260 THE BOOK OF CHEESE 



5. Large size of the cheese. 



6. Moderate amount of acid. 



Conditions that may retard ripening : 



1. Decrease of temperature. 



2. Smaller amounts of rennet. 



3. Less moisture in the cheese. 



4. More salt. 



5. Small size of the cheese. 



6. No acid or an excess of acid. 



247. Care of the cheese in the curing-room. The 

 cheeses need daily attention while in the curing-room 

 (Fig. 53). They should be turned every day to prevent 

 sticking and molding to the shelf and to secure an even 

 evaporation of moisture. If not turned, the moisture 

 will not evaporate evenly from all surfaces and will result 

 in an uneven distribution in the cheese, which causes 

 uneven curing, and usually gives the product an uneven 

 color. 



The surface of the cheese should be watched to see that 

 the cloths stick. If they do not, the surface will crack, 

 due to the evaporation of the moisture. If the cloths 

 are loosened, they should be removed and the surface 

 of the cheese greased with butter. The grease will tend 

 to prevent the rind from cracking. If the surface of the 

 cheese is not smooth, due to wrinkles in the bandage, 

 or if it cracks, due to the lack of cloths, it furnishes the 

 opportunity for insects to lay their eggs and the larvae 

 to develop within the cheese. Molds also lodge and 

 grow in such cracks. 



The cheese should be kept clean while in the curing- 

 room. This means that the hands of the person handling 

 the cheese must be clean. The shelves should be washed 



