subject: How to Store Cheeses [print this page] How to Store Cheeses How to Store Cheeses
As a rule, keep cheese in the refrigerator, (it's always better to store as close to the bottom of the fridge as possible - the vegetable compartment is ideal), and remove 30 minutes to an hour before serving, as it is best enjoyed at room temperature. If the cheese is too warm or rests too long on the table it melts down: Brie or Camembert will "run away". Or hard cheeses such as Gruyre or Comt will sweat and ooze oil, and even might smell too strong. Too cold, and the cheese will taste bland and inert for instance Brie or St Andr would loose its original flavors. Either way, it won't be appetizing and that's a letdown. Follow these simple guidelines and your cheese might just last until the fridge whispers your name in the middle of the night.
Warp semi-hard and hard-pressed cheeses such as Fol Epi or Charles Arnaud Morbier in wax or parchment paper and again in foil or plastic wrap. These cheeses have already lost quite a bit of moisture, and you want to keep them from drying out any further.
Blue cheeses like St. Agur and Roquefort Cantorel, for instance are usually sold in foil wrap, which you may re warp it into another layer of foil.
Even double wrapping these strong, pungent cheese won't guarantee that their aromas won't infiltrate your other foods. To combat this problem, place Blue cheeses in containers for extra assurance.
Often sold in wooden boxes, soft-ripened cheeses such as Camembert should be left in their original package until ready to serve. Afterward, transfer any uneaten portions to a plate, then cover with wax paper followed by plastic wrap. For best results, store the plate in a drawer of the fridge.
Soft or fresh cheeses think Goat or Feta are perhaps the easiest to maintain. Simply store in a plastic container and place in the fridge.
However you choose to store your cheese, it is not recommended to freeze it or to wrap it directly in!
Which bring us to our last point though your cheese will keep in the fridge, provided that you've stored it properly, it won't last forever. Check the cheese regularly, touching and smelling it to see how it's behaving.
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