Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
alternative is to use a vacuum sealer to seal the cheese in an
airtight bag from which all air has been evacuated. That's
what I do because it is more convenient than waxing.
Cheese Press and Mold
A cheese press is used to knit the curds together into a solid
mass while expelling excess whey. There are a variety of
designs of varying expense and complexity. A search on the
Internet will even reveal many free design plans for making
your own.
For most of the batches of cheese I've made, I have used a
simple plastic press and mold that only cost $21. The
downside is that you have to use external weights with it.
Still, you can't beat it for the price and ease of use. Recently,
I have acquired a stainless steel press made by Wood Lab that
works very well.
Instant-read Digital Thermometer
Temperatures are critical when making cheese. Some types of
cheese require gradually raising the temperature or holding at
a certain temperature for a specified time. The best
thermometer for such purposes is one that gives you an
instant and accurate reading. A good digital thermometer is
not expensive.
I have a “Norpro electronic digital read thermometer/timer”
that cost $16 and a hand-held Hamilton Beach instant-read
digital thermometer. Both cost under $20, have stainless steel
probes that are easy to sterilize, and can be found at cookware
stores.
