long as there are no real nasties you will be cutting them off with the bandage/rind anyway.
Quote from: Kirkbybil on March 16, 2014, 08:40:43 PM
There's lots of mould spores just floating around naturally apparently. Just go with it. They will only be on the bandaged surface so, as long as there are no real nasties you will be cutting them off with the bandage/rind anyway.
That's what I figure. I think I'm going to age this one for a year. I wonder how long it's going to take for the cheese to be fully covered.
About 2-3 months if mine are anything to go by.
Really nice work Mak!
What did you press with?
You've got that beautifully smooth look I've yet to achieve. I know better than to ask why, so I'm gathering seeds...
Eben.
I wanted to share some updated photos of my first cloth bound cheddar. 10 months old and two more months to go before we try it.
That looks very nice. The one time I tried bandaging, on a Jack, mold grew under the bandages very quickly.
Wonderful result. Here is one I aged out to only 3 months - mainly because I couldn't stand not knowing any further - back in 2012
https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10377.0.html (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,10377.0.html)
I'm a three layer guy and lots O Lard.
AC4U. I love the traditional ways . . .
My Latest has just been clothed and and larded - for Christmas 2015... though it may not make it :o
--Mal
I live in Massachusetts and we are having a bad storm. So I decided to cut into the cloth bound cheddar. I'm very pleased with the final results. I can't believe it's been almost a year.
That is a beautiful looking cheese. Too bad you can't post the taste! A cheese to you for your patience! A)
Wow !! That really looks great. - an of course a cheese for your efforts. Although we can't taste - we can all imaging and danmed if I'm not drooling at the thought. Any tasting highlights ? does it tingle the sides of your tongue ?
Need to do another for next year ! I have two 'Banded Brothers' doin' their bit in the fridge - 10 minths to go :)
Well Done !!
-- Mal
It's replacement is in the press as we speak.
Impressive - one more cheese for you! :-)
Beeyootiful!! :)
Looks amazing....I can smell it from here! :)
Inspiring - I have waxed and aged cheddars successfully but never attempted a cloth-bound cheddar.
A cheese for you!!
The thing I find with Cloth Banded cheese is that while being wrapped in all that lovely Lard there is still a small amount of gas and water exchange which does tend to add to the complexity of the cheese. I have waxed and Vac Bagged cheddars of the same make and they don't have that 'something' that makes a cloth banded stand apart from the rest. Its like the difference between playing a vinyl record and listening to the same song on the Ipod - same same song different feel - that something :). I think as I mentioned I'm a three layer kind of guy and lots of lard - the more you have the more mould has to get through before getting to the cheese. I'm shying away from waxing and leaning either towards Vacuum Bagging for the short aging 1-3 months, natural rinds now I can control the humidity in my fridge a bit better with the 'Cave Cube' or cloth bandage for the longer term ones - you can very nicely bandage any semi-firm to hard cheese though the dryer the better.
-- My two bits anyway :) Mal