# Rinds?



## Leo (Mar 10, 2008)

Okay, so for next year I wanted to work on making natural rinds. I mostly wax, and have very little experience with natural rinds and what little experience, the cheese wheels(1/2lb.) turned into lumps of solid rind.

So I was talking to one cheesemaker and she said that it is impossible to have a small cheese wheel(1lb.>) with a natural rind. I was thinking about making 2-5lb cheese wheels next year. Do you think that they would age well for say 3mths.-1year?

For rind treatments, I was thinking about oiling, rubbing with cocoa, coffee, and also making a bandaged cheese(lard or butter rub). Not all on the same cheese.  How is your experience with oils, rubs, and bandaging?

I was also interested in wrapping leaves on the cheese wheels, but how will that affect the rind? I've only wrapped edible leaves and flowers on soft cheeses so I have no experience with it in regards to aging. Do the leaves need to be fresh or dried? Or boiled to treat so they don't rot on the cheese? Any tips? :biggrin
Thanks,
Megan


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## Guest (Nov 14, 2008)

Megan, bandages will mold and need to be checked and changed often. I use natural rinds on many of my cheeses. You just need to baby them, constantly salting, oiling, and cleaning them on a weekly basis until you eaten.

Christy


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## Leo (Mar 10, 2008)

Yes, I've heard from the other cheesemaker, that natural rinds were more work than they were worth, but I thought that I'd give it a try(again).  

When do you know when to change the bandage? 
Thanks,
Megan


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

I read somewhere that it is a daily thing TOO much WORK for me course I don't even make hard cheese yet  Can you tell I don't like long waits and work :biggrin


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## Leo (Mar 10, 2008)

LOL Sondra. I can't stand not having too much to do, makes me antsy. :crazy Gotta fill up every minute.  Plus we buy alot of soft/hard cheeses, so I figure if I can make it, it'll save us alot.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

That is for sure and you probably are half my age I have done my time.


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## homeacremom (Nov 6, 2007)

I'm just talking off the top of my head....I haven't made alot of hard cheese and what I did make I waxed. I remember reading somewhere about soaking bandages in salt water then drying before wrapping. If I remember correctly you still need to rub butter on the outer layer to seal then turn and re-apply until the bandage became incorporated into a sort of hard rind. After a certain amount of time under proper humidity you could leave it without care where as the natural rind always needs oiling and turning.
Ricki Carroll's book says molding is normal and it comes off with the bandage when you are ready to cut. uhh...sounds not so nice! 
Christy, how thick are your natural rinds? Are the rinds still edible?


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## Guest (Nov 16, 2008)

While I am not apposed to trimming mold off cheese, I just hate to see a gray woolly cheese in my cave. I fear that the mold would affect the flavor of the cheese so I don't let it grow too much. 

My rinds vary in thickness and are edible but I trim them off. I've never had one thicker than the width of a pencil.

Christy


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## Leo (Mar 10, 2008)

Lol Sondra. I understand.



> I've never had one thicker than the width of a pencil.


That sounds good, I the rinds thin.



> I just hate to see a gray woolly cheese in my cave


My husband hates the sight of fuzz, he won't go near any brie unless I cook it in some omelets or something first. But I'm sure it would affect the flavor of the cheese and/or texture.



> I remember reading somewhere about soaking bandages in salt water then drying before wrapping. If I remember correctly you still need to rub butter on the outer layer to seal then turn and re-apply until the bandage became incorporated into a sort of hard rind. After a certain amount of time under proper humidity you could leave it without care where as the natural rind always needs oiling and turning.


I'll have to make sure to put the information in my notebook.

Hubby just took DS for a nap(he won't sleep unless someone is next to him) so now I can check my books . Anyway, do you have any recommendations on books to look at that get into the details for rind development?

Thanks!
Megan


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