Storing Natural Cheeses

[muzzlet]

My favorite food guy, Alton Brown, says that natural (as opposed to processed) cheeses should be loosely wrapped in wax paper (because cheese is alive and has to breathe), held together with a rubber band, and placed in the refrigerator.

I recently purchased a pricey block of natural sharp cheddar from our local farmer's market and it was yummy!! I followed AB's advice and in a few days, I had a dried out, rock hard piece of very expensive garbage!

So, what IS the best way to store natural cheese?

 

[Andy M.]

I keep cheeses in a ziplock freezer bag. It has air in it but limits circulation so there is no drying effect.

I wouldn't trash it, you can grate or shred it and use it in recipes.

 

[jennyema]

Alton is mostly right. Cheese is alive and needs to breath. Any good cheesemonger will tell you the same.

But you should wrap cheese pretty tightly in either wax paper, parchment or foil -- or special cheese paper. Or wrap loosely and then overwrap with plastic. Wrapping cheese tightly in plastic will encourage mold and -- people claim -- impart a taste to the cheese.

He probably also should have recommended that you buy cheese in smallish amounts.

 

[Cooper'sMom]

I thought I heard it that you wrap it in wax paper, then put it in brown paper bag. Remember that cheese is also mold. But I haven't done it this way. I have pricey cheeses stored in ziplock bags and it last longer.

 

[jennyema]

Remember that cheese is also mold.

So you are saying that cheese = mold?

Cheese isn't mold. Sometimes molds are used to make certain cheeses but cheese isn't a type of mold.

 

[JillBurgh]

I suffocate mine in ziploc bags, too. Does that make me guilty of some sort of fungicide (like fungus-homicide). Nah it's not a fungus ... I know. Maybe man(chego)slaughter

Don't be bleu, I'm not a muenster. I wouldn't havarti a fly.

 

[GB]

That was very gouda Jill.

 

[kitchenelf]

I suffocate mine in ziploc bags, too. Does that make me guilty of some sort of fungicide (like fungus-homicide). Nah it's not a fungus ... I know. Maybe man(chego)slaughter

Don't be bleu, I'm not a muenster. I wouldn't havarti a fly.

Is that bottle in your avatar empty???? That was too funny!

I too wrap mine in foil - it seems to do the best.

 

[GB]

If I do not put mine in a foodsaver container and suck all the air out then I break all the rules and wrap it in plastic wrap. The experts tell you not to do this, but it has worked great for me so I will continue to do it this way.

 

[JillBurgh]

That was very gouda Jill.

Thank you. Sometimes I can be pretty SHARP...

You wouldn't believ how tough it was for me to ocme up with cheese puns!

Anyway, I do know that if your hard cheese gets moldy it is safe to simply cut off the mold and use the unaffected parts. As long as you detach ALL of the mold and any cheese within 1 inch of the mold.