Cheese crust, or lack thereof, can carry important information about characteristic features the cheese itself. Crust - as well as her appearance and smell - can tell about the texture, taste, age and freshness of the cheese, and the ability to understand the types of cheese crusts allows you to determine whether it is possible or even necessary to eat them. There are many ways to classify cheeses: by country of origin, by taste, by texture, and even by the severity of the smell. Another way is to subdivide the cheeses into the following categories depending on the type of rind ...

Cheese without rind

Fresh cheeses have no crust at all. There are several subcategories in this cheese category, such as whey albumin cheeses, fermented milk cheeses and curd cheeses... Examples of fresh cheeses - this is ricotta cheese, cream cheese, mozzarella, feta and crème fraich cheese. These are wet soft cheeses usually less fatty than other cheeses. They are loved to be used in cooking and baking. The presence of mold on such cheeses indicates that they are no longer fresh, and this will affect their taste and smell.

Rusty cheeses

These soft, aged cheeses have a velvety white rind, sometimes interspersed with red or brown... They ripen from the surface towards the inside and their texture ranges from soft and dense to creamy. Edible plaque rind formed by spraying onto cheese mold fungus penicillium candidum before the onset of a short aging process. Such a white, "blooming" crust can be seen on brie cheeses, Camembert, Cooleeney and goat cheese Capricorn.

Pickled cheeses

These usually semi-soft cheeses are savory, sometimes sticky or grainy, and uniquely colored - ranging from pinkish reds to orange and brown in color. These surface-ripening cheeses are washed several times during the ripening period with beer, wine, brandy, brine or other liquid. This washing facilitates the growth of certain beneficial bacteria that help ripen and flavor the cheese.

Crusts of some varieties pickled cheeses have rich taste and are involved in shaping the overall experience of eating cheese. Others, however, have a pronounced unpleasant taste and texture. Therefore, you need to try them. If the aroma of the rind enhances the flavor of the cheese, you can eat it. If it takes away from the pleasure of eating cheese, it is better to just cut it off. Examples of pickled cheeses are Oka, Epoisses, Raclette and Taleggio.

Natural rind cheeses

The crust on these cheeses is formed independently during the aging process. It is not washed or improved by the deliberate application of mold - it is formed by spores that fall on it from environment... Many of these rinds can be quite rich in flavor, as the cheeses on which they are formed are most often of the varieties that mature over relatively long periods of time.

Natural rinds - with the exception of those with tissue in them - are edible but not always palatable.

Again, they should be tasted and crusts that are unsatisfactory in texture or taste should be avoided. Examples of cheeses with a natural crust are St. Nectaire, Testun, Stilton and Mimolette.

Obvious facts.Crusts that are covered with or composed entirely of edible substances such as herbs, peppercorns, or nuts are meant to be eaten. Ash crusts, like those often seen on cheeses from goat milk, are made from vegetable ashes and are also considered safe to eat. On the other hand, rinds made from twigs, cloth or wax - like those that cover Edam or Gouda cheese - are inedible and should of course be thrown away.

Long-term ripening of cheese allows solving two issues at once that face farmers - preserving milk for a long time and obtaining delicious product... Although the cheese can be eaten immediately after it is made, it can be aged for a long time. taste qualities amplified many times over. In addition, ripening for 60 days or longer, the content of potentially harmful microorganisms in it is significantly reduced, which is important, especially if unpasteurized milk is used in the manufacture of cheese.

Extracting the cheese for ripening can last from several days to three or more years. In the process of maturation, several types of biochemical transformations occur that change physical properties, taste and aroma of cheese:

• Decomposition of residual lactose (glycolysis) with the formation of lactic acid and further conversion of lactic acid;
• Biochemical transformations of citrate (citric acid);
• Breakdown of fats (lipolysis) and further transformations of fatty acids;
• Breakdown of proteins (proteolysis) and further transformations of amino acids.

The main importance in the cheese ripening process is the humidity of the room in which the cheese ripens. Insufficient moisture can cause the crust to crack and the cheese to dry out. Excessive, however, will lead to the formation of mold and softening of the crust. Normal humidity for cheese ripening is 80 to 90%.

Cheese crust

The main protective element of the cheese is the crust: it protects the inner structure from harmful microbes getting there and prevents the product from drying out. The crust begins to form already when the cheese is pressed - the outer layer becomes drier and thickens. Placing the cheese in the brine dehydrates the rind, which makes it stronger, and later aging can go differently.

Natural peel

Making a clean crust out of natural products - enough difficult process, because microbes from the external environment can easily get on the cheese. Because of this, this method is rarely used.

Creation of the crust with salt or brine takes place by regularly washing the cheese and then treating it with salt. At the same time, it is important to keep the air humidity lower, since an increased amount of moisture can cause mold formation. A few weeks after processing, the rind is often coated with olive oil.

Oil crust

Creation of a rind covered with olive oil during aging prevents excessive drying out, and to eliminate the risk of mold growth, the rind must be dried. For this, the cheese is pressed and air-dried. At the same time, the oil layer makes the crust more flexible and prevents it from cracking. When small cheeses are coated with oil, the rind becomes thicker and the cheese is able to withstand almost any external influences. Extracting cheese can be carried out for a long time, only periodically renewing the layer of oil. Application is carried out with a cloth or napkin soaked in oil, or directly on the cheese. At the beginning of the exposure, the layer needs to be renewed every week, and then, if the exposure is planned for a long time, every month. In between treatments, salt should also be applied to the crust to strengthen and dry.

