Shape of the cheese

The cheese takes on its characteristic shape after the curd is transferred to special, variety-specific moulds following coagulation. The curd is then turned at regular intervals (mainly for soft cheeses) or, in the case of semi-hard and hard cheeses, pressed for up to 20 hours (depending on the type of cheese), so that the remaining whey can drain evenly from the forming cheese wheel. For soft cheeses, the curd is naturally pressed and compacted by its own weight.