Handle With Care
You’ll be rewarded for handling gourmet cheese with the utmost care. It can provide the difference between an average taste and an unforgettable experience.
Packaging
- Light and air can adversely affect the quality of cheese. Look for packaging that keeps these elements out.
- Good packaging prepares the purchaser for a great cheese experience, both through the story it tells and by its appetite appeal.
- It's a little known fact that pre-packaged cheese is actually fresher than deli “cut and wrap.” Pre-packaging better protects the cheese from light and air.
Serving
- Most cheese is best served at room temperature. After taking it out of the refrigerator, let it sit, covered, for 30 minutes or so.
- Trim off any dry edges or surface mold. (Yes, you can eat cheese with mold on it – just be sure to remove it all, assuming it’s not too much. Use your judgment.)
- Most cheeses cut easier when they’re chilled. However, hard cheese is easier to cut closer to room temperature.
- If possible, use a separate knife to cut each cheese.
Storing
- Once cheese is exposed to air, it can dry out and lose flavor. After opening, refrigerate between 35° and 45°F, maintaining a consistent temperature. However, for optimal flavor, we recommend keeping our cheeses below 37°F.
- Store cheese away from other aromatic foods; cheeses can absorb those odors.
- Fresh cheese is meant to be eaten quickly; the sooner the better. Store in air-tight containers.
- Aged cheese has a longer shelf live (1-2 weeks) than fresh cheese and is best kept tightly wrapped in wax paper or parchment.
- Cheese can be frozen, but we recommend against doing so – it will deteriorate both while in the freezer and while thawing. If you must, wrap small pieces of cheese tightly. Thaw in the refrigerator and use within a couple of days.