Living Cheese?
Cheese is Alive. Nurture It!
Preserving its life – and, of course, its taste – is the goal of cheese storage.
At its prime ripeness, living cheese is a perfect but fragile balance of aroma, taste, texture and appearance. Proper handling and storage can mean the difference between vibrant, delicious, living cheese and dead, ammoniated, spoiled cheese.
Some Helpful Information About Cheese
Cheese is the result of the slow interaction between milk solids (protein), micro-fauna that exist in raw milk, molds or cultures that are introduced by the cheesemaker (or the affineur) and the environment in which the cheese is matured and or aged. Some types of cheese -- in full, uncut wheels – can age for many years while their flavor, aroma and texture improve over time. However, not all cheeses improve with age. Once a wheel is cut and the rind is broken, the cheese begins to deteriorate, and small pieces of cheese have an even shorter lifespan than large wheels. That does not necessarily mean cheese will spoil immediately. But unless properly handled and stored, the cheese can quickly lose its distinctive taste, texture and appearance.
There are many types of cheeses and no single way to store all types. However, there are general rules than can greatly reduce premature spoilage. We have compiled a few tips that should help keep your cheese alive and tasting scrumptious.
Do not wrap cheese in conventional non-porous materials. Cheese needs to breathe
The delicate flavor balance achieved by the cheesemaker requires oxygen exchange and storage at the proper humidity. Non-porous materials suffocate cheese, causing the dreaded ammonia flavor (particularly in soft cheeses). Non-porous materials also trap too much moisture within, accelerating the growth of invasive surface molds.
Buy only what you will eat within the next week (with a few exceptions)
A good exception to this rule is Parmigiano-Reggiano or other hard, aged cheeses such as aged Gouda will last as well. When wrapped in Formaticum Cheese Paper, these cheeses will store well for weeks.
Never underestimate the value of an experienced cheesemonger!
Ask your cheesemonger to suggest cheeses in season and at their prime. Always taste before you buy; cheese that has been cut to order is always the freshest (and tastiest!) option. For the best possible flavor, try to avoid plastic-wrapped, pre-cut pieces.
Be mindful of the “cut & packaged date” printed on pre-cut cheese
If this is how you buy your cheese, always make sure the cut date is within a day of purchase. When you get home, rescue your cheese from plastic suffocation and rewrap in Formaticum Cheese Paper.
Cheese requires high humidity, yet must be able to breathe. Formaticum Cheese Paper is a two-ply material designed to maintain optimal humidity, while not allowing water to accumulate--thus preventing the growth of surface molds. Formaticum Cheese Paper’s two-ply material allows oxygen exchange. Wax paper, tin foil and plastic wrap are unsuitable for wrapping cheese because they neither regulate humidity nor allow oxygen exchange. Cheeses wrapped in these materials are prone to drying out, growing surface molds and other spoilage. In other words, not using cheese paper will make your cheese taste bad.
Cutting Tips
Cutting soft cheese while is cold will be cleaner and will make it easier to move the cheese to the serving dish. Harder cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or aged Gouda are much easier to cut at room temperature. For hard cheese, a sharp cheese knife with an offset handle is the professional utensil of choice. For soft cheese a cheese harp, wire or a Roquefort Bow will ensure clean cuts without deforming shape. Always use clean tools to prevent the introduction of new molds or bacteria.
Store each cheese individually
Only wrap one kind of cheese in each piece of Formaticum Cheese Paper. Never wrap several cheeses together. Their flavors will interact and none of them will taste as good as they should.
Label cheese and note the date of purchase
Use Formaticum Cheese Labels to ensure your cheese is securely wrapped in Formaticum Cheese Paper. Our cheese labels can be used to easily identify your cheese and keep track of when they were purchased.
Cheese Domes are a great way to store cheese. They’re washable, reusable, and durable. Cheese stored under a dome creates its own climate, ensuring proper humidity every time. White mold or soft ripened cheeses and washed rind cheeses are ideal when stored unwrapped under a Cheese Dome.
Keep cheese in the refrigerator and only warm what you will consume in each sitting
Cheese should ideally be enjoyed at room temperature, but it will last longer in your refrigerator. Drastic temperature changes are not good for your cheese. If you have leftover cheese that has been out for hours, leave this cheese stored under a Cheese Dome at room temperature and enjoy the next day. There is nothing better than a soft cheese that has been left out all night on your morning toast! Never freeze cheese.
“Face clean” room temperature cheese before rewrapping
Cheeses left out at room temperature may sweat or release oil. This is perfectly normal. If you must re-refrigerate cheese that has been left out at room temperature - before rewrapping, “face clean” the cheese by scraping its surface with a non serrated Cheese Knife removing any debris or oil from the surface; then wrap securely in Formaticum Cheese Paper.
Check and rewrap cheese periodically
Do not forget about wrapped cheese in the back of your refrigerator. Regularly remove stored cheese from the refrigerator, unwrap and inspect it. Eat a bite of cheese every day! If the paper has become damp or soaked through with oil rewrap with a new piece of Formaticum Cheese Paper.
