During the past six months, there has been contention from the FDA about using wooden boards to age specialty cheeses, mostly because wood is porous and has a tendency to propagate bacteria on its surface. As natural cheese lovers know, most bacterial cultivation is a positive thing, and lends to the development flavor profile of the … Continue reading
The WORD AMBIANCE. When Phillipe of Marcel Petite Comte uttered that word in relation to a cheese’s aura, my ears were perched on the ledge, ready to listen to each thoughtful French word that rolled off the tongue. Oh! How I miss France! He talked of Luigi Guffanti’s caves and their aging techniques. The Guffanti … Continue reading
Mycoflora: The fungi characteristic of a region or special environment Mold and yeast work side by side in this game of cheese ripening. Molds metabolize lactic acid and lactate which yields a higher pH that is ideal for proteolytic (proteins) and lipolytic enzymes (lipids) to work on the cheese flavor and texture profile. Interior mold … Continue reading
When I was learning in France from La Chevrerie des Embetsches, I do not think I could have estimated how sacred the knowledge of basic temperature controls and humidity levels would be back in the states. I should have recorded more, I always think, but I was young and following the feeling of the craft, … Continue reading
In order to make Cheese Caves more legitimate, viable practices in both city and country, we must do more feasibility studies and research about different types of cheeses and the desired outcome, and, what is possible in given spaces for affordable cost. Silvery Moon Cheese in Maine took a step by creating a feasibility study … Continue reading
Cheese in the City 