No pressing?

I have heard of cheeses that are made without pressing. Camembert, possible some others. I believe I read this leads to a creamier cheese. Can anyone tell me the result of not pressing other cheeses like Cheddar, Asiago, Monterrey. I thought of cutting the curd very small to avoid cracks and air pockets, then placing the mold in a warm pot to keep it at temprature and keep it draining.

I believe the cheddar needs to be pressed to get the moisture content down, to give you the texture you want.

"Soft" cheeses, many called fresh cheeses, aren't pressed. Feta isn't pressed, and is stored in brine.

Hard cheeses are pressed to get the moisture content low, so it can age (ferment) at the right pH without spoiling due to moisture.

I've recently discovered "Belper Knolle" which isn't pressed but seems to result in a hard cheese.

http://www.cheesemaking.com/store/pg/700-test-recipe.html

I suspect that it works because the cheeses are small and that helps them to dry out. Black pepper, garlic, and cheese? Yes please!

I ordered the Chevre culture but it's backordered so I might have to wait. I'm going to look elsewhere.

Blue cheese isn't pressed. It's very smooth and creamy.

Cutting the curd very small will result in a dryer cheese, maybe not what you're looking for. Pressing, after the cheese has gotten acidic, will force the whey out of the cheese, allow it to knit together, and make a hard wheel of cheese.

You don't want to follow a cheddar cheese recipe and then not press it. You'll end up with a bunch of chunks that don't knit.

If you want to make a cheese without pressing, camembert is a great choice, but not for a beginner ( due to time, temperature, and culture considerations). Blue cheese is pretty easy I think, if you like that. Feta's easy. I have failed at mozzerella so many times that I hesitate to recommend it, but it's considered a easy cheese.