Cheese Storage 101 - Don't Be Mean to Your Cheese

Cheese Storage 101 - Don't Be Mean to Your Cheese
Cheese Storage 101 - Don't Be Mean to Your Cheese

We've all been there.

You get your cheese home, eat half of the wedge immediately, wrap it up and stick it in the fridge for a future snacking session. Only... the next time you visit your cheese, something is different... it's harder, it doesn't look the same, and it seems to have a new strange flavor.

Believe it or not, there is a right and a wrong way to store cheese. So be nice to your cheese, and let it breathe a little.

Cheese is a living, breathing thing after all.

THE TRICK?

Let your cheese breathe by using the right type of wrap, and keep it in a separate spot in your fridge to prevent the other smelly things in there (onions, leftovers, those beets from last week, etc.) from seeping into your perfectly aged pittig gouda, or your young and stinky gorgonzola piccante.

CHEESE DO’S

  • Do re-use the wrap your bought your cheese in, but
    • 1) only if it's a wax paper wrap and
    • 2) discard that wrap when the wedge is gone
  • Keep your cheese separate from the other items in your fridge. Always place your cheese in the crisper drawer or on a plate with an over-turned bowl on top
  • Be especially careful where you store those wonderously, veiny blue cheeses. You'll want to keep them separate from all other cheeses so their molds do not travel
  • If you're out of wax paper again and really in a bind... go for an aluminum foil before you reach for the plastic wrap. Read up on our go to wax paper, Fromagex, and you'll see why we love it so so much
  • When you're getting ready to serve your cheese, remove it from the fridge, unwrap and cover with an over-turned bowl. Serve at room temperature for optimal taste

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CHEESE DEFINITELY DON'T DO'S

  • Never use the same paper to wrap two different cheeses. Even with our favorite paper, Fromagex, you always want to start fresh when wrapping to ensure the rind bacterias do not mix
  • Don’t leave cheese unwrapped/uncovered because the cheese will absorb all the flavors in your fridge. Think about what's in your fridge right now... you probably don't want that to happen
  • Steer clear of using plastic wraps to rewrap cheeses. It will suffocate your cheese, causing it to change into a hunk you don't even recognize anymore
  • Don't throw it away just because it looks a little funky. Know your mold, and how to salvage a wedge. Our cheesemonger extraordinaire Hunter Fike breaks it down for you here.