I know, I have said it before.
I actually like this aspect of cheese making. You get to see your cheese change every day and it's exciting.
The markings on the surface of the cheese in the photo are due to the mat on which the cheese rests. You see that around the center, the surface is different: Geotrichum candidum is growing (that's good ;)
This mold powder will produce a white to cream color surface and it plays a significant role in the ripening process for surface ripened cheese of the soft ripened or washed rind types...
Geotrichum can also be used in conjunction with Brevibacterium linens to creat the right conditions for the formation of the surface smear on washed rind cheeses. (source)
Limburger is washed-rind cheese. It means that the surface is washed a number of times, a step necessary for the correct aging of the cheese. If you are interested in learning more about Limburger, you can take a look at the recipe I followed.
I am done with the washing, but that doesn't mean I can forget about the cheese as it ages in my cheese fridge. I check it every day to make sure nothing undesirable happens on the surface and that the humidity in the compartment is adequate (I can set the temperature and the fridge takes care of keeping it constant). It will be the new year before I know whether the texture and flavor of the cheese are to my liking.
Making cheese requires patience.
This is my contribution to edition #61 of Black and White Wednesday - A Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar, and hosted this week by Rosa of Rosa's Yummy Yums.
The photo was shot in color and then converted to light sepia.
This post contains the gallery of images submitted to the event.
On this page, you can find out who is hosting the current and future editions of the event.