Never freeze cheese
Freezing cheese changes its texture and alters its balance. Freezing cheese is a technique employed in certain cooking methods, however, it should not be used as a means to store cheese intended for non cooking uses. Never serve a previously frozen cheese.
Cheese is always best stored in your stomach!
Information on Milk Types
Globally, cheesemakers produce an uncountable number of distinct cheeses. Yet, across the diverse range of flavors, aromas, shapes and sizes, the one constant is milk. One easy way to approach the, sometimes complicated, world of cheese is to organize it by milk type. Cow, sheep and goat’s milk are the basis for most cheese (except the renowned mozzarella di buffalo and somewhat less renowned soy cheese).
The flavor of cheeses made from these milks can vary greatly depending on the specific breed of the animal, how well the milk is handled, the style of cheese, how well the cheese is handled and the cheese’s ripeness. These descriptions will prime you for what to expect.
Cow Milk
Cows produce more milk by volume than sheep or goats. This is why many of the largest wheels of cheeses are made from cow’s milk, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano, Comte and most Cheddar. In general, cow milk has a sweet yet clean flavor, and of the three milks, cow’s is most able to absorb and develop the intended flavor profile without asserting its own inherent traits. While there is plenty of variance depending on the breed, cow milk contains more fat than Goat milk, yet less fat than Sheep milk.
Goat Milk
Goats produce the least amount of milk by volume of the three animals. This is why many goat cheeses are small, delicate and carefully made morsels, such as Crottin de Chavignol, Caprino, and Wabash Cannonball. In general, goat milk is tangy and herbaceous. Both of these flavors are typically inherent in all goat cheeses – fresh or aged. Goat milk has an undeserved reputation for what is often described as a pronounced “goaty flavor”- this is the result of mishandled milk or an unclean milking parlor rather than a characteristic flavor of goat milk. Goat milk has the lowest fat content when compared to cow and sheep milk and is the easiest on the human digestive system.
Sheep Milk
Sheep produce more milk by volume than goats, yet less than cows. This is why many sheep milk cheeses are formed into wheels in the middle of the size spectrum, such as Abbay du Belloc, Pecorino Ginepro and Vermont Shepherd. In general, sheep milk is sweet and nutty and has a distinct flavor characteristic often described as wooly. Sheep milk has a higher fat content than either cow or goat milk.
How To Taste Cheese
As anyone who’s ever tried two different version of the same cheese side by side knows, tasting cheese can be more than simply biting into it. To become a more discerning cheese consumer, you need to assess cheese properly before buying. Pay attention to aromas and appearances – and never hesitate to ask for a taste!
Look
A cheese’s appearance can tell you a lot about the type of milk, its style and overall condition. Note the visual attributes of the cheese: what color is the rind? What color is the pate? Cheese made from goat milk will be much whiter in appearance than cheeses made from other milk types. What type of rind does it have; bloomy, natural, waxed or washed? Are there any unusual fissures or holes? Of course, it helps to know what characteristics you’re looking for – so the next time you buy a new cheese, ask your cheesemonger about it’s appearance.
Smell
The smell of a cheese conveys both its style and condition. If the first rule of cheese aromas is: “stinky” cheese does not mean “spoiled” cheese, then the second rule is: cold cheese does not reveal its full aroma. If tasting a cold cheese, start with clean, unscented, hands and break up the cheese in your palm. This will warm the cheese and expose more surface area-- both important for releasing the cheese’s aromas. Then take a good whiff and exhale through your nose.
Taste
When you taste a cheese, take your time. Breathe in, chew slowly, exhale through your nose. Allow yourself time to observe the flavor curve from the initial taste through the finish. Often, the difference between mediocre cheese and excellent cheese is in the finish – and you might not experience it until 30 seconds after first taste. Great cheese is definitely not fast food. Whether a cheese is mild or pungent, the cheesemakers’ goal is to achieve balance among the five human taste areas: sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami. If it tastes right to you, eat it! Trust your palate: life is too short to eat cheese you don’t enjoy.
Serving Tips
Now that you know how to select cheese, how do you serve it?
First, unless you are serving freshly-made cheese, bring your cheese to room temperate – usually an hour outside of the refrigerator.
If possible, avoid precutting bite-size portions. If you must, never more than 30 minutes in advance or you’ll dry out the cheese.
Prepare the cheeses so they are easy to cut. Remove most of the inedible rinds, but retain some so as to preserve the cheese’s appearance.
Use separate Cheese Knives for each variety of cheese. Using the same utensil for a blue cheese and a mild cheese will only make the mild cheese taste like the blue cheese.
Separate mild and strong cheeses on the plate. If you are creating a cheese course, arrange the cheeses from mildest to strongest and let people know where to start.
Use cheese signs to enable your guests to remember those cheese they enjoy most or to help them east in your intended progression.
You’ll know you served cheese the right way when your guests eat it all!
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