how to store cheese
Rule 1: Eat it.
The best place to store cheese is in your belly. The Truffle’s Karin Lawler suggests buying only what you need right away. “Some people come in and ask for a pound of cheese. I say, ‘Why?'”
Rule 2: Give it some air.
Cheeses release several gasses like ammonia, and if these aren’t allowed to escape, your cheese will suffer. Wrap cheese loosely (Lawler suggests using foil, but wax paper also works) and refrigerate in the vegetable drawer or in a large, airtight plastic container that’s bigger than the cheese. Pop the container every day to refresh the air. For unfamiliar cheeses, ask your cheese seller for tips. Never wrap cheese tightly in plastic.
Rule 3: Sooner is better.
Fresh cheeses, like mozarella and queso fresco, lose moisture quickly and should be eaten as soon as possible after opening. Most medium-hard cheeses like cheddar will last up to a week, if stored correctly. After that, says Lawler, “Make a grilled cheese sandwich.”
As a rule, the harder the cheese, the longer you can keep it. Ungrated parmesan cheese lasts several weeks if stored correctly. Unwrap it every few days to give it some air. If you find the edge has dried out, trim it to expose the more supple cheese in the middle.
Rule 4: Keep it cool, not cold.
Store cheeses in the refrigerator at about 40 degrees. Never freeze cheese. They taste best at room temperature, so pull cheeses out of the fridge an hour before you serve them.
Rule 5: Know your molds.
In blue cheeses like Roquefort or Stilton, the right kind of mold is a good thing; without it, blue cheese wouldn’t be blue. Red mold is bad. Should blue mold appear on a cheese where it doesn’t belong — cheddar, brie, or gouda for example, beware.
Rule 6: Toss it.
If cheese smells off (not just strong, but rancid) or looks or feels significantly different from how it appeared when you purchased it, trust your instincts. “When in doubt, throw it out,” says Lawler.
Tucker Shaw
