Preserving cheese (in Cruising World)

[Oldrig]

There's an article in the latest Cruising World about preserving cheese (primarily hard cheese) using a spray bottle of white vinegar, cheese cloth and a vacuum sealer.

It sounds pretty simple. Has anybody heard of this technique, or better yet, tried it?

--Joe

[AdriftAtSea]

I've used vinegar and cheese cloth to preserve cheese...but never thought of using a vacuum sealer with it. :) Makes sense though.

[psyche]

The Cruising World article is also refering to preserving hard cheeses. She uses this method for preserving cheese unrefrigerated for up to a year even in the tropics. She specifically mentioned these cheeses: French Comte, Swiss Gruyere, Italian Parmigiano- Reggiano, Dutch Pradera, Spanish Roncal and Pecorniano Aficionado. Her method: Thoroughly clean the counter you will work on. She cuts the cheese into the size you think you will use within a couple of days, wraps it in cheese cloth, lightly spritz each piece of cheese with vinegar, wrap it in cheese cloth (or gauze) and vacuum seal it. Write the type of cheese and date on the sealed bag with a permanent ink pen. The vinegar inhibits mold growth without affecting flavor.  Dan

[CharlieJ]

 ;D

Now we know how to keep it, if only we could FIND some of those cheeses in our little backwater corner of the world.

;D

Yeah, I know, we COULD order it online. But I'd really like to taste test a cheese before I bought a big chunk, know what I mean?

[Manannan]

hello, you all,  lost in the backwater corner of the world !!

I deeply sympathize with Charlie as I am enjoying my creamy Brie with a glass of red wine !!  ;D Believe me, in my corner of the world, we do not worry about keeping it, it does not have time to get bad....
But the vinegar thing works, at least for hard cheese, Brie and Camembert, you just have to sacrifice yourself, and eat it when it is at its best, creamy, soft, almost running and .... as smelly as an old sock !! Bon apétit !

[Oldrig]

Ah mon ami,

You're making my mouth water.

Nowadays I can hardly afford to enjoy good French wine or cheese, never mind visiting Europe!

Why didn't I invest in that euro-denominated fund?

[s/v Faith]

I am an absolute fiend for that cheap cheddar that you find everywhere in the Bahamas.

I have about 5# of it aboard right now, anyone have any ideas on keeping it healthy?

I thought about mason jars with olive oil... Any ideas?

[CharlieJ]

Nix the jars. how about a cloth soaked in Vinegar? The acetic acid would be hostile to bacteria