[Cheese] Cheese wax

[Jack Schmidling]

Erica Schechter wrote:
> Jack, do you use a double boiler, or just set the stove on a low heat?

I have never used a double boiler but it seems to be one of the knee 
jerk recommendations in every cheese book I have ever seen.

To avoid problems I never take my eyes off the pot if the flame is above 
the lowest setting.  If I am in no hurry, I just set it on low, put in 
the meat thermometer and turn on the alarm at around 200F and stay 
within earshot.  When it gets there I turn up the heat, stir constantly 
and shut of when I get to my waxing temp.

This of course works on my stove which has a VERY low heat and would 
take hours to reach flash point.  The double boiler prevents the wax 
from ever getting over about 200F which is some comfort but it is not 
necessarily high enough for proper waxing.

If one has any concern about the ability to "watch the pot" religiously, 
the double boiler is a safe way to do it.

I am aware that most folks use "cheese wax" at low temps.  But for the 
record, Kosikowski recommends that cheese be dipped into parafin wax at 
245F for the initial ripening period and then cover with cheese wax for 
long term storage.

The idea being that parafin allows gas transfer that cheese wax does not 
and the high temp, virtually sterilizes the surface of the cheese.

I gave up on the two step process and just dip it in cheese wax at about 
220F.

It's sort of a whatever works for you kind of thing.

js

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