Cheese Packaging Is an Important Part of Cheese Making
Making cheese can be very time consuming: a lot of time is spent stirring, standing and waiting for the milk to do its job. But then the load drops, and you have to transfer your efforts to the cheese cave and wait until it hangs in a plastic dish or a vacuum plastic bag.
Then it’s time for the cheese to come out of the cave and start making its way to your mouth, and an important step along the way is wrapping it. Wrappers play a vital role in cheesemaking, whether you’re dipping your cheese in wax to seal it, or wrapping it in folded wax paper for final maturation in the refrigerator. There are cheeses that need to be wrapped in alcohol-soaked pieces of cloth in order to become the cheese they are meant to be, and sometimes natural elements such as leaves or flowers are used to package cheeses in a way that gives them flavor and gives them flavor. rustic, charming look. Here are three ways to gift-wrap homemade cheese.
Dip it good
Some cheeses need to be isolated from oxygen in order to ripen, and wax is great at blocking airflow. Some Gouda, Cheddar and Swiss cheeses benefit from good waxing. To do this, you will need cheese wax, which you can order online . Melt enough wax to be able to half-dip the cheese, and then do just that.
With clean hands, carefully dip the cheese halfway into the wax pan for a count of two, then pull it out and let it drain for 10 seconds. Once the wax is no longer shiny and a crust forms on it, you can rotate the cheese 180 degrees and, holding the waxed part, dip the exposed half of the cheese into the wax. Let it drain for another 10 seconds and leave until it stops shining.
Now turn the cheese 90 degrees and repeat the dipping process as above; then another 180 degrees, followed by a final dive. In total, you will lower it four times, one from each direction. The cheese should now be completely covered. Once it has cooled to the touch, it can be returned to the cheese cave to age according to your recipe.
Wrap it up like a gift
You can buy special waxed paper and bags for packing and storing cheese; The paper allows the cheese to breathe, which is important, for example, for the ripening of Camembert. Square cheese is simple; you used to wrap presents – it’s the same. But most cheeses are round, which presents a problem. So learning how to fold and fold paper while flipping cheese is an acquired skill.
Once you get the hang of it, the result is beautiful: after all, cheese is a gift and deserves to be packaged as a gift. The package is completed with a sticker or tape, making each package look very professional. Before they reach their final resting place (your mouth or a friend’s mouth), you can wrap them with a second layer of foil. This is not strictly necessary, but it helps to isolate the cheese in the refrigerator from off-flavours, mold and yeast, and it looks ready.
Connect with nature
Your garden is full of things to wrap cheese in and you are only limited by your imagination. In particular, there are many varieties of softer cheeses. Wrap flowering cheeses in young grape or oak leaves and tie with twine. The tannins in the leaf give the cheese some flavor while creating a protective layer that makes it easier to transport.
Consider all the edible flowers in your yard. When I do this, I think of nasturtiums because of their color. These flowers go great with goat cheese or other soft cheeses. Gather fresh flowers, wash them and check for insects, then let them dry before gently pressing them to the surface of the cheese.
If you have ever grown fennel, you know about fennel pollen. The flowers grow on the stems with bright yellow anise dust, which is adored by bees. You can collect the pollen in a jar or bowl; it is very desirable. Sprinkle the cheese with pollen for a vibrant saffron color and extra flavor.
You’re really only limited by your imagination (and knowing what’s edible and what’s toxic in your yard), but if you can eat it, you can use them to cover, wrap, or otherwise package your fine cheese treasures.