Cheese is one of life’s most indulgent pleasures, offering a wide range of textures, flavours, and aromas. However, to truly appreciate cheese at its best, proper storage is essential.
Storing cheese incorrectly can compromise its texture, flavour, and safety. Whether you’re enjoying a wedge of strong Cheddar or a wheel of Camembert, understanding how to store cheese properly will ensure that it stays fresh, delicious, and safe to eat.
Here’s a guide on how to store cheese the right way.
1. Understand the Cheese Type
The first step in proper cheese storage is understanding the type of cheese you’re dealing with. Cheese can be broadly classified into two categories: hard cheeses and soft cheeses.
Knowing whether your cheese is hard or soft will help you determine how to store it for the best results.
2. Temperature Matters
Cheese should be stored at the right temperature to preserve its taste and texture. Most cheeses are best kept in the fridge, but they shouldn’t be stored in the coldest part, like the back of the fridge, as this can dry them out. Instead, place your cheese in a section of the fridge where the temperature stays between 4°C to 8°C.
For soft cheeses, a slightly warmer part of the fridge is ideal. You don’t want them to get too cold, as they’ll lose their creamy texture and become harder to enjoy. On the other hand, hard cheeses like Barber’s Cave Aged Cheddar will fare well in the fridge but can tolerate a slightly colder environment without compromising quality.
3. Proper Wrapping
How you wrap your cheese is critical to preserving its freshness and preventing spoilage. Avoid plastic wrap for long-term storage, as it traps moisture and can cause the cheese to sweat, which leads to an unpleasant texture and promotes bacterial growth. Instead, use wax paper or parchment paper to wrap your cheese. These materials allow the cheese to breathe, maintaining the right level of humidity while preventing it from drying out.
After wrapping the cheese in wax paper or parchment, place it in a resealable plastic bag or airtight container. This will help to keep odours from other foods in your fridge from permeating the cheese. For soft cheeses like Gillot Camembert, it’s also recommended to place the cheese in a small container, ensuring that it remains free from excess moisture.
4. Storage for Special Varieties
Some cheeses, like Vacherin Mont-d’Or, are wrapped in natural materials like spruce bark, which contribute to their unique flavour and texture. When storing these types of cheeses, avoid removing the original wrapping, as it helps to preserve the cheese’s moisture balance and aroma. Simply keep them in the fridge in their original packaging.
When it comes to blue cheeses, such as Colston Bassett Stilton, the mould is an essential component of its flavour profile. While mould is safe to eat in blue cheeses, ensure that the cheese is stored in a way that prevents the growth of undesirable moulds. Wrap it in wax paper or parchment and store it in a container with a loose-fitting lid to allow for airflow.
5. Serving and Resting
Cheese tastes best when it’s served at room temperature, as the flavours are more pronounced, and the texture is smoother.
Take your cheese out of the fridge 30-60 minutes before serving, depending on the type. Hard cheeses like cheddar will become more pliable and flavourful, while soft cheeses like Gillot Camembert will soften and become creamy.
6. Keep Cheese Separate
Cheese is known for absorbing strong odours, so it’s important to store different types of cheese separately. Strong-smelling cheeses should be stored in their own containers to prevent their pungent aromas from seeping into milder cheeses. This will help preserve the integrity of their flavours and prevent unwanted flavour crossovers.
Conclusion
Storing cheese correctly can make all the difference between enjoying a vibrant, full-flavoured cheese and one that’s dry, overly firm, or spoiled. By understanding the unique needs of each type of cheese, wrapping them properly, and storing them at the right temperature, you can ensure that your cheese stays fresh, safe, and ready to be savoured.
