I have finally gotten back to my cheesemaking after a long hiatus (moving..such a drag!). Two weeks ago I started a Jarlsberg (with which I had had good success with last summer). The cheese did its two week rest in my 'cave' and I brought it out to sit at 67 degrees room temp for its eye development.
There were several small bluish mold spots on it (I had vacuum bagged it after brining/drying.) I took care of those with some oil/salt wiping and a few small digs (I know -- bad bad, but I couldn't help myself). So now it is drying out a bit before I re-bag it.
But two questions:
1. I see references to yeast contamination if one bakes near the cheese area. I bake (with yeast) a lot, especially with my new kitchen. Even if I sterilize the equipment, should I be concerned about yeast wafting in the air? Do I need to wait some days after baking to avoid this?
2. Is bagging the right thing to do now? Am I better off letting it get a natural rind and just continuing to wipe it down? And if I do bag, what happens as the eyes form...does the bag expand? Can it break?
Advice always welcome from you more experienced Cheese-types. Cheers!
I bake alot of breads and I have had bread cooling on racks right next to cheese drying and never had a problem. My pre-aging cave is 3 feet from my oven. That doesn't necessarily mean it can't happen just that I personally have never had that problem.
Only once I had the contamination of bread yeast in my halloumi and smelt like dairy all over the house. Cheese did get holes like bread but still edible after frying. If you are in the beginning of the cheese make and your dough is proofing at the same time, active yeast may jump to your milk and multiply. Also teaspoons you use for measuring yeast should be dunked into boiling water before using in cheesemaking.
After the eye formation with your Swiss, you can bag it but not before. Once you have the swelling stopped, you can even wax it.
Sorry I only answered one question. I bag my swiss after only a week but do not vacuum it so it can swell. I find it keeps the rind softer so when it swells and it doesn't split. Once it begins to swell I poke a few tiny holes in the bag with a sewing needle.