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I think I broke my cheese.

I bought a 'cheese cave' in the form of a wine fridge.  The fridge was too cold (~45 degrees F) so I turned it to "Min" and turned the light on.

My GF came home last night and the temp in the cave was reading 74 DEGREES F! 

The waxed cheeses were leaking (read damp) 'oil'. The  natural rind was leaking at least the olive oil that I had rubbed on it and was a little 'wavy' on the surface.  The 'oil' smells like cheese.

The cheeses had started at 46 degrees and heated to 74 over a 12-14 hour peroid.

Will these cheeses recover in my now 55 degree garage?

Should I eat them now?  Will they stop ripening?


Thanks in advance,

Knoal

I'd let them chill for a few days and see what happens. Was it oil or cheese fats leaking? Did they droop? Like melting? Firm them up and try shaving off an edge and see if they "melted" near the inside. Could be just surface sweat/melt - I hope.

Debi,

Well, to oily goo may hve just been from the way on the cheese. 

I wiped it off and it hasn't seemed to return.

The natural rind is doing better, but feels firmer on the inside, maybe from whey (h20) loss.

I took apart the temp controller on my fridge and measured it with a meter.  The variable resitor shows no change in resistance.  The fridge is permanently stuck at 46 degrees. 

Now I have to surf craigslist more.....

Maybe you could just replace the resistor? Or find an equivelent reostat for easy adjustments?

Ha HA!

I thought I would replace the resistor.  I got a 10K variable pot., hooked it up and turned it on!  Sparks!
I put it back together and everything still works (at 46 degrees)

Another poster had the scratch and dent cooler for $89.  I may pick that up today.  I'm sure that would be the same price as a new module.  And I'm not a referigerator tech.

I posted the link for the scratch and dent on e-bay, but that one got snatched up right away. Sorry The regular price (on e-bay at least) for that fridge was $190, and there are still some of those available, plus plenty of other makes, models, styles... but the steal on the $90 one is past. Keep checking though, you never know what you'll find on e-bay or craigslist.

Mark,

Thanks for the attempt at the link.  I saw your post yesterday.  I put it off for a day.  Usually when one does that, you are lost.  Craislist has an ad for another larger adjustable wine cooler, maybe I'll try it. (looks big enought for a carboy too...

Right now I have one I need to get rid of.....

Big enough for a carboy? You lucky dog!

Sorry knoal I was looking for another fridge too and have that style cooler already and love it. Vey easy to control humidty.

Nice score on the fridge Debi!

I picked up a wine cooler (cheap from craigslist) and am now happily aging away. (my cheeses are doing fine too).

Goo deal. The wine cooler is ver tiny but I think it's perfect for mold ripened cheeses and the like I don't do often.