how to age hard cheeses w/o refrigerator when basement is, uh, moldy?

[patandchickens]

The recent cheesemaking threads reminded me I wanted to ask y'all about this.

I don't have room in the fridge for more than 1 or maybe 2 small wheels of hard cheese, plus it's too cold in there for the recommended temperature to age hard cheeses. I have TRIED aging them in the basement, which is happily 55 F and about 90% humidity, but unfortunately it is just so darn moldy down there that awful, terrible, horrible things happened to all of my poor lil' cheeses, despite being waxed I lost them all.

I have contemplated putting a tupperware box down there with a few small ventilation holes and a computer fan for air circulation, but am lazy about setting it up if I'm not sure it will work (it is a lot of work, IMO, to make a cheese that a month or two later will be an oozing stinking disaster :/)

Have any of you come up with good solutions to this sort of problem?

Thanks,

Pat

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Does it need to be humid to age cheese?

I'm just wondering if you were to have a de-humidifier in the basement, that might discourage the mould, but I don't know if it would be good for the cheese. Although I suppose you might be able to wrap the waxed cheese in a moist towel?

I have no idea. Good luck with your cheesemaking projects.

 

[freemotion]

A second fridge that can be set at a lower temp, or a wine fridge will work. You can get them on CL for little money, sometimes free!

 

[patandchickens]

Yes but I am trying to avoid using electricity, especially since I already HAVE the correct temperature

I just don't know what to do, it is frustrating not to be able to play with hard cheeses more than once every four months or whatever (all I have room in fridge for). Sigh.

Pat

 

[freemotion]

I feel your frustration. I have the same situation. I may try to dig a new root cellar out back, but it is very far from the house.

I wonder if you can wall that section off and clean it well, several times, with bleach and disinfectant and such to try to clear up all the mold. Putting in a very bright bulb and keeping it on helps, too. But not once you are storing stuff in there, as it will create heat.

 

[sylvie]

This worried me because I plan to try my hand at cheese making this year. I know you thoroughly research your projects, so the mold is disturbing.
I found this where the author states that waxing should be done for less than 40% moisture cheese to prevent mold ;
http://preparednesspro.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/settling-the-cheese-wax-controversy/
and further says that refrigeration is worse than cool room temps and gives storage methods.

I know that XPC has commented a few times about the cheese caves in Wisconsin, maybe he has suggestions on regulating whatever aspect is wrong .

Last resort, some concrete to create a small cave in the ground on the north facing side of an earthen mound?

 

[freemotion]

The north side of the earthen mound is a future project. Non of us old f^rts have the backs or knees to dig, so I haven't done it yet. The pigs will be there this summer/fall, so I plan on putting corn where I want the cellar, hoping the pigs dig it out! And maybe using my San Angelo bar to poke holes that I can fill with corn, so they dig deeper.

Here's to crazy dreams!

 

[freemotion]

Didn't check the link yet, but....if you use a fridge, a wine fridge is better. Regular fridges have frost-free features which make it too dry, so you have to disable that if you are handy that way. You also have to raise the temp so you can't store milk and meat in with your cheese, but you can store veggies and ferments.

I put a storage tote in the fridge for cheeses that need more moisture, and put a piece of that grid that is made for ugly flourescent fixtures in the bottom to keep the cheese up out of the whey. Also for draining cheeses that need to drip for days/weeks. I suck the whey up with a turkey baster if it is getting too deep.

 

[patandchickens]

I found this where the author states that waxing should be done for less than 40% moisture cheese to prevent mold ;
http://preparednesspro.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/settling-the-cheese-wax-controversy/
and further says that refrigeration is worse than cool room temps and gives storage methods.

Oh Sylvie!! THANK YOU!! That is an *excellent excellent* article and I believe it has cleared up a *lot* for me.

I did in fact wax these cheeses that I had problems with, but it is clear to me from that article that I made several significant mistakes which were probably the source of the cheese getting all oozy and nasty. I think I probably did not have the cheese surface dry enough before waxing, did not have the wax hot enough, and may not have waxed thoroughly enough.

I am going to get another 2 gallons of milk tomorrow to try to get another hard cheese going, because it now seems like I should perfectly well be able to age my hard cheeses in my basement (even if it is a bit musty/moldy down there) IF I can learn to wax them better.

Great big THANK YOU,

Pat

 

[sylvie]

You are most welcome, Pat!

If you think it is that helpful then I will save it to my files for future reference, too.