There are three reasons cheesemakers wrap or cover wheels of cheese towards the end of the cheesemaking process: protection, flavor and aesthetics. What types of things do cheesemakers wrap cheese in? Below are five examples.
- Leaves and Bark
Cheeses wrapped in herbs, leaves or bark absorb flavor from their wrapping. These cheeses are often described as earthy, herbal, grassy or floral.- Examples:
- Grape leaves – Sally Jackson Goat, Banon
- Chestnut/Walnut leaves – Pecorino, Sally Jackson Sheep and Cow, Capriole’s O’Banon
- Cedar fronds– Lovetree Farm’s Trade Lake Cedar
- Nettle leaves – Cowgirl Creamery St. Pat
- Hoja Santa leaves– Mozzarella Co.’s Hoja Santa goat cheese
- Sycamore leaves– Valdeon
- Spruce bark – Jasper Hill Farm’s Winnimere, L’edel de Cleron
- Herbs
An outer coating of herbs adds flavor, although often the rind of herbs is too dry to be edible.Examples: Brin d’Amour/Fleur du Maquis, Herbillette, Cowgirl Creamery Pierce Pt., Willow Hill Farm’s Alderbrook, Lovetree Farm’s Big Holmes
- Foil
Moist cheeses, like blues, are often packaged in foil to keep them from drying out.Examples: Roquefort, Gorgonzola
- Wax
Wax is an airtight seal that protects the cheese during aging.Examples: Le Chevre Noir, Cheddars, Leyden
- Cloth
Cloth protects the outside of a cheese but also allows air in, creating a natural rind beneath the cloth. Cheese wrapped in cloth is often called bandage-wrapped.
Examples: Bravo Farms' Silver Moutain, Cheddars, English Cheeses like Cheshire and Lancashire