Butter for processing cheese can be selected based on personal taste preferences; any species that is edible is suitable. It is necessary that the substance is resistant to oxidation and deterioration for a long time, and also does not have its own odor that could interrupt the aroma ready-made cheese... Both animals and vegetable fats... From animal oils, refined cow is best, and from vegetable oils - rapeseed and olive.

Protective Cheese Coating Compounds

They can be of both natural and artificial origin. Wax and mixtures with wax belong to natural ones, to artificial various chemical compounds with which they cover the cheese head. To coat the cheese with wax, it is simply dipped from all sides in melted wax. Chemical Compositions, usually latex and polymer, today are becoming more widespread due to their unique properties... Many of them prevent the development of molds on the cheese and have a structure that is permeable to carbon dioxide.

Vacuum packaging

Quite a few cheese makers prefer vacuum packaging for their products, due to the fact that inexpensive and affordable household vacuuming machines can be used. However, the following points should be kept in mind:

• Before packing, the cheese must be properly dried.
• Before sealing the packaging, the cheese must be treated with a vinegar solution or anti-mold compounds.
• Cheese in vacuum packing you need to inspect every week for the appearance of unwanted formations - mold, etc. When they appear, you can open the package, clean the surface with a brush, treat it again with vinegar or anti-mold compounds and vacuum it again.

Drying cheese

After pressing and salting the cheese, it is necessary that a crust forms on it - a natural protective coating that will ensure normal cheese ripening. The crust is formed during the drying process of the cheese, and its quality largely depends on the quality of the molding and pressing (pay due attention to this).

The cheese is usually dried for 3-5 days at room temperature in well ventilated areas. You can place the drying cheese on a wooden surface or on a drainage mat. It is necessary to turn the cheese several times a day during drying. When moisture is released (this is normal at the beginning of drying), you can gently remove the excess paper towel... If mold appears on the surface of the cheese during drying, it's okay, just wipe it with a cloth dipped in saline or vinegar, and then dry it again.

Cheese coating

Cheese with a natural crust, as well as cheeses with superficial molds are ready to be transferred to the ripening chamber immediately after drying, they do not need to be coated. In other cases, the surface of the cheese must be coated with a special substance that will protect the cheese throughout the ripening period. Let's take a look at the types of cheese toppings and how to apply them:

Wax coating

Coating the cheese with wax or paraffin is an old and still widely used method of protecting cheese from external influences during the ripening period, both in small dairies and in large factories. The wax for covering the cheese should be free of fragrances and impurities. Color doesn't matter, but traditionally different varieties cheeses were covered with wax of different colors.

How to wax cheese at home:

1. Place a special container under the wax (preferably glass or ceramic). It will not work for anything else, melted and frozen wax is very difficult to wash off.

2. You will also need a brush to apply the melted wax to the cheese.

3. Prepare water bath: Fill a larger pot with water and place a container of wax in it.

4. Slowly heat the wax in a water bath until all of it is melted. Stir it, do not bring it to a boil.

5. When the wax is thin enough, dip the cheese into it, holding one side with your fingers. After a couple of seconds, take out the cheese and let the wax harden. Repeat the process, turning the cheese so that only the middle is left uncoated with the wax.

6. Scoop up the wax with a brush and apply to the remaining uncoated surface of the cheese.

7. Let the wax harden.

Please note that Swiss-type cheeses with large eyes that form during the ripening process slightly increase in size (round off), which can lead to cracks in the wax coating. For this type of cheese, it is advisable to use a different coating (latex or shrink bag).

Latex coating

This is a new invention, which is now used in production expensive cheeses... It is a gel that, after application, forms a transparent film on the surface of the cheese. The latex coating protects the surface of the cheese from yeast and mold growth, regulates moisture and gas exchange.

Liquid latex is applied to the surface of the cheese in 2-3 layers with a brush. Then it must be dried within the time indicated on the package.

Wax can also be applied over the latex coating.

Bandaging

1. Cut 2 circles of cheesecloth, slightly larger than the diameter of the cheese head.

2. Soak them in warm water and apply to the bottom and top of the cheese, smoothing out the wrinkles.

3. Place the cheese back in the pressing pan, leaving only these 2 pieces of cheesecloth and press the cheese with the final weight for another 1 hour.

4. Cut another piece of cheesecloth suitable to wrap around the cheese. Soak it in warm water.

5. Remove the cheese from the mold and wrap a cut piece of cheesecloth around the diameter. Make sure that no wrinkles or folds remain.

6. Place the cheese back in the mold and press with the same weight as the previous time overnight.

7. Remove the cheese from the mold. It is ready to ripen.

Oil coating

Another great way to protect the cheese during ripening is to coat it with butter. Ideal option will be olive oil, which can also be supplemented with various spices or ground coffee beans... Apply a thin layer of olive oil to the dry surface of the cheese, then rub it into the crust, after which the cheese is ready to ripen. If the crust is dry, the oily coating should be reapplied (this should be done about once a week).