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*(optional) Cheese Wax Brush [http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cheese+wax+brush Amazon.com] link
*(optional) 2 qt cheap pot (wax pot) [http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Doutdoor-recreation&field-keywords=2+quart+pot&rh=i%3Aoutdoor-recreation%2Ck%3A2+quart+pot Amazon.com] link
*(optional) some kind of liner like foil, wax paper, etc
==Ingredients==
##Place the cheese on the drying board and try to keep it somewhere as close to 50 degrees F as possible. It is winter and my basement is about 55 degrees so that's what I did.<br />[[File:gouda_16.jpg|600px]]
##Flip the cheese daily to ensure even drying.
##If any mold forms, wipe it off with a cheese cloth dipped in vinegar. Check the image below and you will be able to see that there is a rind that has formed on the cheese. I read, later, that the optimal drying conditions is 50 degrees F and 85% humidity. I dried my cheese in closer to 50% humidity. I suspect that the dry environment contributed to the cheese forming the rind as the outside dried too quickly. '''*NOTE''' Waxing will eliminate the rind, see the updates at the end of the article.
#Waxing
##The last, optional, step is the wax the cheese like the professionals do!
##The book says to refrigerate the cheese for a few hours before waxing to help the wax adhere. I chose to leave it in the fridge overnight just based on my schedule. I decided to cut the cheese into 1/8ths and wax 6 of them (I ate the other 2 ;P). Note that cutting the cheese and letting it dry overnight caused cracks to form in the softer inside of the cheese. If you are going to cut up your cheese wheel into smaller chunks before waxing, I recommend you do it right before waxing to avoid these unsightly cracks.<br />[[File:gouda_18.jpg|600px]]
##Ok, onto the waxing. The first thing to do is setup a double boiler and get good ventilation because wax fumes are combustibles. The doubler boiler keeps the wax from getting heated above 212 degrees F. See my ghetto double boiler below.<br />[[File:gouda_19.jpg|600px]][[File:gouda_20.jpg|600px]]
##Once the wax has melted use a waxing brush to paint the wax onto your cheese. I found that the easiest way was to do the "top" with a couple coats (letting it dry between coats). Then holding hold the cheese so and an edge is flat and & level , and painting paint thatside. Continue on with the other sides and finish up with the "bottom".<br />[[File:gouda_21.jpg|600px]]##Optionally you can wax a paper label into your cheese which is kinda cool. I tried 3 different methods shown below. ##*From left to right: 1.) ###Laying down a later layer of wax and pressing the label in. 2.) ###Laying down a layer of wax, pressing the label in, and the waxing the "border". 3.) ###Laying down the label and the waxing over the top. ##*I'll update this in the future with a note on which techniques seems to hold up the best.<br />[[File:gouda_22gouda_23.jpg|600px]]##As for clean up. Hot water and a couple paper towels seems to do the trick. You can see that a real mess was made of the board during this process. I scraped excess wax off of the board and put it back in the pot for use later. Hot water and a couple paper towels seems to do the trick to for final cleanup. It's hard to see, but the brush has a good bit of wax left in it. This should be fine as it will melt and liquefy next time you do this process. Also, the board, and even the pot, are very slightly stained pink.<br />[[File:gouda_23gouda_22.jpg|600px]][[File:gouda_24gouda_25.jpg|600px]]##As for the excess wax, '''DON'T DO THIS''' I lined a small tuperware with foil and poured it in to let it dry into a block.###I must have poked a hole in the foil as I pressed it into the tuperware because some wax leaked through and underneath sorta gluing the foil/wax into the tuperware. Ihad to float it in a larger bowl of hot water to warm the wax up to get it out.###The wax is too weak/brittle. It didn'll put t really conform, cleanly, to the shape of the tuperware and instead made little ridges & valleys. As a result I had to peel the foil off in little 1/2" squares as it in kept tearing.###If I were to do this step again I think I'd just poor the hot wax into some hot water. Wax floats and tends to cool into a ziplock bag for next timenice floating disc that is much easier to get free.<br />[[File:gouda_25gouda_24.jpg|600px]]
==1 Month Update==
After letting the cheese sit at room temperature (between 65 and 75 degrees F) for a month we opened up and tried another section. It still tasted good, but the most interesting part is that the rind was gone. I believe that after being waxed, and sitting, the moisture in the cheese redistributed to make all of the cheese an even texture.
==2 Month Update==
After letting the cheese sit at room temperature (between 65 and 75 degrees F) for two month we opened up and tried another section. The flavor didn't change much as far as I can remember. Everything was still good. still no rind.
==References==
*[http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1270920.Cheesemaking_Made_Easy Cheese Making Made Easy: 60 Delicious Varieties by Ricki & Robert Carroll]
[[Category: Bushcraft]]