Pyramid Square Mould (mould 11) - This particular one is known as a Valençay mould with its truncated pyramidal shape. Valençay is an unpasteurized goats milk cheese weighing around 225g and around 7cm in height. Its rustic blue-grey colour is made by the natural moulds that form its rind, darkened with a dusting of charcoal. Size is 85mm x 57mm 80mm. I just made a batch of raw milk CACIOTTA and used this mold to give it a traditional "basket" imprint. Because of the stufatura (steaming) process, I used muslin in the form-but the pattern still turned out great. Now I have to painfully wait the aging process, giggle. Verano Bertagni of Caseificio Bertagni (Garfagnana) makes ricotta on a commercial scale from cow, sheep and goat whey, depending on the cheese he has made that morning. He uses a steam immersion heater and double-walled pot to heat the whey.

Penicillium is commonly found growing within soil, decaying vegetation, cereals, and fresh fruit and vegetables. Cross contamination and airborne spores as the most likely cause of this strain growing in ricotta cheese. Small Ricotta Mould (mould 18) - This is our small size Ricotta basket mould measuring 65mm at the base, 80mm at the top and 110mm tall. This mould has large slits to allow rapid drainage needed for Ricotta production. Cows milk goes through the pasteurization process after being collected which exposes it to extreme heat. Whilst this does kill most strains of bacteria, it can simply put some strains of mold into a state of hibernation, allowing them to become active once again when the temperature lowers to an acceptable level.Proper storage is your number one strategy to preventing unwanted mold growth on cheese. In fact, we have a whole guide dedicated to safe cheese storage. Washed-rind (or smear-ripened) cheeses: They say it takes a village to raise a child; we say it takes an old cheese to raise a young cheese. Or at least that’s the case for some washed-rind or smear-ripened cheeses, which use the bacteria on a mature cheese to cultivate a new colony on a younger cheese.

Note: Ricotta molds have wide slits, unlike smaller holes in other molds. This is to allow for faster drainage. In short, we recommend carefully wrapping your cheese in parchment paper and storing it in one of your humidity controllable drawers (like a vegetable crisper). Parchment paper helps your cheese breathe while still providing a protective barrier against unwanted germs.

Some cheeses are also cured in a briny solution while they age, which is pretty much an open invitation for a group of bacteria known as Brevibacterium linens to make that cheese their new home. As the bacteria settles in, it produces piquant odors and distinctive flavors. Some washed-rind cheeses are soft, like limburger; others are semi-hard or hard like montague. Ricotta is not cheese. According to Italian legislation (RDL n.2033 del 1925) cheese is a product made from milk, either whole or partially skimmed or totally skimmed, or from cream by means of acidic or rennet coagulation, and also using starter cultures and kitchen salt. Blue Cheddar: This Wisconsin original is a great way to expand the boundaries of your cheese tasting while keeping things familiar. Blue cheddar is aged cheddar infused with Penicillium roqueforti, the fungus responsible for developing blue cheese’s iconic veins and flavor. Basically, it’s the best of both worlds.

Bloomy Rind cheeses: Commonly found on soft, rich cheeses like Hoard’s St. Saviour or Schroeder Kase Camembert, bloomy rinds are surfaced ripened cheeses known for their white rinds. These cheeses are coated with with Penicillium candidum during the aging process. This famous mold culture is responsible for the edible, white rind and contributes to the creamy interior texture of bloomy rind cheeses. Is cheese made from mold? Matte JJ, Britten M, Girard CL. The importance of milk as a source of vitamin b12 for human nutrition. Animal Frontiers. 2014;4(2):32-37. doi:10.2527/af.2014-0012 One of the most fascinating aspects of cheesemaking is the transformation from the humble curd to a gorgeous blue-veined cheese like gorgonzola. What starts as a nearly blank slate becomes a complex and unique creation over the course of a few short months. Head cheesemaker Antonio Daniele (left) ladles the ricotta into moulds at mozzarella dairy Prime Querce. During theprocess, the ricotta in the moulds is continuously draining, and the moulds need to be topped up. Cheese is not mold nor is it the by-product of mold. Some cheese varieties like blue cheese have specific species of mold that are intentionally added during the cheesemaking process to enhance the flavor of texture. The mold added to these cheeses can be thought of as a special ingredient.

Ricotta in moulds at Prime Querce. As soon as all the moulds are full, they are wheeled into a cold room at 4˚C. Add lemon juice, stir gently and continue to heat slowly to 190 degrees F. The curds will rise to the surface at this temperature. Hold at this temperature for 15 minutes then remove from heat. Rozenberg S, Body JJ, Bruyère O, et al. Effects of dairy products consumption on health: benefits and beliefs—A commentary from the Belgian Bone Club and the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases. Calcif Tissue Int. 2016;98(1):1-17. doi:10.1007/s00223-015-0062-x