[Sca-cooks] Re: What leaves are good for wrapping cheese?

[Kathleen Madsen]

Nettle, fig, grape, and chestnut are all types that
are in use today - but there are a few others that I
can't think of at the moment.  You do need to be very
careful about how they are treated before applying
them to the cheeses as they can harbor listeria and
other pathogens.  The best way to handle them is to
boil them in a mixture of water and liquor - like
brandy.  You could also use a brine boil, but this
tends to crystalize on the leaf and make it dry and
brittle.  Boil them for a minimum of 3 minutes, I tend
to do mine for about 15 - but be careful to make sure
they don't start to show signs of disintigration.  The
leaves will probably not want to stay on very well, so
you may need to tie the wrapped cheese around with
twine or drive a toothpick through it.

Happy cheesemaking,
Eibhlin the cheese-geek