Cheese Care And Serving Suggestions

What’s the best way to serve cheese?

Cheese tastes best at room temperature. 30-60 minutes before use, cut off what you think you’ll need and leave out on the kitchen counter. Put the rest back in the refrigerator. If you’re cooking with your cheese, you can skip this step.

 

How much cheese or charcuterie should I get for my cheese board/party/event?

The general rule is 1-2 oz, per person, per type of cheese or meat. For example, if you’re feeding 10 people, you’ll want to serve 10-20 ounces of each unique item. You can round up or down depending on some other factors:

How hungry will your guests be? For example, people usually eat more during appetizer hour than they will for dessert.
Will there be other food to eat, or just this? You can scale portions down if there will be lots of food to choose from.
How many different types of cheese and meat will you have? The more variety you have, the less likely everyone will try every single item.
Consider rounding up on cheeses you think will be more popular and down on the more adventurous items.

 

How long is my cheese good for?

Soft cheeses will taste best within 1-2 weeks of when you receive them, and firm cheeses within 3 weeks. Firm cheeses in vacuum-seal and whole, unopened wheels are usually good for months. Look for a use-by date on the packaging for more guidance.

 

What’s the best way to store my cheese?

• Refrigerate all cheese until ready to use.
• Store cheese in the warmest part of your refrigerator.
• If you received your cheese in brine or liquid, store it in that same liquid. Make sure to use only clean utensils to remove cheese. This will help the liquid and cheese last longer.
• Wrap different cheeses separately from one another.
• If your cheese arrives in vacuum-seal, keep that packaging until ready to use.

Wrapping materials:

• Best: Cheese paper or cheese storage bags. These are designed for cheese and will extend the life and flavor of your cheese.
• Good: Parchment or wax paper. It’s a good idea to add a layer of plastic wrap or sandwich bag on the outside.
• Good: In a lidded storage container. Cheese can go in on its own, or wrapped in parchment or wax paper. This works well for soft runny cheeses that need a structured container.
• Not ideal: Plastic wrap, which doesn’t allow the cheese to breath, and can expedite spoilage and create undesirable plastic flavors and aromas.

 

Can I freeze cheese?

We don’t recommend freezing cheese. When the cheese thaws, the chemical structure of the cheese changes, and the texture and flavor won’t be as the cheesemaker intended. If your heart is set on freezing, your best bet is with firm cheeses without a rind that will be used for cooking only.

 

Can I eat the rind?

We don’t recommend eating rinds made of wood, plastic, or wax. Otherwise, eating the rind is completely a personal preference. Trust your senses. If a rind looks and smells appealing to you, taste it. If it tastes good, eat it. If it doesn’t, don’t! It’s that simple.

 

I have special dietary requirements. What kind of cheese can I eat?

Always consult your doctor on what works best for you. Here are some general guidelines for general dietary preferences.

Lactose intolerance: Cheeses aged 6 months or more are typically lactose-free, as the lactose is ‘digested’ away in the aging process. In cheeses younger than 6 months, sheep and goat’s milk cheeses are typically easier to digest for those sensitive to lactose.

Vegetarian: Many cheeses are made with animal rennet. Check the product page for cheeses made with vegetarian rennet.

Vegan: At the moment we don’t carry any vegan cheeses, but stay tuned!

Celiac or gluten sensitivity: Some blue cheeses contain gluten. Otherwise most cheese is naturally gluten free.

Low Fat: Fresh, high-moisture cheeses that haven’t been aged are usually lower in fat, as well as cheeses made from goat’s milk. Good examples are fresh goat cheese, fromage blanc, and mozzarella.

 

How do I know if my cheese has gone bad?

Soft cheeses can be very pungent but still good to eat. However, if your soft cheese starts to smell like ammonia, it’s time to throw it out.

Firm cheeses rarely become unsafe to eat if kept in constant refrigeration. Over time they might dry out or grow mold spots. If that happens, simply trim those sections and enjoy the rest.

Two more rules of thumb: 1) If your cheese’s appearance and smell change dramatically from when you first opened it, it’s probably past its prime. 2) As always, trust your senses. If a cheese smells and tastes good, go for it. If the smell and flavor no longer appeal to you, it’s probably time to go.