I’ve been wondering about the difference in recipes - some require wax to age while others do not.  It seems that the Italian cheeses do not, and I’m wondering if that’s due to the thermophilic starter or if its just a cultural tradition.  Does anyone know if there is a way to determine which is right for a particular cheese?  I’m asking because I’ve been considering doing a “thermophilic cheddar.”

hi rich
i wax all my hard cheeses it protects them from unwanted bacteria and stops them drying out and they stay that way for months with no fuss just a turn every now and then. ive had a a waxed parmesan aged for 12 months with no problems. it also helps if you are ageing mold ripened cheese in the same fridge

Thanks,  I’ll likely go ahead and experiment.  Oh, no worries about the mold ripened cheeses in the same fridge - mold does NOT touch my lips.

The point of the waxing is so they dont dry out, this is what happens to small batches. In the Commercial arena they have huge wheels and they develop a rind that protects the cheese so they dont have to wax them, so it boils down to size.