Learn To Make Cheese

The purpose of waxing cheese is to kill any existing bacteria or mold on the cheese, remove air to help cut down on mold growth, and minimize moisture loss so that the cheese doesn’t dry out.

I Make Cheese has lots of great information on cheese waxing techniques and tips based on his own experiences.

A few of his pointers (more after the jump)

“Set up some wax paper on your counters — as you’re working, it’ll make a mess (see above pic!), and you can safely set the cheese down for a moment without worrying about it becoming glued to your workspace.

- Chill the cheese first! This will help the wax cool quickly on the cheese, making it much easier and faster to complete this process.

- Label your cheese! I take a small piece of paper, write the name of the cheese and the current date, and then my very last step is to put the label on the top. (Brush a bit of wax on the top, and while it’s still wet, slap that label right on there. Then give it a light coat or two on top of the label, and it’ll stay put but you’ll still be able to read it through the wax.)”

I Make Cheese: Waxing Cheese Using a Double Boiler.