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GENERAL CHEESE MAKING BOARDS (Specific Cheese Making in Boards above) => STANDARD METHODS - Aging Cheese => Topic started by: megdcl on March 05, 2011, 02:36:24 PM

Title: Uh oh.. problems.. need advice!
Post by: megdcl on March 05, 2011, 02:36:24 PM
My cheese came out of the press yesterday, and I left it on the windowsill to dry (where I'd kept all my previous cheeses), but this cheese sagged a bit and developed some small cracks. I've looked around at other threads regarding this topic (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,4128.msg39368.html#msg39368 (https://cheeseforum.org/forum/index.php/topic,4128.msg39368.html#msg39368).. though my cracks/sagging are not nearly this drastic, but still worrisome), and the only solution I read about was vacuum-sealing it. I have no way to vacuum-seal my cheeses.. is there anything else I can do? (I already removed the cheese from the windowsill to try and slow down the drying).

Input would be great!!
Title: Re: Uh oh.. problems.. need advice!
Post by: Cheese Head on March 06, 2011, 01:27:25 PM
Some ideas summarized in our Wiki: Surface Defects, Cracks (https://cheeseforum.org/articles/wiki/) article, baically put it in a high humidity environment to try and get it to naturally heal. But frankly in my experience (I've had this problem twice) it is not fully repairable and best you can hope for is to minimize the mold growth in the cracks.
Title: Re: Uh oh.. problems.. need advice!
Post by: megdcl on March 06, 2011, 04:23:59 PM
Thanks. I had read this article a while ago but it helped to read it again.
Title: Re: Uh oh.. problems.. need advice!
Post by: MrsKK on March 07, 2011, 03:26:42 AM
Vacuum sealing really isn't a good solution for a young cheese.  I've had similar problems and have the best results when I coat the wheel with lard for ageing.